It has been previously observed that, for hydraulic fills with similar index properties and depositional environment, a similar range of in situ state parameter is often observed. The effect of depositional environment (ie depositional energy) on relatively clean sands was studied in detail during 1980s construction works in the Beaufort Sea, and the principle has been extended to the states of tailings. To provide further information and insight into this phenomenon, cone penetration test (CPT) data from a wide range of tailings deposits have been collected for comparison, with data sourced from both from the authors’ company files for projects they have been involved in, and published data in the literature. The deposits assessed include relatively coarse, non-plastic, sub-aerially deposited facilities in arid environments (ie with drying), low plasticity silty materials pluviating through decant ponds, and some filtered stacks. The resulting trends suggest an increase in density with deposition energy, particularly with respect to materials pluviating quiescently in decant ponds compared to those deposited sub-aerially. The general trend of looser states with increasing plasticity of fines (and noteable exceptions) are discussed. The filter stacks examined surprisingly show slightly dilative in situ states, despite being deposited with minimal compaction–a field deposition method seemingly similar to the laboratory moist tamping method, used to create loose contractive specimens.