Abstract: Tailings facilities are a major component in mine production and also a potential risk source.With the continuous development of the mining engineering, the accidents of tailings dams have occurred frequently.Tailings dam failure will not only lead to tailings flow-out, but may also destroy the ecological environment of the downstream area in serious cases, resulting in enormous loss of human lives and property.Accidents of tailings dams causing heavy losses at home and abroad are listed.The causes are analyzed and the lessons that should be learnt and the preventive measures in production are put forward, with a hope to attract the attention to the safety of tailings dams.

Key words: Tailings dam, Dam failure, Measure