114 Figure 1 – Initial stage before closing. 1.2 Problem • The dust contained heavy metals and mining contaminants that led to an increase in respiratory illnesses among the local population. • Exposure to contaminated dust, acid water, and degraded soil affected the health and quality of life of thousands of residents. • The dump degraded the urban and natural landscape, hindering orderly development and reducing the value of nearby land. • Critical slopes up to 30 meters high with surface instability issues in the capping layer, resulting in poor performance in the installation of granular material and topsoil. 1.3 Solution • Creation of stable slopes with controlled angles of inclination, as well as geometric adjustments based on geotechnical criteria to ensure long-term stability. • The dump historically generated contaminated runoff during the rainy season; therefore, water management was a central focus of the closure, incorporating crest channels, slope drainage channels, and a platform. • Revegetation and landscape restoration through the planting of species adapted to highAndean conditions. • Sealing of the cleared area through the implementation of a multi-layer covering system to reduce the area’s exposure to oxygen and rainwater; this covering will be explained below. 1.4 Geosynthetic closure coverings 1.4.1 Types of coverage The design of the vegetation cover, as well as the selection of the species, responded to the characteristics and properties of the soils. Type I Cover This type of cover was installed on the slope of the dump, to fulfil the function of waterproofing the clearing, the slopes were 2H:1V. The height of the slope was mostly 20m.
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