Tailings management is a significant challenge for the mining industry, and it is under more scrutiny than ever, as global industry standards call for safer, more sustainable practices. The rising demand for minerals and metals means that modern mines must raise throughput, control costs, and reduce their environmental footprint, all while responsibly managing their Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs). Meeting these demands starts with a technology that is often overlooked but essential: the cyclone.
Mining companies carry a long-term responsibility to manage tailings and waste material left behind after ore is processed and valuable minerals and metals extracted, from operation through to closure and even post-closure. This management is critical to prevent catastrophic failures, protect human safety, and minimise environmental impacts. Responsibly managed TSFs are characterised by knowledgeable mine owners and tailings contractors who implement good engineering practices and use technologies that support safety, compliance, and efficiency. While several factors influence cyclone selection, choosing the right one is crucial to ensuring efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible tailings management.
No two TSFs are the same – each requires a tailored cyclone solution
“Tailings deposition is far more complex than people think, which is where correctly specified cyclones make the difference,” explains Ernst Bekker, Process Specialist Cyclones at Multotec.
“When chosen and applied correctly, cyclones are more than just classification devices. They directly impact how efficiently tailings are deposited in a TSF, the stability of the TSF structure, and the effectiveness of water recovery for reuse in the plant. This means that the right cyclone can transform tailings management from a costly necessity into a driver of best practice standards for sustainable tailings management.”
Selecting the appropriate cyclone for tailings management is therefore not a one-size-fits-all exercise and several factors must be weighed carefully.
Durability
Harsh operating conditions, abrasive material and considerable pressure spikes during start-up demand equipment that lasts. Multotec’s GV Cyclones were introduced after earlier polyurethane units frequently failed on TSFs due to fluctuating start-up pressures. Multotec engineered a spin-cast steel shell with a 12 mm bonded rubber lining to combine strength with longevity, while keeping the weight manageable.
Cyclones designed with wear-resistant linings, durable composite construction materials and simplified maintenance requirements not only extend service life but also reduce downtime and operating costs.
Erick Herbst, Applications Manager at Multotec says, “cyclones may look simple, but we have put a lot of thought into durability, usability and maintenance because these are the factors that determine long-term performance in harsh tailings environments.”
Ease of handling
A lightweight cyclone is faster to install, easier to move around on-site, facilitating quick modification, and upgrades ore replacements without downtime. This is particularly important in tailings dam environments where cyclone relocation is done by hand. A 250 mm cyclone size has emerged as the most economical compromise, small enough to be easily handled, but large enough to reduce the number of units needed. A lightweight cyclone also requires a smaller tailings contractor team for operation and maintenance.
The quick release screw spigot couplings on Multotec’s GV Cyclones, allows for easy spigot changeouts, which is vital because spigot wear directly affects underflow density, wall stability, and overall TSF safety.
Flexibility
The ability to alter the combination of the cone angle, spigot, and vortex finder of a cyclone to meet the specific operational parameters of material characteristics and TSF requirements ensures fit-for-purpose equipment for tailings management applications. This equipment flexibility considers evolving project needs throughout the life of the TSF.
Process efficiency
Cyclones with optimised geometries ensure the optimum volumetric split between overflow and underflow is achieved to match the required rate of rise of the TSF. This supports faster tailings deposition and stable TSF wall construction while maximising throughput without compromising process reliability. Operators can achieve the necessary balance of coarse fraction to the wall and fines to the centre, improving drainage and enabling more reliable water recovery with Multotec’s GV Cyclones.
Environmental impact
Modern cyclone designs enhance water recovery from tailings and produce better drying tailings by ensuring that drier, more course material reports to the wall ensuring stability of the TSF and finer, more liquid material reports to the centre in decant structures. This is especially critical as finer ore grinds, now increasingly common due to lower ore grades, reduce the natural supply of coarse material needed to construct the wall of the TSF.
By improving water recovery and stability of TSFs, Multotec’s GV Cyclones mitigate both environmental and safety risks and helps reduce the overall footprint of storage facilities. This is increasingly important in water-scarce regions, where responsible resource use is not only an environmental imperative but also a regulatory and operational one.
Equipment optimisation
Safe and responsible tailings management requires a collaborative knowledge-sharing approach between equipment suppliers, the mine owner, and tailings contractor. Accurate sampling is critical as poor sampling can create biased results that lead to incorrect recommendations. Multotec can mitigate this by directly assisting with on-site test work.
Herbst adds, “Our value lies in being on site, testing equipment under real conditions, and making sure clients have a cyclone they can trust.”
“This ensures ongoing optimisation of cyclone performance, consistent efficiency through capacity and flowrate refinement depending on feed conditions, and cost-effectiveness by improving the cost per ton over the life of tailings deposition.”
Blane Pillai, Applications Engineer at Multotec, says no two tailings dams are the same and cyclone selection therefore cannot be a copy and paste exercise. “Each site has different feed conditions and operating practices, which is why on-site testing is essential and is used to ensure that solutions are not only technically correct but also practical.”
Multotec also provides training and support to help close knowledge gaps among operators, reducing risks linked to TSF mismanagement.
Prioritising these considerations in cyclone selection allows mines to fine-tune their tailings strategies to achieve both operational and sustainability targets where above ground tailings deposition in a TSF is the only option.
Cyclones as enablers of responsible tailings management
Modern, fit-for-purpose cyclones enable tailings contractors and operators to better manage deposition rates, enhance water recovery, and minimise risk, directly supporting compliance with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, which sets the benchmark for safe management and the goal of zero harm.
Multotec’s GV Cyclones reflect lessons learned from industry challenges, failures of polyurethane units, heavy steel units that were too difficult to handle, and operator frustration with hard-to-change spigots. The lightweight, yet durable design, simple spigot change system, and adaptable components make the GV Cyclones both operator-friendly and technically reliable.
Placing cyclones at the core of your tailings management strategy is not optional but essential. While tailings management will always demand effective governance and good engineering practices, having the right cyclone is a small, but powerful tool that supports continual improvement in TSF management.
