Currently, tailings mining at the Gelado dam is being carried out through dredging with four electric dredges, whose specifications are described below: cutter-suction dredges; total length of 46.92 m; length between perpendiculars of 37 m; width of 8.86 m; maximum dredging depth: 16 m; maximum pumping distance: 5,970 m (5,000 m + 970 m); production rate of 750 t/h. In the mining plan, the 190 m elevation was defined as the pit bottom, considering operational constraints related to the minimum working pad width and the reach of the dredges’ booms. The parameters used for pit operation were: 5 m bench height; 20 m minimum berm width; 45 m minimum working pad width; 75° bench face angle; and 14° overall slope angle (Figure 9). Figure 9 – Topography of the pit used in the operational mine plan It is important to note that the upper elevation for the start of pit operations is 220 m, and the pit bottom elevation is 190 m. 5 CONCLUSIONS The study generated very important knowledge about the occurrence of iron, associated elements, and sediment particle-size distribution within the tailings body deposited in the Gelado tailings dam. Fe occurs at concentrations equal to or greater than 65% in the discharge areas of Arms 1 and 4 over nearly 500 m, in the eastward and northward directions, respectively, and then decreases
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