At least 107 people were killed in major failure at an artisinal mine on the border with Cameroon. In the afternoon of 18 August 2026, a large landsldie occurred at an artisinal gold mine at Zamboye (also spelt Zamboï) in the Central African Republic. The landslide was caught on videos that have been widely shared […]
mining
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Images of the aftermath of the 13 August 2026 tailings storage facility failure at the Semancor Dikwena Chrome Mine in South Africa
The Landslide Blog is written by Dave Petley, who is widely recognized as a world leader in the study and management of landslides. On social media, the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Republic of South Africa has released two aerial images of the aftermath of the 13 August 2026 tailings storage facility failure at […]
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
The 13 August 2026 tailings storage facility failure at Dikwena Chrome in South Africa
A major tailings accident occurred last week in a Chrome mine at Dikwena near Brits. On 13 August 20926, a major failure occurred in a large tailings storage facility at the Dikwena facility, owned by Samancor Chrome in the Brits area of South Africa. There are news reports from IOL and the Daily Maverick about this […]
Posted inEditors' Vox
The Hidden Costs of Mining River Sand
River sand and gravel fuel global construction, but their extraction is reshaping rivers, ecosystems, and communities faster than sustainable management can keep pace.
Posted inNews
One Billion Years Ago, Northern Minnesota Nearly Split Apart. Now, Two Companies Want to Mine the Aftermath.
A continental rift created valuable mineral deposits beneath a remote wilderness beloved by recreationists.
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Legal action in the aftermath of the Independent Review Board report of the 24 June 2024 heap leach failure at the Eagle Gold Mine
The receiver of the operator is suing JDS Energy and Mining for breach of contract and negligence over the failure at the Eagle Gold Mine, based on the outcome of the investigation by an Independent Review Board. Loyal readers will remember a series of posts I made two years ago about a remarkable landslide that […]
Posted inResearch & Developments
Sand Demand Outpaces Sustainable Extraction
Demand for sand in the building sector is expected to rise 45% by the year 2060, outpacing current efforts to sustainably harvest it.
Posted inNews
As Ice Recedes and Land Rebounds, Antarctica’s Mineral Resources Come into Focus
Melting ice, rebounding land, and rising seas will change what resources are available in Antarctica, a new analysis finds.
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Monitoring pre- and post-failure InSAR-derived deformation in surface mining complexes
A new paper in the International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation uses InSAR to explore the complex patterns of deformation that occur in and around large mining operations. I have frequently discussed landslides in mining operations on this site, highlighting repeatedly the unacceptable losses that result from slope failures. In many cases, these […]
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Reports of another massive landslide at the Rubaya Coltran mining site in the DRC
There are disputed reports of another massive landslide at the infamous mining site, with over 200 deaths being described by eye-witnesses. There are reports this morning that another devastating landslide has occurred at the Rubaya coltran mining site in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is an area controlled by a rebel group, M23, […]