1. waste material left over after useful minerals have been extracted from ore during mining operations
Usage: mining; usually plural

Examples

• The mining company stored the tailings in a large pond behind the facility.
• Environmental regulations require proper disposal of tailings to prevent water contamination.
• The old copper mine left behind massive piles of tailings.
• Scientists studied the tailings to assess their environmental impact.
• The tailings dam was designed to contain the mining waste safely.
• Heavy metals in the tailings posed a risk to nearby groundwater.