Abstract: The tailings reservoirs in China are characterized by great number, small size and low safety level, with most of the small and medium-sized ones not normally designed. Downstream of the most tailings reservoirs, there are living areas, factories, mines or important facilities. Therefore, the dam failure analysis is necessary for enhancing the tailings reservoir management so as to reduce the disaster impact to the minimum. A dam failure analysis for an iron mine' tailings reservoir in Fengchen City has been made in order to take corresponding preventative measures to reduce the loss, including the largest dam-break debris flow, arrival time, scope and depth of inundation.  

Key words: Tailings reservoir, Dam failure, Debris flow, Numerical calculation