<p>Modelling the behaviour of relocated iron ore tailings—from a reservoir to a filtered stacking facility—is challenging due to (<i>i</i>) the spatial variability of the original hydraulic disposed of material and (<i>ii</i>) possible anisotropic stress states within the compacted pile. This paper addresses these issues by investigating the triaxial compression response of iron ore tailings retrieved from three different positions, thus presenting distinct gradations, within an impoundment that is about to be decommissioned; the tailings will be transferred to a filtered stack facility. Isotropically and <i>K</i>-consolidated drained and undrained triaxial compression tests were carried out on compacted iron ore tailings samples, enabling the assessment of gradation and consolidation path on these responses. The results have shown the role of the consolidation path, particularly at undrained conditions, even when sheared with a similar initial state parameter. Also, it has been demonstrated the slight influence of the gradation on the critical state strength (<i>M</i>) and volumetric coupling coefficient (<i>N</i>) of the tailings, but the major effect on the state-dilatancy (<i>c</i>) parameter as well as on the shape and location of the CSL in the <i>e</i> – log <i>p</i>´ plane, which accounts for the liquefaction susceptibility.</p>