The Geomechanical Behavior of Mine Waste Rock Slopes under Climate-Induced Stressors: A Global Perspective

Mine waste rock slopes are essential engineered structures in the mining sector, presenting significant geomechanical challenges due to their potential for catastrophic failure, which threatens both human safety and environmental integrity. Traditional stability analyses often fail to fully account for emerging stressors introduced by climate change, including stress redistribution, permafrost degradation, and hydrological shifts, all of which increasingly compromise slope integrity on a global scale. This paper adopts a global perspective, investigating key degradation mechanisms driven by evolving climatic conditions. These mechanisms include precipitation variability, which can trigger both immediate failure and progressive weakening; freeze-thaw cycles that alter structural integrity through pore pressure fluctuations and cumulative micro fracturing; thermal effects that cause long-term displacements and material weakening; biogeochemical alterations such as oxidation, leaching, and microbial activity that result in acid generation and metal mobilization; and wind erosion and drying cycles, which contribute to particle loosening and surface crust degradation. The paper also highlights advancements in monitoring technologies, such as InSAR and real-time piezometer systems, alongside modeling approaches like coupled hydro-mechanical simulations, which collectively enhance predictive capabilities for slope stability. Despite these developments, significant knowledge gaps persist, particularly concerning the long-term variability of geotechnical parameters under changing climatic conditions. The study emphasizes the urgent need for continued interdisciplinary research, improved scaling methodologies, and robust data integration frameworks to ensure the long-term stability and safety of mine waste rock slopes in the face of climate uncertainty.