Waste rock deformations were measured on a high altitude dump using survey prisms and inclinometers. Rates of downslope advancement of about 0.2 to 0.5 m/day (70 to 180 m/year) were measured. This waste dump is founded on very thick (greater than 40 m), warm (approximately -0.5oC) ice-rich permafrost moraine deposits.
From satellite observations and site displacement measurements, it was concluded that the observed displacement was a result of both movement on the ground surface (sliding at the interface of the waste rock dump and foundation) and movement on a shear strain localization surface within the foundation (i.e. creep).This paper describes how the observational data were used to determine the deformation processes and offers potential mitigation solutions for stopping the continued movement of this waste rock dump.
