Abstract: With the increasingly standardized of environmental protection regulation of tailings reservoir, the design and construction of anti-seepage facilities of tailings reservoir in China are based on the precondition of distinguishing tailings solid waste, and then determining the form of anti-seepage technology according to the specific seepage condition of tailings reservoir.The seepage types of tailings reservoir include valley seepage, dam foundation seepage and dam-around seepage.In view of the different types of seepage, many kinds of seepage prevention methods, such as “vertical”“horizontal” or “vertical and horizontal combination of seepage prevention” are adopted.This paper analyzes and expounds the identification process of several common seepage types in tailings reservoir, and puts forward the general idea of determining the seepage prevention technical scheme according to the seepage types.Combining with the application of impermeable geotechnical materials in dam slope seepage control, flexible toe plate connection, horizontal paving and bad geological treatment in tailings reservoir, this paper analyzes its effect on preventing turbidity of tailings dam seepage, reducing the risks of osmotic failure, reducing seepage of dam foundation and satisfying environmental protection.Several key problems to be solved to improve the applicability of impervious geomaterials are revealed, and it is proposed that the development of low cost, high toughness and high ductility geomaterials and more safe & reliable impervious laying technology to adapt to complex tailings reservoir geological environment conditions should be an important direction for the future development of impervious geomaterials.