100 IN-PIT TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITY (IN-PIT TSF): THE EXHAUSTED OPEN PIT AS A HIGH-PERFORMANCE SOLUTION FOR SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE TAILINGS MANAGEMENT IN MODERN MINING *K.J. Cáceres1, J.O. Gutierrez2 1Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Anddes Asociados Sac, National University From Cajamarca, Perú, (*Presenting author: caceresmendozakarol@gmail.com) 2Department of Civil Engineering, Gold Fields, Ricardo Palma University, Perú, (javier.gutierrez@goldfields.com) ABSTRACT Tailings management has emerged as one of the most critical technical, environmental, and social challenges facing modern mining. Conventional surface tailings storage facilities (TSFs), particularly those relying on large containment embankments, concentrate vast volumes of tailings and water behind elevated engineered structures, resulting in high levels of stored potential energy and a permanent dependence on active controls to maintain stability. Recent high-consequence failures have demonstrated that incremental improvements to traditional designs are insufficient to effectively address the inherent risk profile of this type of facility. In this context, the use of exhausted open pits as In-Pit Tailings Storage Facilities (In-Pit TSFs) represents a fundamental shift in tailings management philosophy. By utilizing an existing mining excavation confined by a competent rock mass, In-Pit TSFs eliminate the need for elevated embankment dams and shift system control toward hydraulic containment, long-term geomechanically stability, and risk-based operational management. This paper presents a comprehensive technical framework for the evaluation, design, and decision-making associated with In-Pit TSFs, integrating geotechnical, hydrogeological, and hydraulic analyses, as well as risk management principles aligned with international standards such as the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM). The analysis demonstrates that, when integrated early into life-of-mine planning, In-Pit TSFs enable a structural reduction of catastrophic risk and constitute a technically robust and sustainable alternative for tailings management in openpit mining. KEYWORDS In-Pit TSF; tailings management; geotechnical stability; hydraulic containment; risk-based design, sustainable mining 1. CONTEXT AND PROBLEM STATEMENT The mining industry is facing increasing pressure to substantially improve the safety and sustainability of tailings management. At a global scale, surface tailings storage facilities have
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