370 reservoirs in a concentrator. Technologies such as high-pressure grinding rolls, dry or hybrid classification, ore sorting, high-density thickening and filtration have been highlighted as key levers for reducing make-up water demand and limiting the amount of water stored in tailings ponds. Within this framework, filtered tailings and dry stacking represent the final step that enables truly low-water tailings management. In contrast to conventional slurry tailings, where water is stored in large impoundments and gradually returned through decant and seepage, filtered tailings are dewatered to relatively low moisture contents, typically around 8–20 %, depending on mineralogy and particle size and placed in layers that can be compacted and shaped (Davies & Rice, 2001; Lottermoser, 2010). This allows more water to be immediately recycled to the process plant, reduces the hydraulic load on containment structures and lowers the risk of catastrophic release. From a mine-to-mill perspective, dry stacking thus acts as both a water-recovery technology and a risk-reduction measure, linking process water management with long-term geotechnical performance. In cold climates, however, the effectiveness of dry stacking is tightly coupled to climatesensitive processes. Thermal regimes and seasonal moisture dynamics influence the mechanical and hydraulic behavior of both tailings and foundation materials. Climate change projections from the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) suggest increases in winter and shoulder-season precipitation (IPCC, 2021–2023), more intense rainfall events and shifts in freeze–thaw frequency under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios in many northern regions. These changes challenge traditional design assumptions for both slurry ponds and filtered tailings, and underline the need to integrate climate scenarios and hydrological modeling into tailings planning. Against this backdrop, dry stacking under Arctic conditions must be understood not only as a dewatering and deposition technique, but as part of a broader transition toward climateresilient, low-water and circular mine waste systems. The following sections review current practice in cold climates, identify limitations and risks under changing weather and climate conditions, and discuss how dry stacking can be aligned with circular economy and low-carbon objectives. 3. STATE OF PRACTICE: DRY STACKING AND WATER-SAVING DEPOSITION IN COLD CLIMATES Water-saving, dry deposition methods have become increasingly common in the mining industry because they reduce water consumption, improve geotechnical stability and lower the risks associated with conventional, water-rich tailings solutions (Sahu et al., 2020; Lottermoser, 2010). In these methods, tailings are placed in the deposition area at relatively low moisture content and compacted mechanically, which reduces pore-water pressure, increases strength and improves long-term stability. These advantages are particularly relevant in cold and northern climates, where freeze–thaw processes, snow accumulation and extreme precipitation events strongly influence the performance of tailings facilities.
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