Microseepage Appraisal and Control of Tailings Storage Facility: A Case of Geita Gold Mine, Tanzania.

Mataro, John A. (2024) Microseepage Appraisal and Control of Tailings Storage Facility: A Case of Geita Gold Mine, Tanzania. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

Mining operations generate substantial volumes of waste, often stored in tailings storage facilities (TSF). The TSF are notorious for their potential to cause environmental pollution, especially when tailings enter surface or ground waters. Effective monitoring of the TSFs is therefore crucial for sustainable mining operations. This study investigated potential microseepage at the Geita Gold Mine (GGM) in north-western Tanzania, in the Lake Victoria goldfields of GeitaRegion. The TSF performance was assessed by analysing water quality parameters (pH, sulphate, nitrate, and total dissolved salts) in upstream and downstream boreholes. The findings reveal noteworthy variations in the readings between upstream and downstream boreholes. The boreholes located upstream the TSF showed parameter concentrations in the ranges of pH (5.5 – 7.3), sulphate (0.42 – 7.90 mg/L), nitrate (0.02 – 2.8 mg/L), and TDS (40 – 221mg/L). In contrast, the downstream boreholes showed parameter concentrations of pH (5.5 – 7.1); sulphate (160 – 613 mg/L); nitrate (0.02 – 19.9 mg/L) and TDS (360 – 1,167 mg/L). These variations suggest the existence of microseepage downstream of the TSF, exceeding Tanzania Bureau of Standards limits in some cases. To assess and mitigate potential microseepage risks, correlation analysis and artificial neural network modeling were employed. While correlations between variables were generally weak, the model achieved 91.32% accuracy in predicting water quality based on historical data. These findings highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and advanced modeling techniques for managing TSFs and preservation of the local ecosystems.

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