Public remotely sensed data raise concerns about history of failed Jagersfontein dam

A mine waste deposit known as a tailings dam recently failed in the town of Jagersfontein, South Africa. The failure occurred amidst global concern about the safety record of these structures. Herein we use public remotely sensed data to gain insights into the construction history of the dam. The data suggest a construction sequence that is inconsistent with sound tailings management practices: asymmetric deposition, erosion gullies, large ponds and absence of beaches. These observations highlight the criticality of adhering to good construction practices and the potential of public data to monitor such adherence. Additionally, we present commercially available very high resolution satellite images to illustrate some of the immediate consequences of the failure.

Automated summary

A tailings dam failure occurred in Jagersfontein, South Africa, raising global concerns about the safety of such structures. By analyzing public remotely sensed data, inconsistencies in the construction history of the dam were found, including asymmetric deposition, erosion gullies, large ponds, and absence of beaches. These observations underscore the importance of adhering to proper construction practices and the potential of public data for monitoring compliance. Additionally, high-resolution satellite images were used to illustrate the immediate consequences of the failure.