Tailings deposition

A mine tailings dewatering site for disposing and recovering water from residues from the comminution and processing of ores comprising:

• a multilayer structure contained by the containment wall, said multilayer structure comprising tailings fractions comprising particles with a p80 of less than 150 microns and sand fractions comprising sand particles with a p80 of greater than 150 microns, with the sand fractions forming continuous channels to water discharge points through the tailings fractions;
• wherein air access points are provided at the sand channels, to allow water contained in the tailings fractions and sand to flow by gravity through the sand channels to said water discharge points, from which the water may be recovered.