Technical Notes

Landloch’s Technical Notes provide in-depth discussion of technical topics of interest to our customers. They are provided as downloadable PDF files.

Concave Slopes – Not a Simple Cure

Recent successes with concave batter slopes on minesite landforms seem to have created an expectation that all outer batters should be concave, and all concave batters will be stable. Neither expectations is correct.

Download technical note:  Concave Slopes – Not A Simple Cure (PDF 406k).

Designing Stable Constructed Landforms for Minesites

This article documents Landloch’s observations on the instability of constructed landforms, and outlines the range of approaches we use to provide the foundation of successful landform design and construction.

Download technical note: Designing Stable Constructed Landforms for Minesites (PDF 328k).

Concave Batter Slopes on Constructed Landforms

For minesites, the concept of using concave slopes to create more stable outer batters on waste dumps and tailings dams is considered innovative. But in nature, concave slopes have been forming for millions of years. This article reviews information on the stability of concave slopes and discusses their use on constructed landforms.

Download technical note: Concave Batter Slopes on Constructed Landforms (PDF 244k).

Gullies and Waste Dumps

A discussion of the forces leading to gullying on mine site waste dumps, with some solutions proposed by Landloch.

Download technical note: Gullies and Waste Dumps (PDF 68k).

Surface Roughness

Surface roughness is widely considered an important tool in rehabilitation of minesite landforms. However, observations of rehabilitated slopes lead to the conclusion that in many cases the surface roughness created has actually increased erosion, rather than controlling it. These two articles consider the relationship between surface roughness and the factors affecting erosion.

Download technical notes: Surface Roughness on Rehabilitated Slopes (PDF 368k) and Surface Roughness Impacts – Arid Zones (PDF 171k).