Bruno Creek Tailings Impoundment

The Bruno Creek Tailings Impoundment is a tailings dam on Bruno Creek, 19 mi (31 km) southwest of Challis in Custer County, Idaho. It serves to store tailings for the nearby Thompson Creek Mine. At 550 ft (168 m) tall, it is the second tallest center-line tailings dam in the world. In 2008, Phase 8 of the mine was approved which includes a raising of the dam to 750 ft (229 m). The dam is mainly composed of cycloned sand.[1] Currently, the dam stores 100,000,000 t (98,420,653 long tons; 110,231,131 short tons) of tailings and the raise would increase storage to 125,000,000 t (123,025,816 long tons; 137,788,914 short tons). The downstream slope of the dam will be steepened from 3:1 to 2.75:1.[2] In 1994, it was discovered that acid mine drainage had been forming on the embankment since 1987.[3] Since seepage does occur at the dam, a system of wells was installed to monitor groundwater and a seepage return dam was constructed downstream.[2]

Bruno Creek Tailings Impoundment
View of the tailings pond from upstream of the dam
Location of Bruno Creek Tailings Impoundment in Idaho
CountryUnited States
LocationCuster County, near Challis
Coordinates44°19′13″N 114°30′52″W
StatusOperational
Opening date1983
Owner(s)Thompson Creek Mining Company
Dam and spillways
Type of damTailings, center-line
Height550 ft (168 m)
Reservoir
Total capacity100,000,000 t (98,420,653 long tons; 110,231,131 short tons)

References
  1. "Successful Permitting of Expansion to the 2nd Tallest Centerline-Construction Tailings Dam in the World". Golder Associates. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  2. "Thompson Creek Mine Environmental Impact Statement Project Description" (PDF). Thompson Creek Mine. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  3. "Thompson Creek Molybdenum Mine". Boulder White Clouds Council. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
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