Once considered almost entirely the domain of a specialised branch of civil engineering, the scope of managing tailings storage facilities (TSFs) is now considerably broader and more complex.
According to John Stiff, a partner and principal engineering geologist at SRK Consulting, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) has fundamentally shifted the responsibilities of tailings engineers.
“What was once an afterthought is now a departure point,” said Stiff. “The integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns now requires engineers to collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams, including ESG professionals.”
This integration extends across the lifecycle of a TSF, from site selection to closure. ESG considerations now need to be addressed from the very beginning of the site selection process, he explained.
“It is not optional anymore,” Stiff said. “This holistic approach ensures that communities and ecosystems affected by mining activities are factored into operational planning from day one.”
Technical Aspects
At the same time, the GISTM has also tightened up requirements on the technical aspects of TSF design and management. The geotechnical risks related to these structures are well known, based on the failures that have occurred, he noted.
“Over and above the focus on ESG, the GISTM also considers hydrological risks as well as the geo-environmental risks related to geochemistry and geohydrology,” he explained. “These now all need to be well integrated to build a full understanding of the broader risks associated with each TSF.”
Mitigating these risks to human life and the environment then becomes a key aspect of the TSF design and operational philosophy. One of the steepest learning curves for tailings engineers has been closing knowledge gaps, he argued. Among the challenges of investigating older TSFs, for instance, are incomplete historical records, which can hinder accurate risk assessments.
“Good record-keeping is vital, and the GISTM supports this with its requirement for a constantly updated knowledge base – ensuring that all relevant data is available to inform risk mitigation strategies,” he said.
