Tailings dams pose a potential hazard to society and the environment. Contrary to water retaining dams, numerous accidents with tailings dams occur every year. Even when the stability of the dam is not at stake, leakage through the body of a tailings dam can be hazardous because of the toxicity of the contained tailings.

The use of SIBELON^® geomembrane systems as upstream facings allows safe and reliable construction of tailings dams. They provide a watertight barrier that can withstand large settlements in the dam body and between the dam body and concrete structures, can withstand seismic loading, allow steepening of the slopes and reducing the volume of fill and the construction times. They can be installed following construction of stages of the dam, and allow important savings to the overall cost of the project.