Global Tailings Standard

The Future of Tailings Management

Below you will find 5 articles that emphasize how a response needs to be built on multiple disciplines, intense collaboration, detailed planning, and committed implementation. The articles cover diverse aspects of compliance including water management, social engagement, and emergency plans.

Specialists Must Join Hands To Meet New Tailings Standard

By James Morris, Franciska Lake and Jacky Burke

With the release of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) in August 2020, the foundation of this field has shifted, and the stakes have been raised. The standard sets a new bar for corporate responsibility and opens the door for significant improvement in performance.

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Social Engagement Prioritised in New Tailings Standard

By Vassie Maharaj, Franciska Lake, Jessica Edwards and Matthew Law

It's probably not by chance that the first principle of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) is to “respect the rights of project-affected people” and to “meaningfully engage them at all phases of the tailings facility lifecycle”.

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Key Environmental Focus in New Tailings Standard

By Franciska Lake, Jacky Burke, Justin Walls and Matthew Law

While mines have for decades had to comply with the prevailing legislated environmental regulations, the new Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) has shifted the ground.

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Global Standard Prioritises Better Measuring, Managing of TSF Water

By Peter Shepherd, Dr Simon Lorentz, Lindsay Shand and Simon Bruton

With water posing a significant risk to the stability of a tailings storage facility (TSF), the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) places significant focus on water management as part of its sweeping realignment of what global stakeholders now expect of mines.

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TSF Failure – Standards for Response and Recovery

By Andries Fourie, Edrie du Plessis and Jessica Edwards

Even with the range of mitigation measures applied by mines to ensure that tailings storage facilities (TSFs) are safe, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) highlights that catastrophic failure may still occur – and outlines how mines should then respond.

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Our consultants have a wide variety of experience across multiple disciplines and use this expertise when solving the challenges faced in tailings management.

Adriaan Meintjes, MSc, DIC, MEng, PrEng, SAICE

Principal Geotechnical Engineer

Adriaan has over 36 years of experience in civil & geotechnical engineering. He started working as a Mechanical Engineer before moving onto the Building Technology Division.

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James Morris, BSc, Pr Eng, SAICE, WISA

Principal Civil Engineer

James is a civil engineer with more than 32 years of experience in project management of multi-disciplinary teams for the planning and implementation of water related projects.

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Franciska Lake, BSc, PrSciNat

Principal Environmental Scientist

Franciska has over 20 years of experience in water management, environmental impact assessments, and environmental management programmes.

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Jacky Burke, BSc (Hons), GDE, PrSciNat

Principal Environmental Consultant

Jacky has over 31 years of experience in environmental and water quality management. Jacky’s experience includes water use licensing.

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Vasanthie Maharaj, BSc, IAPP, IAIA, IOD, BONSUCRO

Principal Environmental Scientist

Vassie has 20 years of experience in design, implementation, and advisory guidance on social risk and stakeholder relations management processes.

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Peter Shepherd, BSc, PrSciNat

Principal Hydrologist

Peter has over 28 years of experience in hydrology. Peter's specialisations include floodlines, dam hydrology, mine water management, river hydrology, water supply, and flood management.

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Simon Lorentz, PhD, MS, GDE, BSc, ECSA, SAICE

Corporate Consultant (Hydrologist)

Simon has 40 years of experience in hydrology. Simon’s specialisations include catchment hydrology, vadose zone hydrology and water quality hydrology.

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Lindsay Shand, BSc (Hons), PrSciNat, AWS

Principal Environmental Geologist

Lindsay has over 20 years of experience in environmental water management. Lindsay’s specialisations include water stewardship, land contamination, waste management, minimization as well as treatment and control.

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Jessica Edwards, MA, BSoSci (Hons), BSocSci, IAIA

Senior Social Scientist

Jessica has over 18 years of experience in social impact assessment and stakeholder engagement projects.

Matthew Law, MCom, BSc (Hons), BSc, EAP

Environmental Management Consultant

Matthew has over 14 years of experience in the field of environmental management in the mining, infrastructure development, commercial and industrial sectors.

Justin Walls, MSc, BSc, Pr Eng, SAICE, GIGSA, IGS, LaRSSA

Senior Civil Engineer

Justin has over 14 years of experience in the fields of mine waste as well as water and environmental engineering.

Simon Bruton, MSc, BSc (Hons), BSc, PrSciNat, SASAqS

Senior Hydrologist

Simon has over 14 years of experience in the field of water management.

Andries Fourie, BTech, PrDM

Senior Technologist: Disaster & Risk Management

Andries has more than 20 years of experience in local government. He was previously employed in Public Safety, Emergency Services & Disaster Management roles.