CSOs 4 Tailings Justice

We are committed to building democratic community power to address the dangers of mine waste, including tailings facilities.

The Jagersfontein Tailings Dam Failure Investigation and Dam Break Analysis

February 17, 2026

Presentation by Prof SW Jacobsz and Dr Louis Coetzee, University of Pretoria, Faculty of Engineering

On September 11, 2022, a catastrophic failure of the Jagersfontein diamond mine tailings dam in South Africa released over 6 million (\text{m}^{3}) of liquid sludge, killing two people, destroying 164 homes, and devastating over 1,600 hectares of farmland. The disaster resulted from weak structural foundations, excessive sludge loading, and poor oversight of re-mining activities. (ScienceDirect.Com)