It has been just over four years since the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) was launched, and much is being learnt as mining companies and professional experts continue to maintain compliance.
The GISTM has brought a more integrated approach to the design, construction, operation and closure planning of Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs) , according to Franciska Lake, Partner and Principal Environmental Scientist at SRK Consulting. This has meant that an even wider range of disciplines now need to engage collaboratively in projects that relate to TSFs - from ESG specialists to practitioners in mine closure, climate change, hydrology, geochemistry, water stewardship, and disaster management.
Integration
"There was initially the need to raise awareness about the high level of integration required between the ESG aspects and the traditional, technical aspects of tailings management", says Lake.
Kavandren Moodley, Principal Environmental Scientist at SRK Consulting, emphasises the importance of trust and understanding between the mine and project- affected people.
"Building cooperative relationships between mines and their stakeholders remains a continuous challenge but has been a crucial ingredient in meeting GISTM standards", Moodley states. He also points out potential misalignments between local regulatory requirements and the GISTM.
"In building the environmental knowledge base that the GISTM requires, additional information is often needed beyond what local regulations or historical legislative conditions may have demanded", he explained. "In many cases, mines have focused solely on their project development areas, paying limited attention to the broader risks of a tailings breach. Closing these gaps requires collaboration between regulators, the mine and other stakeholder".
