Tailings Thixotropy – Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering
Posted on June 23, 2026 Oilsands
Modelling of thixotropic behaviour of oil sand tailings during withdrawal
Coanda scientists Drs. Konstantin Pougatch, Neville Dubash, Clara Gomez, and Barry Bara, in collaboration with Adeola Bello-Hamilton from Syncrude Canada, recently published a paper in the Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering. The study focuses on the development of a mathematical model for tailings removal, which can be applied to improve tailings pond dredging operations.
Abstract:
A mathematical model for fluid fine tailings withdrawal from a pond is developed and adjusted based on the rheological experiments of structure breakdown and buildup. The model includes thixotropic effects for the viscoplastic fluid and is coupled with the Navier–Stokes equations to simulate the motion of the slurry during a transient dredging process. Laboratory scale experiments to withdraw tailings from a small cylindrical vessel were carried out in the lab to facilitate model validation. The comparison of the evolution of the free surface height demonstrated good agreement between the measured and predicted profiles. The model provides insights into the tailings withdrawal process and highlights the thixotropy effect in changing the rheology of the tailings. The modelling can be utilized to support development of efficient mitigation techniques that would help to optimize tailings withdrawal strategy from a pond.
Keywords
dredging, mathematical modelling, non-Newtonian, tailings, thixotropy
The full paper can be accessed on the Wiley website here (subscription required):