SAFETY, HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN - MIRMgate

SAFETY, HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN 

April 2005 Bulletin No S133/2005 

GUIDELINES FOR THE OPERATION OF TAILINGS DISPOSAL FACILITIES: 

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE AND EXPLANATORY NOTES 

Summary 

Anglo American plc (AAplc) recognises that the long term success and acceptability of its business is 

dependent upon good stewardship in the protection of the environment and upon the efficient 

management in the exploration and extraction of its mineral resources. 

Tailings disposal practices have the potential to pose significant safety and environmental risks to 

AAplc operations. As a result of continuing incidents related to failures and the release of 

contaminants from tailings facilities, the international mining community is subject to intense scrutiny 

from third parties exacerbating the situation by virtue of the risk of overwhelming reputational damage 

to the industry. 

In the various countries in which Anglo operates, there are many different requirements relating to 

tailings disposal, both from a legislative point of view, and by virtue of the diversity of the climatic, 

environmental and social factors prevailing. There exists a multitude of design and operational guides, 

permitting requirements, regulatory codes and directives, many of which are legal requirements in the 

countries in question. 

Rather than attempt to re-write the existing guidelines, the purpose of this bulletin is to facilitate access 

to the relevant existing information, and to highlight the important aspects and critical areas where past 

experience has indicated certain operations to have been lacking. 

This bulletin describes the availability and applicability of international guidelines as determined in a 

recent initiative by the mining industry. Outside of Anglo Group Companies, there are only four guides 

or manuals available internationally that are truly management guides in the sense that they provide an 

overall approach or framework for the management of tailings facilities. These originate in South 

Africa, Western Australia, Canada and Peru. AngloGold Ashanti has a comprehensive document that 

has provided significant input to this guide. 

In addition to the above, there are other lesser important guides with some management guidance 

from Australia, the EU and the USA but they are of a more technical or specific nature. 

The primary objective of tailings management is to achieve public and worker safety, and result in an 

acceptable environmental impact. 

This bulletin identifies a set of basic management principles which represents the minimum standards 

that should be met in order to reduce to acceptable levels the auditable risks to which the Group and 

its companies are exposed in safety and environmental management. General comments and 

checklists for detailed activities are given. 

Issued by the Anglo Technical Division 

The information contained in this bulletin is not prescriptive. It is indicative of good practice and is intended as information for site specific 

interpretation and application by the responsible parties within the Anglo American plc Group. The material contained herein is based on 

information believed to be reliable, however, no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness thereof is 

made. No responsibility is accepted by Anglo American plc or any of its subsidiaries or associated companies for any loss or damage of 

whatsoever nature arising out of the use of, adherence to or the lack thereof to any part of this information. 

ATD, VOHE Tel: +27 11 638 3045 

Administrative Contact: 5 th Floor, 45 Main Street Fax: +27 11 638 2610 

Marshalltown, Johannesburg e-mail: avanderlinde@anglotechnical.co.za

The principles as described in the bulletin involve: 

• management commitment 

• planning 

• plan implementation 

• monitoring, checking and corrective action 

• management review for continual improvement 

• decommissioning and closure 

• worker safety 

• emergency response 

• competency and training. 

As the vast majority of Group company facilities are in the operational or closure phase, this bulletin 

focuses on existing facilities rather than those in the design or construction phase. 

In April each year the Technical Director presents a risk review of the Group's major tailings and similar 

high volume waste disposal facilities to the AA plc SHE Committee. The review is conducted by the 

Anglo Technical Division (ATD) in conjunction with the Group companies SHE representatives. The 

review is presented in a summarised table format that highlights the potential safety and environmental 

impacts of each facility, together with the management plans in place to mitigate and reduce those 

risks to acceptable levels, and notes those third party audits which have been conducted together with 

assurance that findings have been or are being addressed. 

It is intended that the principles described in this bulletin will result in improved standards of tailings 

disposal practices, and that they will be used as an aide memoire in the implementation of the annual 

Technical Director's risk review. 

Issued by the Anglo Technical Division page 2 of 47

Contents 

1 Introduction 

2 The Design and Management Process for a Tailings Disposal Facility 

3 Existing Guidelines, Regulations and Manuals 

4 Minimum Requirements for Tailings Management 

Management Commitment 

Planning 

Plan Implementation 

Monitoring, Checking and Corrective Action 

Management Review for Continual Improvement 

Decommissioning and Closure 

Worker Safety 

Emergency response 

Competency and Training 

5 Anglo American plc Tailings Risk Reporting 

6 Conclusions 

7 Acknowledgements 

8 References 

Appendices 

A 

B 

C 

D 

Overview of Existing Regulations and Guidance Procedures for Tailings 

Management from Mining Jurisdictions around the World 

List of Documents related to the Design, Construction and Management of Tailings 

Facilities 

Extract from SANS Specification 10286, List of Contents 

Checklists for Tailings Disposal Activities 

1 Items to be Included in an Operation Specific Management Plan 

2 Items to be Addressed if the Original Design of a tailings Facility is Changed 

3 Items to be Included in a Design Report 

4 Items to be Included in an Operating Manual 

5 Items to be Addressed in a Review or Audit 

6 Guidance on Standards of Practice for a "Design for Environment" Approach to Closure 

7 Anglo American plc Golden Rules for Safety 

8 Suggested Format for an Emergency Preparedness/Action Plan 


1 Introduction 

Anglo American plc (AAplc) recognises that the long term success and acceptability of its business is 

dependent upon good stewardship in the protection of the environment, and upon the efficient 

management in the exploration and extraction of its mineral resources. Tailings disposal facilities, 

waste rock dumps, discards and other residues represent some of the most significant environmental 

risks associated with the mining industry and potentially involve third party liability. 

Tailings disposal facilities are typically structures that are constructed in stages over many years and 

there are usually several different parties involved from the original design and construction stage, 

through operation and closure, to aftercare. The state of the facility continually changes, as do climatic 

and other environmental factors. Problems that may develop can take a long time to manifest and 

because the operators often change, these problems can be overlooked. 

Tailings facility design and management requires a wide range of experience and expertise in many 

disciplines and each stage of the life cycle has differing requirements. The person with the direct 

responsibility for a tailings facility needs to involve a diverse team of experts in its management and 

operation. Tailings and waste disposal is usually not a profit generator questionable practices are 

sometimes accepted. Unfortunately the mining industry has continued to experience incidents relating 

to failures and release of contaminants from tailings facilities. 

The safety of tailings facilities is directly linked to the level of management of the facility. Poor 

management has been identified as the principal underlying cause of most failures, even when the 

design has been sound. For example a common reason for failures of tailings dams in the past has 

been by overtopping. This is clearly a management shortcoming, rather than, for example, a less than 

perfect understanding of the geotechnical and geochemical behaviour of the tailings by the consulting 

engineering fraternity. 

There exists a large volume of documentation relating to all aspects of design, construction, operation 

and closure of tailings facilities in the form of manuals, technical papers, conference proceedings and 

textbooks. There are also varying regulatory approaches in different countries, although none has 

established a comprehensive set of laws and supporting regulations capable of addressing all aspects 

of tailings design. There is an initiative in the International Council for Mining and Metals (ICMM) to 

establish a web-based reference framework to facilitate access to this information and this is being 

implemented at present. This is a step towards the possible development of an international guideline 

for tailings management, although it is not envisaged that such a guideline will be available in the 

immediate future. 

The objective of this bulletin is to facilitate access to the relevant existing information by Group 

companies, and to highlight the important aspects and critical areas where past experience has 

indicated certain operations to have been lacking. As most of the facilities in the Group are in the 

operational and closure phase, this bulletin is focused on those activities, rather than on the design or 

construction phases where many other issues such as environmental impact assessments, site 

selection, optimisation, etc. prevail. 

2 The Design and Management Process for a Tailings Disposal Facility 

The life cycle of a tailings disposal facility generally consists of the following elements: 

• comparison of alternative disposal methods 

• trade off studies and site selection 

• optimisation and design 

• construction of basic infrastructure and starter works (prior to tailings deposition) 

• operation involving continuous expansion 


• aftercare. 

Generally the first four activities above are executed as part of a stand-alone project, whilst the latter 

form an intimate part of the operation of a mine and are the responsibility of the operating staff. 


Because a tailings disposal facility is a structure that is typically built over the life of a mine, it is in a 

sense a living facility that is continually being expanded, often with redesign and phased construction 

activities. This inevitably occurs in changing environmental, social and economic circumstances and 

thus necessitates continual review. It is thus generally accepted that the principle of continual 

improvement by management review should be implemented, involving a cycle of: 

• planning 


• checking and corrective action 

• management review 

• planning 

• etc. 

Management systems should thus be implemented at all operations which incorporate all these phases 

with the objective of achieving a high standard for tailings disposal, so that each facility is planned, 

operated and closed at known and appropriately mitigated levels of risk. A key element is the 

detection and quantification of any flaws or adverse trends and their correction in advance of any 

undesirable event. 

In all phases in the life cycle technical input is paramount and there are many existing design and 

operational guides and other technical reference material. It is self evident that in the first instance, the 

laws of the country in which the Group company operates need to be obeyed. It is vital that those 

involved use the support available in both the technical literature and in the form of specialist legal, 

social and environmental advice. 

3 Existing Guidelines, Regulations and Manuals 

There exists a large volume of documentation relating to all aspects of design, construction, operation 

and closure of tailings facilities in the form of manuals, technical papers, conference proceedings and 

textbooks. There are also varying regulatory approaches in different countries, although none has 

established a comprehensive set of laws and supporting regulations capable of addressing all aspects 

of tailings design. 

As a forerunner of the ICMM international guideline initiative mentioned above, a survey was done on 

the status of existing international guidelines by Golders in October 2000 (Reference 8.1). One of the 

outcomes was an overview of the regulating and guidance procedures around the world which are 

described below, and an extract from their report is included as Appendix A. Included in this bulletin, 

as Appendix B is a comprehensive list of documents related to the design, construction and 

management of tailings facilities. This list has been partially compiled from the above report and from 

the TMF Guidelines prepared by AngloGold Ashanti in 2004 (Reference 8.2). 

There are four guides or manuals available internationally that are truly management guides in the 

sense that they provide an overall approach or framework for the management of tailings facilities. The 

salient points are given below, and the detailed description is given in Appendix A: 

• South African Bureau of Standards “Code of Practice for mine Residue Deposits”, 1998 (SABS 

10286:1998 renamed SANS 10286). This gives a consolidated view of the South African 

industry and regulators and sets out minimum requirements and requires that a management 

system be put in place. The management system must be audited and the frequency of audit 

depends on the hazard rating of the facility. For ease of reference as many of the Group’s 

companies operate in South Africa, the contents pages are included in this bulletin as 

Appendix C. 

Tailings management in South Africa is regulated by law in the Guideline for a Mandatory Code 

of Practice issued by the Department of Minerals and Energy in 2000 (Reference 8.3). This 

guideline makes implementation of a code of practice mandatory for each tailings facility with 

compulsory adherence to the SANS Specification 10286. 

• Department of Minerals and Energy, Western Australian Government “Guidelines for the Safe 

Design and Operating Standards for Tailings Storage” May 1998. This is prescriptive in nature 


and addresses conditions in Western Australia. It has both technical and management aspects. 

Types of tailings are described, risk assessment is addressed, administrative procedures are 

provided and there are check lists. 

• The Mining Association of Canada (MAC) “A guide to the Management of Tailings Facilities” 

1998. This provides a guide for self-management and assists mine management in 

demonstrating due diligence, complementing government regulations and meeting higher 

environmental standards. Though it has technical references it is not a technical guide. 

• Ministero de Energia y Minas, Republica de Peru “Guija de Manejo de Relaves de Minas y 

Concentrados” October 1997. This is primarily a technical guide addressing causes of failure. 

4 Minimum Requirements for Tailings Management 

The primary objective of tailings management is to achieve public and worker safety, and result in an 

acceptable environmental impact. It is recognised that in tailings management in different countries 

the there is a wide spread of individual circumstances that pertain to any particular operation. This is 

on account of the diverse environmental, geological, climatic, social, legal and economic conditions. It 

is thus not possible for every operation to subscribe to the same codes and practices. 

Nevertheless within Group companies there should be a set of basic management principles which 

represents the minimum that should be followed in order to reduce to acceptable levels, the risk to the 

Group and its companies is exposed in its safety and environmental management. It should be noted 

that in any case, in South Africa at least, this is a legal requirement by virtue of the existing regulations 

described in Section 3 above. This section sets out to list those basic principles. 

Checklists for detailed activities are included in Appendix D of this bulletin. 

The principles involve: 

• management commitment 

• planning 


• monitoring, checking and corrective action 

• management review for continual improvement 


• worker safety 

• emergency response 

• competency and training 

Management Commitment 

This requires the management of an operation to commit to compliance with all applicable guidelines, 

policies, legislative requirements and obligations to stakeholders. Operations should familiarise 

themselves with these requirements to ensure that they are in compliance. Necessary steps should 

be taken to ensure that compliance is achieved. Where compliance is not possible or practical the 

areas of non-compliance should be documented along with the reason for non-compliance; any 

exemptions should also be documented. 

Appendices A and B provide an overview of existing regulations and guidance procedures, and a list of 

documents related to design, construction and management of tailings facilities. 

Planning 

Develop, implement and maintain integrated procedures and practices, and assign responsibilities to 

plan, manage and monitor the design, construction, operation and maintenance of tailings facilities to 

ensure that they are operated and closed at known, mitigated levels of risk. 

It will be necessary to do so by means of a comprehensive, documented tailings management system 

to cover the entire lifecycle of the facility, which is accessible to users and auditors. This should be 

integrated into the management of other mining and processing operations. The responsibilities of all 

persons and organisations involved with tailings management should be defined and documented. A 


full risk assessment should be done for all aspects of the operation of the facility. 

A checklist for the items to be included in an operation specific management plan is included in 

Appendix D1. 

Plan Implementation 

This requires those involved to commission, operate and close tailings facilities so that all structures 

will be stable in all likely circumstances, and to take all necessary actions to reduce the environmental 

impacts to acceptable levels. A fundamental step in the process is the execution of a detailed risk 

assessment and the implementation of a formal risk management plan as described below. 

a) Engagement of Appropriately Qualified and Experienced Persons 

Appropriately qualified and experienced persons should be appointed to assist with any new design 

or modifications to the design of any facility to ensure an appropriate, safe, environmentally 

responsible solution. This would typically involve professional persons should it be necessary to 

conduct geological, hydrological, hydro-geological, geotechnical and geo-chemical investigations 

and analyses, as well analyses of biological systems, archaeology, and social issues. The 

investigations and analyses should be conducted in an integrated and coordinated manner and be 

based on the outcome of the original conceptual design process. The resulting reports should be 

subjected to independent review. 

A checklist for items to be addressed in the consideration of changes to the original design is 

included in Appendix D2. 

Appropriate competent operational staff should be engaged as early as reasonably possible in the 

life cycle of a tailings facility. Special attention should be given to training as described in 

subsequent sections below. 

b) Design Reports 

Suitably qualified, experienced and recognised professionals who are subject to an enforceable 

professional code of ethics should be appointed for the design of tailings disposal facilities or 

components. They should have appropriate educational and practical experience directly applicable 

to the design of tailings facilities, along with proven construction and operations history for the 

design of similar projects. The following fields of specialisation could typically provide valuable input 

into the design process: civil, geotechnical, structural and hydraulic engineers, hydro-geologists, 

environmental engineers; hydrologists; and seismologists. 

Because tailings facilities often have the potential for a high safety and environmental impact they 

should be designed on a conservative basis and should take cognisance of: 

• the potential hazard posed by the facility during each of the stages in the life of the facility and 

appropriate measures engineered into the design to mitigate the risk to acceptable levels 

• applicable legislation and regulations and potentially more stringent future legislation 

• potential climatic changes and uncertainty in climatic data. 

All reasonable steps should be taken to select a process that minimises the volume of tailings 

production and thus limits the impacts associated with the tailings facility. 

A design report that covers all investigations, risk analyses and design aspects should be produced. 

A checklist for the contents of a design report is included in Appendix D3. 

Many old operations often do not have the design reports for their facilities. This can be a serious 

shortcoming because the intention of the designers can thus be overlooked or misinterpreted with 

catastrophic consequences. In such cases it is necessary to prepare what is known in South Africa 

as a "Continuation Report". In essence this is a report prepared by a suitably qualified and 

experienced professional for an existing operational facility for which no design report exists. The 

continuation report should then take the place of the design report. The requirements of such a 

report are defined in the code of practice SANS 10286 described in Appendix A. 


c) Risk Analysis 

A detailed failure mode and effects analysis appropriate to the hazard that would be posed by the 

tailings facility should be conducted during the detailed design phase. Such analyses should be 

undertaken in a workshop setting to involve the expertise and experience of suitable disciplines and 

experiences. The process should capture the key elements of comprehensive dam surveillance, 

including: 

• identification of potential failure modes 

• identification of warning signs for the failure modes 

• consideration of how rapidly failure could occur and how problems could be detected well in 

advance of their developing into incidents 

• development of ‘safe’, ‘caution’, and ‘stop’ criteria 

• dam-break analyses which should be undertaken for tailings facilities with significantly high 

downstream risks, and if these could be catastrophic this item should receive particular 

attention. The SANS code 10286 has specific guidelines in this regard. 

The analysis process should be formally documented providing: 

• a structured, repeatable and documented process 

• an assessment of surveillance practices 

• identification of aspects requiring improvement 

• an action plan that evolves from the process. 

All new designs should be subjected to appropriate independent expert review. 

d) Operating Manual 

Operating procedures and specifications that are designed to ensure an acceptable level of risk 

should be established. The operating procedures should be documented in an appropriate 

operations manual which is communicated to all relevant personnel. The primary objective is to 

ensure the implementation of systems and methods for the routine measurement of tailings facility 

performance and compliance, and for interpretation of the performance data against predetermined, 

prescribed criteria for acceptable risk levels. It is vital that systems be put in place to 

continually re-assess the risks involved in the operation, i.e. there should be an on-going risk 

analysis process. 

The operating manual should: 

• provide a concise, practical reference document that could be used by operating personnel for 

details of the operation and surveillance of the tailings facility, thereby ensuring that design 

assumptions and requirements are considered during the operational phase. 

• be maintained as a ‘living’ document that is updated whenever circumstances change to 

significantly affect the manner in which the tailings facility is to be operated 

• assist with the training of staff 

• demonstrate to senior management and regulators that formalised procedures for the safe 

operation of the facility are in place 

• demonstrate due diligence and compliance with good practice. 

A checklist for items to be addressed in the operating manual is included in Appendix D4. 

Maintenance of adequate freeboard, an acceptable factor of safety of the impoundment wall, and 

the containment of possible contaminants within the facility are key operational practices. There are 

however many other important items which should be applied where appropriate and these are also 

listed in Appendix D4. 


Monitoring, Checking and Corrective Action 

Special emphasis should be placed on facility failure monitoring. This is a critical activity as, with the 

exception of failures triggered by earthquakes or major storm events, virtually all types of failure 

provide some warning signs. It is necessary to maintain a comprehensive tailings facility integrity and 

environmental monitoring system that permits timely comparison with pre-determined norms and 

facilitates the detection of adverse trends and potential problems. 

a) Data Gathering 

Relevant data pertaining to all aspects of the tailings facility should be gathered, checked, presented 

and interpreted regularly. 

The following data should be gathered routinely: 

• visual assessment of facility and its component status 

• climatic data (precipitation, pan evaporation, solar radiation, wind speed, wind direction, 

humidity, and temperature) 

• environmental data (ground and surface water qualities, ground water depths, traceable 

characteristics, flow and aquatic biology) 

• ore/tailings geo-chemical analyses including ARD generation potential 

• tailings geotechnical analyses as appropriate 

• dust generation 

• erosion rates 

• deposition rates 

• embankment slope stability monitoring instrumentation and presence of wall moisture 

• other components of the water balance (water sent to and recovered from the facility, underdrain 

flow rates, abstraction well pumping rates, seepage return rates). 

Procedures to routinely inspect, monitor, test, record, evaluate and report regularly key 

characteristics of the tailings facilities should be implemented. This should include the tracking of 

performance, operational controls and conformance with targets and objectives. 

All monitoring equipment should be calibrated regularly as appropriate to the type of 

instrumentation, but not less than annually, to ensure the reliability of data. An independent 

checking system should be used as needed to confirm the validity of monitoring data. 

b) Audits and Reviews 

The requirements for formal auditing vary between countries. A review would be undertaken if any 

aspect of a design or operation needed to be evaluated by a recognised expert. An audit would be 

undertaken if confirmation was needed that a facility or process is in compliance with specified 

criteria such as regulations or guidelines. 

As a minimum guide each tailings facility should be formally inspected and reviewed regularly by an 

external third party, annually, or at least every two years, provided the assessed risks are low and 

there are no anticipated significant changes in between the inspections. 

The objectives of such an exercise are to: 

• review the management system, the operations and maintenance of the facility and the 

surveillance programme 

• examine conformance to plans and regulatory requirements 

• establish compliance with statutory regulations and permits 

• review the stability, physical condition and environmental performance of the facility 


• re-evaluate downstream risks 

• re-visit the facility design, construction operation and closure plans and programmes 

• review remedial action plan implementation. 

Action plans should be developed and implemented for items identified during inspections, audits or 

reviews that require corrective action. A time frame for the corrective action should be established 

and agreed to. 

A detailed checklist for items to be addressed during a review or audit is included in Appendix D5. 

Management Review for Continual Improvement 

In order to achieve continuous improvement in tailings management, Group companies should 

implement an annual senior management review of the adequacy of policies, objectives and 

performance of the tailings management system. The review should include an assessment of the 

performance of the tailings disposal facility, the associated environmental impacts, closure, safety and 

other issues. Consideration should be given to determine where technology should be transferred and 

environmental and safety research should be advanced. 

The scope of this review should be appropriate to the levels of the identified risk and re-assess the 

need for changes to system in light of inspection reports, changing circumstances, recommendations 

and the commitment to continuous improvement. Continuous improvement should be achieved 

through the adoption of the appropriate level of practice, improved operational quality and risk 

minimisation, anticipation of changes in legislation that could require higher standards, and focus on 

sustainable closure as the end goal. 

Decommissioning and Closure 

Whilst it is not a regulatory requirement in all countries to have approved closure plans it is likely that 

most major mining countries will do so in the future. Sustainable closure requires a concerted, 

properly managed and integrated team effort. The so-called "Design for Closure", starting at project 

inception and continuing throughout the lifecycle of the facility, is becoming a widely accepted principle. 

The long-term environmental, health and safety risks posed by the facility after closure should be 

assessed to facilitate the closure design process and it should be closed properly to ensure a 

sustainable solution in accordance with planned ultimate land use. 

Guidance on standards of practice for a ‘Design for the Environment’ approach to closure is given in a 

checklist included in Appendix D6. 

Worker Safety 

It is self evident that worker safety is one of the most important aspects of tailings facility management, 

and a fundamental objective of Anglo American plc Golden Rules. Achievement of worker safety is a 

natural outcome of many of the other activities highlighted in this bulletin, and safety issues are an 

integral part of risk assessment. 

The Anglo American Golden Rules for Safety are included in Appendix D7. 

Competency and training are fundamental and are addressed in a separate section below. 

Emergency Response 

Emergency preparedness and response plans should be prepared and documented in order to protect 

communities and the environment by minimising possible impacts. These plans should be based on 

the tailings facility failure mode and event, risk and dam-break assessments. 

The emergency preparedness and response plan would typically contain: 

• a safety classification in terms of risk to human life and property (low, medium and high hazard) 

• an environmental classification in terms of risk to water, air and land 


• an emergency preparedness plan that considers: 

o deterioration in stability or other potential failure mode that is identified 

o an advanced state of deterioration of the tailings facility has been attained such that 

evacuation should take place, deposition halted, and immediate repairs or remedial measures 

implemented 

o the tailings facility has started failing an evacuation is carried out; 

• a disaster-recovery plan in the event that the tailings facility has started to fail detailing activities 

that should be taken to enable recommencement of production, environmental clean-up, 

community rebuilding and recovery of stakeholder reputation 

• external emergency service involvement should be integrated into the plans. 

A possible format for a typical emergency preparedness/action plan is contained in Appendix D8. 

Competency and Training 

Operations should employ suitably qualified and experienced personnel for design, construction, 

operation and closure. 

Senior management should ensure the competency of the employees and contractors involved in 

tailings management. and should ensure that adequate and appropriate training is available regularly 

to ensure that personnel know what and why they are supervising, what constitutes unfavourable 

conditions and how to correct them, and the consequences of failures. 

The training needs of all personnel involved with any aspect of the tailings facility and its management 

should be reviewed annually, and the necessary budgetary provision made to provide suitable training. 

Staff training carried out and their results should be part of the operational record keeping. 

Training should be provided to all personnel, including contractors and suppliers, whose work may 

significantly affect the tailings facility on: 

• hazards associated with the tailings disposal process 

• relevance, impact and importance of their duties 

• management plans, permits and approval requirements 

• the importance of conformance to design 

• potential consequences of departure from specified operating procedures 

• potential risks, to be assessed by a formal risk assessment process 

• significant actual and potential environmental impacts 

• emergency preparedness and response requirements 

• individual roles and responsibilities in achieving conformance with the requirements. 

Formal records should be kept for all appointments, labour contracts, codes of practice and risk 

assessments. 

5 Anglo American plc Tailings Risk Reporting 

In April each year the Technical Director presents a risk review of the Group's major tailings and similar 

high volume waste disposal facilities to the AA plc SHE Committee. The review is conducted by the 

Anglo Technical Division (ATD) in conjunction with the Group companies SHE representatives. The 

review is presented in a summarised table format that highlights the potential safety and environmental 

impacts of each facility, together with the management plans in place to mitigate and reduce those 

risks to acceptable levels, and notes those third party audits which have been conducted together with 

assurance that findings have been or are being addressed. 

It is intended that the principles described in this bulletin will result in improved standards of tailings 

disposal practices, and that they will be used as an aide memoire in the implementation of the annual 

Technical Director's risk review. 


6 Conclusions 

The objective of this bulletin is to facilitate access to the relevant existing information by Group 

companies. The aspects and critical areas above have been highlighted as areas where past 

experience has indicated certain operations to have been lacking. 

Anglo American Technical Division would welcome all comment from any of the Group's operating 

companies which will be considered in an attempt to improve the document by incorporate the 

operating experiences within the Group. 

7 Acknowledgements 

In the preparation of this bulletin significant guidance has been obtained from the AngloGold Ashanti 

Tailings Management Framework, and from personal communication with the companies' staff. This 

assistance is gratefully acknowledged. 

The current ICMM committee and working group activities involved in the preparation of the ICMM 

Tailings Reference Guidelines has also been a significant help and the ICMM is thanked for the 

opportunity given to Anglo American to partake in those activities. 

8 References 

1. Presentation by Golder and Associates to the International Council on Metals and the 

Environment “A Case for an International Guide for Tailings Management” 5 October 2000 

2. AngloGold Ashanti Ltd “Tailings Management Framework” July 2004 

3. Department of Minerals and Energy “Guideline for the Compilation of a Mandatory Code of 

Practice on Mine Residue Deposits” 2000. 


Appendix A 



As a forerunner to the ICMM international guideline initiative mentioned above, a survey was done on 

the status of existing international guidelines by Golders in October 2000 (Reference 7.1). One of the 

outcomes was an overview of the regulating and guidance procedures around the world described 

below, and an extract from their report is included in this Appendix below. 

a) Guides and Manuals 

There are only four guides or manuals available internationally that are truly management guides in the 

sense that they provide an overall approach or framework for the management of tailings facilities: 

South Africa 

South African Bureau of Standards “Code of Practice for mine Residue Deposits”, 1998 (SABS 

0286:1998 renamed SANS 10286). This gives a consolidated view of the industry and regulators and 

sets out minimum requirements and requires that a management system be put in place. The 

management system must be audited and the frequency of audit depends on the hazard rating of the 

facility. For ease of reference as many of the Group’s companies operate in South Africa, the contents 

pages are included in this bulletin as Appendix C. 

Tailings management in South Africa is regulated by law in the guideline for a mandatory code of 

practice issued by the Department of Minerals and Energy in 2000 (Reference 3). This guideline 

makes implementation of a code of practice mandatory for each tailings facility with compulsory 

adherence to the SANS Specification 2086. 

Western Australia 

Department of Minerals and Energy, Western Australian Government “Guidelines for the Safe Design 

and Operating Standards for Tailings Storage” May 1998. This is prescriptive in nature and addresses 

conditions in Western Australia. It has both technical and management aspects. Types of tailings are 

described, risk assessment is addressed, administrative procedures are provided and there are check 

lists. 

Canada 

The Mining Association of Canada (MAC) “A guide to the Management of Tailings Facilities” 1998. 

This provides a guide for self-management and assists mine management in demonstrating due 

diligence, complementing government regulations and meeting higher environmental standards. 

Though it has technical references it is not a technical guide. 

Peru 

Ministero de Energia y Minas, Republica de Peru “Guija de Manejo de Relaves de Minas y 

Concentrados” October 1997. This is primarily a technical guide addressing causes of failure. 

b) Other Guides 

In addition to the above, there are three other guides with some management guidance but they are 

more technical or specific in nature: 

Australia 

Australian EPA “Best Practice Environmental Management in Mining – Tailings Containment” 1995. 

This provides an overview and presents a management framework and case studies. 


The European Community 

EC Council Directive 1999/310EC “The Landfill of Waste. Official journal L182, 16/07/1999 p. 0001- 

0019. Document No.399L0031” 26 April 1999. This pertains to land filling of all waste and as such 

applies to tailings. It is a directive member countries use to develop their own regulations. 

USA 

US EPA Region 10 “A Source Book for Industry in the Northwest and Alaska” 1999. This was in draft 

at the time of the survey and has probably been issued now. It is a large compilation of reference 

material but does not specifically cover management of tailings facilities. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Given below is an extract from a presentation by Golder Associates to the International Council 

on Metals and the Environment: “A Case for an International Guide for Tailings Management” 

dated 5 October 2000. (Appendix C in original document) 


(Appendix C of Original Document) 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 

SECTION 

PAGE 

C.1 SOUTH AFRICA................................................................................. 15 

C.2 AUSTRALIA....................................................................................... 16 

C.3 CANADA ............................................................................................ 18 

C. 4 USA..................................................................................................... 19 

C.5 PERU................................................................................................... 20 

C.6 CHILE ................................................................................................ 21 

C. 7 MEXICO ............................................................................................. 22 

C. 8 CHINA ................................................................................................ 22 

C.9 MALAYSIA ........................................................................................ 23 

C. 10 UNITED KINGDOM (UK).................................................................. 23 

C. 11 SWEDEN............................................................................................ 23 

C. 12 OTHER EC COUNTRIES................................................................... 23 

C. 13 RUSSIA .............................................................................................. 24 

C. 14 ICOLD TAILINGS DAM GUIDELINES............................................ 24 

C.1 SOUTH AFRICA 

Mining in South Africa is regulated by the Water Act, 1998, the Minerals Act, 1991 and the Mine Health 

and Safety Act, 1996. The Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) is responsible for implementing 

the provisions of the Acts. 

A policy of “self management” is applied which requires mines to prepare an Environmental 

Management Program Report (EMPR) at the planning stage. Thereafter, the requirements of the Code 

of Practice for Mine Residue (SABS 0286-1998) apply to tailings facility during its life cycle stages of 

design, construction, operation and closure. This code represents the results of a widely consulted 

process and therefore represents the consolidated view of the industry and the regulators. 

The SABS 0286 code set out objectives, principles and minimum requirements for all the phases in the 

life cycle of a residue deposit. It furthermore requires that a management system be put in place. An 


aim is to ensure that not unavoidable risks, problems and/or legacies are left to future generations. A 

process of continual management and continuous improvement throughout the life cycle is envisaged. 

The minimum requirements for the management system is that it must be documented. The structure 

is required to follow ISO 14 001. The management system and the residue must be audited by 

qualified people. The frequency of audit is dependent on the hazard class. 

In terms of safety, each facility is classified as having high, medium or low safety hazard according to 

the spatial extent, duration and intensity of its potential impacts and is considered as either “significant” 

or “not significant”. These classifications determine the minimum requirements for investigation, 

design, construction, operation and decommissioning. 

The code aims to provide control of mining activities from “cradle to grave” and identifies five phases in 

the life cycle: 

• Conceptualisation, planning and site selection 

• investigations and tailings characterization 

• design 

• construction and operation 

• decommissioning and aftercare 

The South African Department of Minerals and Energy recently (May 2000) published a “Guidelines for 

the Compilation of a Mandatory code of Practice on Mineral Deposits”. It is understood that it is now 

mandatory for every mine in South Africa to prepare a site specific code of practice based on the SABS 

0286 code, risk assessment and the Chamber of Mines Guidelines on the design, operation and 

closure of mine residue deposits. 

C.2 AUSTRALIA 

The acts legislation of the various Australian states regulates the disposal of tailings. For example, in 

Western Australia a Notice of Intent (NOI) addressing the environmental issues associated with the 

mining project has to be submitted in accordance with the “Guidelines to Help you get Environmental 

Approval for Mining Projects in Western Australia” (Department of Minerals and Energy (DME), 1998). 

The NOI should contain on a Design Report. The design should be carried out in accordance with the 

“Guidelines on the Safe Design and Operating Standards for Tailings Storage” (DME, 1999). The NOI 

should contain a Design Report. The design should be carried out in accordance with the “Guidelines 

on the Safe Design and Operating Standards for Tailings Storage” “(DME, 1999). The design is 

required to take cognisance of developments, operational and rehabilitation/closure conditions. The 

DME Guidelines set out minimum requirements in this regard. 

Tailings facilities in Western Australia are categorized based on a “hazard rating”, coupled with the 

maximum embankment height. All facilities over 15 m in height are considered to be a high category 

that require the most stringent attention. 

An operating licence may also be required. Operating licences usually stipulate specific conditions to 

be adhered to during the various stages. An annual environmental audit is normally required. 

Operation is to be carried out in accordance with the DME Guidelines on the Safe Design and 

Operating Standards for Tailings Storage, and a site-specific Operating Manual is required for every 

tailings facility. The manual should be prepared in accordance with the Guidelines on the Development 

of an Operating Manual for Tailings Storage (DME, 1999). It is a requirement to periodically review and 

update operating manuals. 

The DME require periodic technical audits to be carried out during the operational phase on all tailings 

facilities. The Guidelines on the Safe Design and Operating Standards for Tailings Storage and the 

Guidelines on the Development of an Operating Manual for Tailings Storage contain requirements in 

this regard. An audit report is required annually for Category 1facilities, every tow years for Category 2 


and every three years for Category 3. In addition, an Emergency Plan and a Decommissioning Plan 

are required for every tailings facility. 

In Queensland, the Queensland Environmental Resources Act 1989 requires environmental impact to 

be addressed and managed during all mining and rehabilitation activities. The Department of Minerals 

and Energy (DME) has developed an Environmental Management Policy for Mining in Queensland 

which seeks to develop eventual self-regulation with respect to environmental management. The 

regulations require that proponents and mine management prepare an environmental Management 

Overview Strategy (EMOS) which is a comprehensive and strategic environmental management plan 

for the life a of a mining project. Regular Plans of Operations are prepared with the objective of 

achieving the environmental commitments, including protecting the environment and rehabilitating 

environmental disturbances to agreed standards. 

The DME in association with other government departments, the Queensland Mining Council and 

tertiary education institutions prepared the “Technical Guidelines for the Environmental Management of 

Exploration and Mining in Queensland” (DME, 1995). 

The Technical Guideline document is divided into three sections dealing with Mine Planning, Water 

Management and Rehabilitation. It contains thirty one guidelines: fourteen in the Mine Planning 

section, five in the Water Management section and twelve in the Rehabilitation section. A further four 

guidelines are still to be issued. One guideline, Tailings Management, addresses tailings management 

and discusses the planning, design and operation of tailings management system and storage facility. 

In New South Wales (NSW) the only guideline supporting the various regulations is the NSW Coal 

Association guideline, Mine Rehabilitation – A Handbook for the Coal Mining Industry (1995). This 

document provides information on the development of a successful rehabilitation programme. Advice is 

provided on rehabilitation planning, soils and topsoiling, erosion control, drainage and sediment control 

and revegetation and maintenance of revegetation areas. 

The Department of Mines and Energy of South Australia (MESA) is responsible for regulating tailings 

disposal in South Australia. The department proposes an objective-based, regulatory regime in which 

MESA monitors the performance of the mining industry against established objectives. Proponents and 

operators are responsible for determining and implementing procedures and auditable management to 

achieve the established objectives. Regulatory objectives currently are expressed in terms of outputs 

and efficiency but will gradually be amended to objectives expressed in terms of outcomes and 

effectiveness. Criteria for measuring the achievement of objectives are being developed and MESA is 

evaluating a method of measuring industry achievement of environmental objectives known as Goal 

Attaining Scaling. Environmental management systems must be audible against some recognized 

standard or benchmark, although MESA does not request or require accreditation to a specific 

management system. 

It is understood that MESA is currently considering the adoption of a regulatory system similar to that 

currently in use in Western Australia. 

Tailings storage in Tasmania is regulated by various acts but not guidelines specific to Tasmania are 

available. The same is the case in the Northern Territory. 

For nuclear waste in 1987, the Department of Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories 

(DASETT) issued a guideline for the decommissioning and rehabilitation of uranium mine, and waste 

disposal sites. The guideline includes the Code of Practice on the Management of Radioactive Waste 

from the Mining and Milling of Radioactive Ores (DASETT, 1982). 

The Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) issued Guidelines on Tailings Dam 

Design, Construction and Operation in 1999. The document contains guidelines on the approach to the 

planning, design, management, construction, operation and closure of tailings facilities. The document 


presents objectives of a planned approach to tailings storage and notes that continuous management 

is a fundamental principle planning. 

Environmental Australia’s (EA) Environmental Protection Group (EPG), formerly the Environment 

Protection Agency (EPA), has prepared a series of Best Practice Environmental Management in 

Mining modules (guides). These documents are designed to provide developers and contractors with 

guidelines on how to implement sound practices that minimise environmental impacts and reduce the 

impacts of mining by following the principles of ecologically sustainable development. Modules of 

particular relevance to tailings include: Tailings Management (EPA, 1995), Managing Sulphidic Mine 

Wastes and Acid Drainage (EPG, 1999), Cyanide Management (EPG, 1998), Landform Design for 

Rehabilitation (EPG, 1998) and Environmental Risk Management (EPG, 1999) presents advice on 

ERM methods for the mining industry. 

The Australian Mine Industry Code for Environmental Management (1996) is an industry initiative that 

sets out nine principles to respond to community concerns and improving environmental performance. 

Adoption of the Code is voluntary and open to all minerals companies. Signatories are required to 

demonstrate commitment to environmental excellence by a process of external verification trials have 

been carried out. 

C.3 CANADA 

As with Australian States, the Canadian Provinces regulate the mining industry through acts and 

regulations. The exception is uranium mining that is regulated by the Federal Government. There are 

also federal environmental laws and regulations that relate directly to the mining industry, particularly 

respecting the receiving environment. 

The mining Association of Canada (MAC) determined, from workshops, that there was a consensus 

within the industry that the technology and expertise was available to design and build safe tailings 

facilities but that the industry believed that it needed higher standards for its management and 

operation of its tailings facilities. This was the impetus for MAC to prepare “A Guide to the 

Management of Tailings Facilities, September 1998” 

The MAC guide is a primarily management system as apposed to technical guide. It presents a full life 

cycle tailings management framework, from planning and design, through construction and operation, 

to eventual decommissioning and closure. The framework is expanded into a series of checklists, each 

of which addresses the various stages of the life cycle. Appended to the document are lists of technical 

considerations that cover the environmental setting, design, and operating aspects that are typically 

encountered throughout the life cycle of a tailings facility. 

For each stage in the life cycle, design, construction, operation and closure, the check list revolves 

around: 

• policy and commitment, 

• planning, 

• implementing the plan, 

• checking and corrective action, and 

• management review for continual improvement. 

The approach recognises that the responsibility for tailings management may rest with different groups 

within a company and that the emphasis changes during the different stages of the life cycle. The 

checklist approach assists in identifying the stages and roles and provides a management framework. 

The system requires that actions be planned within the context of agreed policies and commitments, 


implementation in accordance with the plans, checking corrective action and management review. 

Each checklist has six columns, that address a key element in implementing the management 

framework: management action, responsibility, performance measures, schedules, technical 

considerations and references. These elements can be customised to address a mining company’s 

tailings management and operating needs. 

It is intended that the mine management use the checklists to: 

• develop operating procedures and manuals, 

• identify gaps within existing procedures, 

• communicate with stakeholders, 

• assist in obtaining permits, and 

• assist in achieving compliance and due diligence. 

The approach is designed for self-management and assists mine management in demonstrating due 

diligence, to complement government regulations and in protecting the environment and the public. 

C. 4 USA 

Regulation of mining in the USA is the responsibility of individual states. Jurisdictional processes vary 

from state to state with a focus on outcomes rather than operating procedures. For example, the 

Bureau of Mining and Reclamation (in cooperation with other state, federal and local agencies) 

regulates mining activities in Nevada under regulations adopted in 1989. 

In 1994 the US Environment Protection Agency (US EPA) published a Technical Report titled 

“Designed and Evaluation of Tailings Dams”. The document is intended for government land managers 

and the general public, and presents general features of tailings dams and impoundments “particularly 

with regard to their ability to mitigate and minimise adverse effects to the government”. Sections of the 

document have been sourced from the book “Planning, Design and Analysis of Tailings Dams” by 

Steven Vick (1990). 

The report provides an overview of the methods of tailings disposal and the types of storage facilities. 

General information is presented on the design of tailings dams, including a discussion on design 

criteria and site-specific factors, such as site location, hydrology, geology, ground water, foundations 

and seismicity. Water control and management, is also presented, including discussions on hydrology, 

management of storm slows, infiltration and seepage control and tailings water treatment. 

In 1999 EPA Region 10, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, issued draft 

guidelines for mining operation relative to permitting processes and environmental review requirements 

associated with the Clean Water Act (CWA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The 

document is titled “EPA and Hard Rock Mining : A Source Book for Industry in the Northwest and 

Alaska”. It is a very large document that has three objectives as follows: 

1. Explain the requirements of the CWA and NEPA as they may pertain to new mines. 

2. Describe the types of information that EPA Region 10 needs to process toe permit applications 

and perform environmental reviews. 

3. Promote predictability and consistency within Region 10 to ensure mine development, 

operation and closure occur in an environmentally sound manner. 


The report includes large appendices that describe methods for characterising ore, waste rock and 

tailings, mine site hydrology, effluent quality, receiving waters, erosion and sedimentation, aquatic 

resources and wetlands and managing wastewater and solid waste. 

C.5 PERU 

The Political Constitution of Peru establishes that need to protect the environment by promoting the 

sustainable use of natural resources. The General Bureau of Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of 

Energy and Mines has issued both laws and guidelines for the implementation of environmental policy. 

In summary, we can say that the laws have been issued regarding the obligatory nature of 

Environmental Impact Assessments for new mining projects and Environmental Adequacy and 

Management Programs for ongoing operations. Regarding specifically to tailings deposits, an 

emergency law was issued in 1996 following the failure of several tailings impoundments due to an 

earthquake. This law forced the mining companies to perform stability analysis on both operating and 

non-operating tailings deposits and define the factors of safety for the facility. As a complement to the 

environmental laws, seventeen environmental protocols and guidelines were also issued. The 

protocols to procedures for environmental monitoring, while the guidelines refer to design issues 

related to environmental protection. One of these guidelines refers specifically to tailings: 

The Guide for Mine and Mill Tailings Management (Vick, 1994) aims to present “the broad and 

complex issues associated with tailings management … emphasising not only operation but postclosure 

conditions”. The document primarily on new mines in Peru and addresses: 

• Tailings management objectives at each life cycle stage of TSF (Construction, Operation, 

Closure and Post-Closure). 

• Tailings characteristics including a discussion on the origin of tailings and other solid wastes, 

the engineering properties of tailings, chemical characteristics and acid rock drainage (ARD) 

from tailings. 

• The geography and climate of Peru, highlighting the extreme and seismic conditions that must 

be accommodated in the design. 

• Alternative methods of tailings disposal including surface disposal underground backfilling and 

submarine tailings disposal. 

• Stability is discussed in relation to the types of facility and the effects and causes of failures. It 

is concluded that upstream-type construction is not appropriate for the conditions in Peru. 

• Mitigation of ARD and the control of seepage from surface tailings facilities. 

• Rehabilitation and closure of surface facilities – environmental practices in tailings management 

must be implemented progressively, with incremental improvements introduced systematically 

over time. 

The Heap Leach Project Guide (Golder, 1994) has as its objective to provide guidance on the 

development, construction and operation of heap leach projects in Peru. The guide addresses: 

typical layouts, surface water hydrology, siting considerations, containment design and operation 

and monitoring. 

The Mine Closure Guide (Golder, 1994) provides an outline of closure objectives, approaches and 

technical issues for the planning of closure of mines. The guide addresses: perpetual disruptive 

forces and control technologies, chemical stability, design methodologies, closure alternatives, and 

post-closure monitoring. 

Other guidelines of relevance in Peru are Procedures for Preparing the Environmental Impact 

Study and Environmental Guidelines for the Handling of Mine Acid Drainage. 


C.6 CHILE 

The legislation in Chile that applies to the management of tailings facilities is contained in the Decreto 

Supremo N 0 86 (DS-86) (dated 1970). This document, that has the force of a law, was initiated after 

the strong earthquake in Central Chile in 1965, that caused the failure of several tailings dams 

constructed using the upstream method. 

This degree specifically regulates dams constructed using the coarse fraction of cycloned tailings, 

although in some cases, it has been applied to tailings impoundments contained behind dams 

constructed of borrow materials (earth and rockfill dams). 

The most important aspects contained in the DS-86 related to the design, construction and operation of 

tailings dams are the following: 

• The tailings dam type is limited to the downstream and centreline construction methods. 

• The quality for the dam material (cycloned tailings) is emphasized, in terms of permeability and 

density. 

• The presence of a strong basal drainage system is positively assessed. 

• Piezometers to monitor the water level in the tailings dam is required. 

Environmental Permits 

Environmental impact verifications are performed by the Comisión Nacional del Medioambiente 

(CONAMA) – national level, or by Comisiones Regionales del Medioambiente (COREMA) – regional 

level. Both CONAMA or COREMA are responsible for applying the established environmental impact 

evaluation system. Water, air and soil quality are assessed providing that baseline studies have been 

previously in each case. Other impacts, such as social, archaeological, anthropological, are also 

included in the evaluation system. 

Sectorial Permits 

The following government agencies are also involved in the permitting process for tailings facilities: 

• Servicio Nacional de Geolgía y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN), an agency of the Ministry of Mining, 

responsible for applying the DS-86. SERNAGEOMIN is mainly concerned with the physical 

safety or stability of the tailings dams. 

• Direccíon General de Aguas (DGA), an agency of the Ministry of Public Works, responsible for 

the water resources in the national territory. DGA focus is to verify that a minimum impact on 

the natural surface water and ground water is produced as consequence of the presence of a 

tailings impoundment. DGA is also concerned with the operational safety of the hydraulic works 

inside the impoundment and the surface water management in the tailings impoundment basin. 

• Servicio de Salud, an agency of the Ministry of Health, that is concerned with miscellaneous 

aspects related to the public health. 

General Comments 

• After the 1965 earthquake a “new culture” has been developed in Chile for the design, 

construction and operation of tailings impoundments. The main aspect that characterize this 

approach is that the practice of the upstream construction method has been avoided since that 


time. Also with this culture more restrictive environmental constraints apply to new tailings 

facilities. 

• Medium and large mining companies develop tailings management procedures by applying 

design and construction procedures in accordance with state of the art techniques, with the 

support of experienced and internationally recognized engineering consultants. In the practice, 

the following or standards are considered for design: ICOLD guidelines for tailings dams, World 

Bank guidelines and Canadian guidelines. 

• In recent years, new large mining developments have been financed by international banks, 

agencies or related mining companies, thus requiring that the design must be performed in 

accordance with the best international engineering practice and using codes and standards in 

force in the respective origin countries. Also, the use of proven technology is highly valued by 

the regulatory agencies. 

• Small size mining operations (i.e., under 1000 TPD) usually develop their designs and 

operations under their own methods (self construction). In general, they do not use recognized 

engineering consultants and in some cases, they do not follow the established permitting 

process for their mining operations. In spite of the above, SERNAGEOMIN has developed a 

complete register of all mining operations in the country. 

C. 7 MEXICO 

The Mexican Official Standard (1997) stipulates the compulsory requirements for site selection, 

construction, operation and monitoring of tailings facility. These requirements include: an 

environmental impact study, compliance with laws governing historical or cultural heritage, and surface 

water protection, geological characterization, land surveys, compliance with dam design standards, 

and monitoring for tailings over 50 m in height. 

C. 8 CHINA 

In the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), tailings storage facilities must be designed and constructed in 

accordance with National Codes (Design Standards). Provincial authorities are responsible for issuing 

a license to construct and operate a tailings facility. 

Code ZBJ 1-90 (1991) Design Standard – Tailings facility for a Mine, addresses the design of a tailings 

facility as one of five classes according to capacity and dam height. The Code specifies the minimum 

factors of safety for various operating conditions. Tables are presented stipulating the minimum 

freeboard and storage (beach) length for different classes and types of construction (upstream and 

centreline), minimum crest widths and downstream slope angles. 

Code GB 50201-94 (1994) Standard for Flood Control, and Code SDJ 218-84 (1984) Standard for 

Earth and Rockfill Dams stipulates the design return period storm to be used for the tailings facility 

classes and presents design standards for earth and rockfill dams, including freeboard. Other codes 

also address aspects of the design of tailings facilities. 

Quality criteria for water discharged from a tailings facility are presented in Code GB 3838-88 (1988) 

Quality Standard – Surface Water. The Environmental Protection Department will issue an operating 

permit. This permit stipulates the location, type and frequency of testing that is required to verify 

compliance with the permit. 

A construction and operating permit has to be obtained before tailings facility construction can start. 

The operator or proponent must submit a Design Report to the Provincial authorities who convene a 

Provincial Planning Committee to review and approve the proposals. On acceptance of the design by 

the committee a Construction Permit is awarded and work may commence. Periodic inspections are 


made by authorities during construction and operation during which compliance to various regulations 

is assessed. Closure and Rehabilitation Plans are required for the facility. 

The approach adopted in China is one of strict adherence to the national Codes and frequent 

inspection and reporting by National, Provincial and District regulatory agencies. 

C.9 MALAYSIA 

Malyasia’s current mining legislation is limited because it deals almost exclusively with the small-scale 

alluvial tin mines that have dominated the country’s mining sector. To attract foreign investment, 

Malaysia has proposed new legislation for large-scale hard rock mining. The proposed legislation 

includes specific requirements for tailings management such as: design that complies with good 

engineering practice, supervised construction, stability against static and dynamic loading, an 

operating plan and freeboard of not less than one metre. 

C. 10 UNITED KINGDOM (UK) 

Whist not specifically referencing tailings, facility construction and operation in the UK are covered by a 

number of Acts administered by various government agencies and departments. Legislation under the 

Environment Protection Act, 1990 requires an operator of a process plant to obtain prior authorisation 

before a plant can operate. The Water Act, 1989 governs the discharge of water from a mine site into 

rivers and the Environmental Protection Act, 1990 requires that a Disposal Licence be obtained for 

some wastes. 

A tailings facility is classifiable in terms of the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act, 1971, Part 1 of which 

details a comprehensive system of reports and inspections. These regulations require that a tailings 

facility be designed and regularly inspected by a “competent person” and describe the nature and 

frequency of reports required. Under Part 2 of the Act the local authority is responsible for ensuring that 

disused tips, not associated with active mines or quarries, do not constitute a danger to members for 

the public. In addition of these requirements the Reservoirs Act, 1976 requires that an embankment 

which contains or is designed to retain, more than 25,000 m 3 of water above the natural level of the 

adjoining land be registered and regularly inspected. 

C. 11 SWEDEN 

There are no specific guidelines or regulations for tailings management in Sweden. However all 

industrial activities have to be examined according to the Environmental Code that was in force 

January 1, 1999. This law substitutes regulations from 15 earlier environmental law acts, i.e. the Water 

act. To achieve a mining licence the operator has to apply at one of the five regional environmental 

courts in Sweden. The application has to include an Environmental Impact Assessment of the mining 

operation, which includes the environmental aspects of operation, decommissioning and closure of the 

tailings facility. The environmental court establish limits and guideline values for the mining operation, 

that the Country Administrative Board or the Municipal Environmental Protection and Public Health 

Department later supervise. 

The technical aspects of tailings dams are described in the general Guidelines for Dam Safety given by 

the Association of Swedish Power companies. 

C. 12 OTHER EC COUNTRIES 

The European Community, including the UK is bound by EC Directives covering, for example 

environmental assessment, water quality, and disposal of waste and landfills. The Directives are 

implemented by national legislation that varies from country to country. In Germany each State is 

responsible for implementing the regulations. In France, mineral extraction and tailings disposal is 

covered by the mining code (Code Minier) and local plans (Plan d’Occupation des Sols). 


In Portugal, Decree-Law 99/90 controls mining and restoration and operators must enter a contract 

with the State and obtain a licence for ancillary operations. Spanish law requires mines above a given 

size to lodge financial guarantee to cover site restoration. In Italy, regulations provide directions for the 

design, operation and closure of a tailings facility greater than 10 m in height or for a tailings facility 

which in opinion of the responsible office, presents a safety risk. 

C. 13 RUSSIA 

The engineering practice in Russia and other countries that used to form the Soviet Union is very 

highly regulated. Even though engineering regulations in all these countries originate from the former 

Soviet regulatory system, over the last ten years each country has adopted its own standards. For 

example, one cannot assume that Russian regulations would be still valid in Kyrgyzstan or Ukraine. 

There are detailed guidelines for all aspects of engineering design and these guidelines must be strictly 

followed. They are regulations. The most common regulations include the State Standards (GOST) 

and the Construction Norms and Regulations (SNiPs). The State Standards set general guidelines for 

all aspects of engineering investigations, design, and construction. For example, there are at least nine 

different State Standards dealing with geotechnical soil classification. They cover definitions, 

terminology, methods of laboratory analyses of physical properties, organic content, peat properties, 

granulometric composition, compressibility, and filtration. The Construction Norms and Regulations 

provide specific calculation procedures, equations, tables, maps and design charts for the evaluation of 

various engineering characteristics. These include, for example, calculations of the design flood flow, 

minimum water level, buffer zone along the river, geotechnical design in permafrost areas. 

In case of the engineering structure failure, the main focus of the investigation is whether there were 

any deviations in the design from the procedures in GOST and SNiP. If such a deviation is found, the 

blame for the failure is automatically placed on it regardless of the real cause of the problem. 

C. 14 ICOLD TAILINGS DAM GUIDELINES 

In 1984 the International Commission of Large Dams (ICOLD) resolved to prepare a set of guidelines 

covering all safety, environmental and operational aspects of tailings facilities. The guidelines are 

intended to be used by mine operators, those involved in the design, operation and rehabilitation of 

tailings facilities and by government agencies for establishing regulations for safe design and 

operations. 

• Bulletin 74 Tailings Dam Safety – Guidelines discusses the design, operation and 

rehabilitation. 

• Bulletin 97 Tailings Dams. Design of Drainage – Review and Recommendations presents 

recommendations regarding the provision of drainage in the various types of facilities, drainage 

of foundation materials below a tailings facility, and remedial measures that may be 

implemented during operation. Recommendations are also presented regarding the design of 

filters and drains. 

• Bulletin 98 Tailings Dams and Seismicity – Review and Recommendations covers seismic 

aspects of the design of a new tailings facility and safety evaluations of an existing tailings 

facility. The bulletin addresses those aspects of design pertaining to seismic stability. 

• Bulletin 101 Tailings Dams. Transport, Placement and Decantation – Review and 

Recommendations recognises that the majority of tailings failures have been due to an 

excessive rise of water level causing the phreatic surface to reach the downstream slope or 

even pass over the crest of the embankment. The bulletin descries methods of assessing the 

water balance and presents recommendations regarding the design of various types of 

discharge systems. 


• Bulletin 103 Tailings Dams and the Environment – Review and Recommendations addressing 

design and operation and their impact on the environment. It considers environmental impact 

assessments that must be prepared at the planning stage and discusses issues controlling 

environmental stability during the operating, rehabilitation and post-closure phases of the life 

cycle. Recommendations are presented for the monitoring of operations and environmental 

rehabilitation. 

• Bulletin 104 Monitoring of Tailings Dams – Review and Recommendations discusses 

approaches to the instrumentation of a tailings facility. Recommendations are presented 

regarding the measurement of seepage, water pressures, displacement and seismic loadings. 

• Bulletin 106 A Guide to Tailings Dams and Impoundments – Design, Construction, Use and 

Rehabilitation presents principles for the design of safe tailings facilities, control and operation 

procedures, comments on remedial works that may be necessary and a chapter on the design 

of rehabilitation measures. A chapter discusses governmental regulations controlling a tailings 

in some countries. 


Appendix B 

List of Documents related to the Design, Construction and Management of 

Tailings Facilities 

The list was partially compiled from ’A Case for an International Guide for Tailings Management’ 

submitted by Golder Associates to ICME in October 2000 and partly from the AngloGold Ashanti Ltd 

Tailings Management Framework (References 7.1 and 7.2 respectively). 

AUSTRALIA 

DATE AUTHORITY AUTHOR TITLE 

1983 Australian National Committee 

on Large Dams 


on Large Dams 

1987 Australian Rainfall and Runoff The Institute of 

Engineers 

1993 Australian Standard Standards 

Association of 

Australia 


on Large Dams 


on Large Dams 


on Large Dams 

1995 Australian /New Zealand 

Standard 

1995 Department of Minerals and 

Energy (Queensland) 

1995 Australian and New Zealand 

Minerals and Energy Council 

1995 Environmental Protection Australian 

Agency – Australia 

Minerals and 

Energy 

Environmental 

Foundation 

(AMEEF) 

Guidelines for dam instrumentation and monitoring 

systems 

Guidelines on Design Floods for Dams (Reprinted 1990) 

A Guide to Flood Estimation 

Geotechnical site investigations 

Guidelines on Design Floods for Dams. 

Guidelines on Dam Safety Management 

Guidelines on Risk Assessment 

Risk Management AS/NZS 4360:1995 

Technical Guidelines for the Environmental 

Management of Exploration and Mining in Queensland 

Security Deposit Systems for Mine Site Rehabilitation. 

Report No. 95.01 

Tailings Containment 

1995 Environment Australia AMEEF Mine Planning for Environment Protection 

1995 Environment Australia AMEEF Community Consultation and Involvement 

1995 Environment Australia AMEEF Environmental Impact Assessment 

1995 Environment Australia AMEEF Environmental Management Systems 

1995 Environment Australia AMEEF Environmental Monitoring and Performance 

1995 Environment Australia AMEEF Rehabilitation and Revegetation. ISBN 0 642 19420 3 

1995 The New South Wales Coal 

Assoc. 

Hannan, J.C. Mine rehabilitation. A Handbook for the Coal Mining 

Industry. 2 nd Edition 

1995 Environment Australia Best Practice Environment Management in Mining 

“Tailings Management”. ISBN 0 642 19423 8 

1996 AMEEF Onshore Minerals and Petroleum Exploration 

1996 AMEEF Environmental Auditing 


Guidelines for Mining in Arid Environments 

Energy (Western Australia) 

1996 AMEEF Mulligan. D. (ed) Environmental Management in the Australian Minerals 

and Energy Industries – Principals and Practices 

1996 Minerals Council of Australia Australian Minerals Industry Code for Environmental 

Management 

1996 Minerals Council of Australia Australian Minerals Industry Code for Environmental 

Management 

1997 Environment Australia AMEEF Managing Sulphidic Mine Wastes and Acid Drainage. 

ISBN 0 642 19449 1 


on Large Dams 

Draft Guidelines on Tailings Dam Design, Construction 

and Operation. 

1998 Australian and New Zealand 

Environment and Conservation 

Council 

Interim Ocean Disposal Guidelines 


Energy 

Guidelines to Help You Get Environmental Approval for 

Mining Projects in Western Australia 




Energy 

Guidelines for preparation of Annual Environmental 

Reports on Mining and General Purposes Leases 

1998 Environment Australia AMEEF Landform Design for Rehabilitation. ISBN 0 642 54546 4. 

1998 Environment Australia AMEEF Cyanide Management. ISBN 0 642 54563 4 

1999 Environment Australia AMEEF Water Management 

1999 Environment Australia AMEEF Environmental Risk Management. ISBN 0 642 54630 4. 

1999 Australian /New Zealand 

Standard 

Risk Management 

1999 Fiona Solomon, Commonwealth 

Scientific and Industrial 

Research Organisation and 

Placer Dome Asia Pacific 

advisory Group 

Counting What Counts. External verification of the 

Australian Minerals Industry Code for Environmental 

Management. DMR-1124 

1998 Environmental Australia AMEEF Dust Control 


Energy (Western Australia) 

Guidelines on the Development of an Operations 

Manual for Tailings Storages. ISBN 0 7309 7805 2. 

1999 Australian Minerals and Energy Parker, G and Acid Drainage 

Environmental Foundation Robertson, A 


Energy 

Guidelines on the Safe Design and Operating Standards 

for Tailings Storage. 

1999 Williams, D.A. Risk Analysis to Facilitate Decision-Making in Tailings 

Design. Proc. ICM Conference on Tailings Storage 

Management, Perth, 11-12 October. 


on Large Dams 

Guidelines on Tailings Dam Design, Construction and 

Operation. 

BRAZIL 


1993 Associacás Brasileira de 

Normas Técnicas 

1993 Associacás Brasileira de 

Normas Técnicas 

Elaboracao e apresentacao de projeto de disposicao de 

rejeitos de beneficamento, em barramento em 

mineracao – Preocedimento. NBR 13028/93. 

Elaboracao e apresentacao de projeto de disposicao de 

rejeitos de esteril, em philha, em mineracao – 

procedimento. NBR 13029/93. 

CANADA 


1981 Atmospheric Environment Pugsley. W.I. Flood Hydrology Guide for Canada: 

Service 

(ed) 

Hydrometeorological Design Techniques. CL13-81 

1987 Northwest Territories Water 

Board 

Guidelines for Tailings Impoundment in the Northwest 

Territories. 

1988 British Columbia Hydro Guidelines for Review of Reservoir Slope Stability. 

Report H1890 

1988 Atmospheric Environment Routledge, B. An Index to Storm Rainfall in Canada. CLI-I-88 

Service 

Carr, D.A., 

and Hogg. 

W.D. 

1988 Prairie Farm Rehabilitation 

Administration 

Revised Project Data Book Guidelines and Phase 1 Dam 

Safety Evaluation Guidelines 

1989 National Research Council 

of Canada 

Watt, W.E. 

(ed) 

Hydrology of Floods in Canada: A Guide to Planning 

and Design 

1989 British Columbia Acid Mine 

Draft Acid Drainage Technical Guide 

Drainage Task Force 

1990 Vicks, S Planning, Design and Analysis of Tailings Dam. BiTech 

Publishers, Vancouver 

1990 Northwest Territories Water 

Board 

Guidelines for Abandonment and Restoration Planning 

for Mines in the Northwest Territories 

1990 Canadian Electrical Association Safety Assessment of Existing Dams for Earthquake 

Conditions 

1992 Ontario Hydro Lukajic, B. Dam Safety Assessment Program, Engineering 

and Tsui. K. Standards and Criteria, Section 2, Rock Foundations 

1992 British Columbia Technical and 

Research Committee on 

Reclamation, Cyanide Sub 

Committee 

Technical Guide for the Environmental Management of 

Cyanide in Mining 



1990 Enegren, 

E.G., and 

Moore, D.P. 

1991 Canadian Standards 

Association 

1991 Ontario Ministry of Northern SRK 

Development and Mines 

1992 Saskatchewan Environment and 

Public Safety Mines Pollution 

Control Branch 

Guidelines for Landslide Hazard Evaluation on 

Reservoirs. Proceedings, Canadian Dam Safety 

Conference 

Risk Analysis Requirements and Guidelines. CAN/CSA- 

Q634-91 

Rehabilitation of Mines: Guidelines for Proponents, 

Version1.1 

Mine Rock Guidelines Design and Control of Drainage 

Water Quality. Report No. 933301 

1993 British Columbia Hydro Guidelines for Consequence-Based Dam Safety 

Evaluations and Improvements (Interim). Report No. 

H2528 

1993 Royal Society of Canada and 

The Canadian Academy of 

Engineering 

1993 Major Industrial Accidents 

Council of Canada 

1993 Royal Society of Canada and 

The Canadian Academy of 

Engineering 

Health and Safety Policies: Guiding Principles for Risk 

Management 

Dangerous Substance Risk Assessment Guidelines for 

Municipalities and Industries 

Health and Safety Policies: Guiding Principles for Risk 

Management. JCHS 93-1 “Final Draft”. Rev. 7 

1994 Environment Canada Manual for spills of Hazardous Materials 


Emergency Planning for Industry. CAN/CSA-z731-95 

Association 

1995 Environment Canada ENVIROTIPS (Technical Information for Problem Spills) 

Manuals 


Association 

A Guide to Public Involvement. General Instruction No.1 

Z764 96. March 1996 


Association 

Risk Management: Guideline for Decision-Makers. 

CAN/CSA-Q850-97. October 1997 

1997 British Columbia MEI- 

Reclamation Section, Energy 

and Minerals Division 

Draft Guidelines and Recommended Methods for the 

Prediction and Metal Leaching and Acid Rock Drainage 

at Minesites in British Columbi 

1998 MAC A Guide to the Management of Tailings Facilities 

1998 British Columbia Ministry of 

Energy and Mines 

Price, W.A. 

and Errington 

J.C. 

Guidelines for Metal Leaching and Acid Rock Drainage 

at Minesite in British Columbia 

1999 Canadian Dam Association Dam Safety Guidelines 

2000 Mining Association of Canada Proceedings from: Workshop- Implementing Tailings 

Management Systems: Lessons Learned 

CHILE 


1970 Decreto Supremo N o 86 

CHINA 


1984 Standard for Earth and Rockfill Dams. Code SDJ 218-84. 

1988 Quality Standard – Surface Water. Code GB 3838-88. 

1991 Design Standard – Tailings Facility for a Mine. Code 

ZBJ 1-90 

1994 Standard for Flood Control. Code GB 50201.94. 

EUROPE 


1999 The Council of the European 

Union 

Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 in the 

landfill of waste. Document 399L0031. 


MEXICO 


1997 The Mexican Official Standard. 

PERU 


1994 Ministry of Energy and Mines Golder 

Mine Closure Guide. 

Associates 

1994 Ministry of Energy and Mines Golder 

Heap Leach Projects Guide. 

Associates 

1994 Govt. of Peru Vicks, S. Energy for Mine and Mill Tailings Management Ministry 

of Energy and Mines. 

1995 Ministerio de Energia Y 

Minas 

Guia Ambiental para la Perforacion y Voladura en 

Operacion Mineras 

1997 Ministerio de Energia Y 

Minas 

Guia Ambiental para la Estabilidad de Taludes de 

Depositos de Desechos Solidos de Mina. 

No Date Republica de Peru Ministerio 

de Energia Y Minas 

Guia Ambiental Para Proyectos de Exploracion Y 

Produccion. 

No Date Ministerio de Energia Y 

Protocolo de Monitoreo de Calidad de Agua 

Minas 


Protocolo de Monitoreo de Calidad de Aire y Emisiones 

Minas 


Minas 

Guia Ambiental para el Manejo de Agua en Operaciones 

Minero – Metalurgicas 


Minas 

Guia Ambiental para el Manejo de Drenaje Acido de 

Minas 


Guia para elaborar Estudios de Impacto Ambiental 

Minas 


Minas 

Guia para Elaborar Programa de Adecuacion y Manejo 

Ambiental 


Minas 

Guia Ambiental para Vegetacion de Areas Disturbadas 

por la Industria Minero Metalurgica. 


Guia Ambiental para el Cierre y Abandano de Minas 

Minas 


Guia Ambiental para Proyectos de Lixiviacion en Pilas 

Minas 


Minas 

Guia Ambiental para Actividades de Exploracion de 

Yacimientos Minerales en el Peru 


Guia Ambiental para el Manejo en Cianuro 

Minas 


Minas 

Guia para el Manejo de Reactivos y Productos 

Quimicos 


Minas 

Guia Ambiental para la Estabilidad de Taludes de 

Depositos de Residuos Solidos provenientes de 

Actividades Mineras 


Minas 

Guia Ambiental para el Manejo de Problemas de Ruido 

en la Industria Minera 


Guia de Manejo Ambiental para Mineria No Metalica 

Minas 

1997 Republica del Peru Ministerio 

de Energia Y Minas 

Guia Para EI Manejo de Relaves Mineros 


SOUTH AFRICA 


1979 Chamber of Mines of South 

Africa 


Energy 

Handbook of Guidelines for Environmental Protection, 

Volume 2/1979: The Vegetation of Residue Deposits 

against Water and Wind Erosion 

Aide-Memoire for the Preparation of Environmental 

Management Programme Reports for Prospecting and 

Mining 

1994 Government Gazette Requirements for the Purification of Wastewater or 

effluent. Government Notice No. R991 

1995 Mine Metallurgical Managers’ 

Association of South Africa 

The Management of Gold Residue Deposits – A Code of 

Practice 

1996 Chamber of Mines South 

Africa 

1997 SIMRAC Tripartite Working 

Group on Risk Assessment 

1998 South African National 

Standards 


Energy 

2001 Chamber of Mines of South 

Africa 

Guidelines for Environment Protection Volume 1/1979 

(Revised 1983 and 1995): The Engineering Design, 

Operation and Closure of Metaliferous, Diamond and 

Coal Residue Deposits. March 1996 

Practical Guide to the Risk Assessment Process 

Code of Practice for Mine Residue Deposits. SANS 

0286:1998. ISBN 0-626-11700-3 

Guideline for the Compilation of a Mandatory Code of 

Practice on Mine Residue Deposits. Reference Number: 

DME 16/3/2/2-A1 

South African Guideline on Cyanide Management for 

Gold Mining (2001) 

UNITED KINGDOM 


1978 Institution of Civil Engineers Floods and reservoir safety: an engineering guide. 

1985 UK Health and Safety 

Executive 

The Control of Industrial Major Accidents Hazards 

Regulations 

1987 United Kingdom Chemical 

Recommended Procedures for Handling Major 

Industry Safety and Health 

Council 

Emergencies 

199 Morgan M.G. 

and Herion, M 

UNCERTAINTY: A Guide to Dealing With Uncertainty in 

Quantitative Risk and Policy Analysis. 

UNITED STATES 


1978 US Dept. of Labour, Mine 

Occupational Health Guidelines of Cyanide. 

Safety and Health Assoc. 

1981 US Dept. of Labour, Mine 

Cyanide Health Reagents. Work Practices Guidelines. 

Safety and Health Admin. 

1983 Office of Arizona State Mine Cyanide Health and Safety Procedures. 

1991 Inspector 

1983 NRC Risk Assessment in the Federal Government: 

Managing the Process. 

1986 US Depart. Of the Interior, 

Environmental Handbook for Cyanide Leaching 

National Park Service, 

Energy, Mining and Minerals 

Div. 

Projects. 

1987 US Depart. Of the Interior, 

National Park Service, 

Energy, Mining and Minerals 

Div. 

Manual for Reviewing Proposed Cyanide Leaching 

Projects. 

1987 US National Response Team Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning Guide. 

1988 EPA Hearn, Robert and 

Hoye, Robert 

Minimize the Potential for Environmental Releases. 

EPA Contract No. 68-02-3995. 

1990 FMC Corp. Sodium Cyanide Safety Manual. 

1991 Soc. For Mining, Met. And Lootens, D et al Environmental Management for the 1990’s. 

Exp. 

(eds) 

1992 California Mining Association Hutchinson, I.P.G. 

and Ellison, R.P., 

Mine Waste Management, A Resource for Mining 

Industry Professional, Regulators and Consulting 



Eds. 

Engineers. 

1992 Washington State Selection of design Levels for Critical Project 

Elements – 1 st Draft, Washington State Dam Safety 

Guidelines Technical Note 2. 

1994 United States Environmental 

Protection Agency 

Technical Report – Design and Evaluation of Tailings 

Dams. EPA 530.R.94 

1996 EPA Best Practice Environmental Management in Mining – 

Environmetal Auditing. 

1996 DuPont Specialty Chemicals Sodium Cyanide: Properties, Uses, Storage, and 

Handling. 

1997 DuPont Specialty Chemicals The Facts About Sodium Cyanide. 

1998 Arizona Department of 

Arizona Mining Guidance Manual 

Environmental Quality 

1998 Pennsylvania Dept. of 

Coal Mine Drainage Prediction and Pollution 

Environmental Protection 



Region 10 



Region 10 

Prevention in Pennsylvania. 

EPA and Hard Rock Mining: A Source Book for 

Industry in the Northwest and Alaska. EPA 910-R-99- 

016. 

EPA and Hard Rock Mining: A Source Book for 

Industry in the Northwest and Alaska. EPA 910-R-99- 

016. 

INTERNATIONAL 


1969 World Meteorological 

Organization 

Estimation of Maximum Floods. Technical Note No. 98. 

WMO No.223.TP.126 

1982 International Committee on Large Manual on Tailings Dams and Dumps. Bulletin No. 45 

1986 Dams International Committee 

on Large Dams 

1986 Technical and Research 

Committee on Reclamation 


Organization 

1987 International Committee on 

Large Dams 


Large Dams 


Large Dams 


Large Dams 


Large Dams 


Large Dams 


Large Dams 


Large Dams 


Organization 

1991 International Bank for 

Reconstruction and 

Development/World Bank 

1991 United Nations Environmental 

Programme 


Programme 


Programme 

-IEO 

Operation of Hydraulic Structures of Dams. Bulletin 

No. 49a. 

Proceedings International Symposium of Flow- 

Through Rock Drains. 

Manual for estimation of probable maximum 

precipitation. Operational Hydrology Report No. 1 

WMO-No. 332. 

Spillways for Dams. Bulletin 58. 

Dam Safety Guidelines. Bulletin 59. 

Dam Design Criteria. Bulletin 61. 

Sedimentation Control of Reservoirs. Bulletin No. 67 

Rockfill Dams with Concrete Facing. Bulletin 70 

Exposure of Dam Concrete to Special Aggressive 

Waters. Bulletin No. 71 

Selecting Seismic Parameters for Large Dams. 

Bulletin 72. 

Tailings Dam Safety – G uidelines. Bulletin74. ISSN 

0534-8293 

Statistical distributions for flood frequency analysis. 

Operational Hydrology Report No. 33. WHO Publ. No 

718. 

Environmental Assessment Sourcebook. Volume III 

Guidelines for Environmental Assessment of Energy 

and Industry Projects. World Bank Technical Paper, 

0253-7494; No. 139. 

Environmental Aspects of Selected Nonferrous Metals 

(Cu, Ni, Pb, An, Au) Ore Mining. Technical Report 

Series 5. 

Environmental Management of Nickel Production. 

Technical Report 15. 

Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at 

Local Level. The APELL Process. 




Embankment Dams, Granular Filters and Drains – 

Large Dams 

Review and Recommendations. Bulletin No. 95. 


Tailings Dams Design of Drainage – Review and 

Large Dams 

Recommendations. Bulletin 97. ISSN 0534-8293. 


Tailings Dams and Seismicity – Review and 

Large Dams 



Tailings Dams. Transport Placement and Decantation - 

Large Dams 

Review and Recommendations. Bulletin 101. ISSN 

0534-8293. 

1995 United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous 

Goods 

1995 International Electronic 

Commission 

Guidelines for the Risk Analysis of Technological 

Systems. IEC/TC 56 (Sec.) 410. 


Programme/International 

Case Studies Illustrating Environmental Practices in 

Mining and Metallurgical Processes. 

Council on Metals and 

Environment 


A Guide to Tailings Dams and Impoundments. Bulletin 

Large Dams 

106. ISSN 0534-8293. 


Tailings Dams and Environmental – Review and 

Large Dams 



Monitoring of Tailings Dams – Review and 

Large Dams 


1996 World Bank Pollution Prevention and Abatement: Base Metal and 

Iron Ore Mining Draft Technical Background 

Document. 


Programme 

/ International Council on 

Metals and Environment 

/SIDA 

1997 International Maritime 

Organization 

1998 International Finance 

Corporation 

1998 International Council on 


Proceedings of the International Workshop on 

Managing the Risks of Tailings Disposal. 

International Safety Management (ISM) Code and 

Guidelines on Implementation. 

Best Management Practices for Storage, Handling, 

and Transportation of Cyanide in Mining Operations. 

Proceedings of the Workshop on Risk Management 

and Contingency Planning in the Management of Mine 

Tailings. 


Proceedings of the Workshop on Risk Assessment 

Programme 

and Contingency Planning in the Management of Mine 


Tailings. Nov. 5 and 6, 1998. 



Case Studies on Tailings Management . ISBN 1- 

Programme 

895720-29-X. 



1999 The World Bank Group Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook 1998 

Toward Cleaner Production. ISBN 0-8213-3638-X. 

1999 AMEEF Parker, G and Acid Drainage. 

Robertson, A 

Commission Internationale 

A Guide to Tailings Dams and Impoundments – 

des Grands Barrages – 141, 

Design, Construction, Use and Rehabilitation. 

bd Haussmann. 75008 Paris 

MISCELLANEOUS 


Responsible Care 

Noranda 

A Public Commitment Employee Health and Safety 

Code of Management Practices. 

Guide to Preparation of Tailings Dam Operations 

Manuals 

DATABASES 



Large Dams/CIGB 

Catalogue – ICOLD 2000 


Appendix C 

Extract from SANS Specification 10286, Code of Practice - Mine Residue 

List of Contents 

Notice 

Foreword 

Committee 

1 Scope 

2 Normative references 

3 Definitions and abbreviations 

3.1 Definitions 

3.2 Abbreviations 

4 Overall aims and principles of mine residue disposal 

4.1 Scope 

4.2 Aims of residue disposal 

4.3 Principles of mine residue disposal 

4.4 Minimum requirements 

5 Legal framework and obligations 

5.1 General 

5.2 Life cycle obligations 

5.3 Financial provision 

5.4 Tabulated legislative references 

6 Management 

6.1 General 

6.2 Objectives 

6.3 Principles 


6.5 Guidance notes 

7 Safety classification and environmental classification 

7.1 General 

7.2 Aims 



8 Conceptualization, planning and site selection 

8.1 General 

8.2 Aims 




9 Investigations and residue characterisation 

9.1 General 

9.2 Aims 



10 Design 

10.1 General 

10.2 Aims 



11 Construction, commissioning and operation 

11.1 General 

11.2 Aims 



12 Decommissioning and aftercare 

12.1 General 

12.2 Aims 



Annexes 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

Safety classification 

Environmental classification 

Construction and operation 

Guidance on decommissioning and aftercare 

Generic guidelines and examples 

Legislation and extracts from various Acts 

G Bibliography 


Appendix D 

Checklists for Tailings Disposal Activities 

D1 

Items to be Included in an Operation Specific Management Plan 

Management plans should be produced and documented which should include descriptions of: 

• short, medium and long-term operational, objectives, targets and performance measurements 

• permits and approvals 

• type and quantity of required resources anticipated over the life-of-mine. 

• roles and responsibilities 

• site selection and characterisation criteria 

• safety, environmental and engineering design criteria 

• communication procedures 

• construction, operating, decommissioning, closure and aftercare procedures and 

documentation requirements 

• monitoring, inspection, reporting and review requirements 

• knowledge and skills (awareness, training and competence) requirements and training records 

• record-keeping requirements including as-built data, historical development as well as issues 

and incidents 

• change management procedures. 

D2 

Items to be Addressed if the Original Design of a Tailings Facility is Changed 

(As for New Facilities) 

Potentially feasible methods that should be considered should include: 

• disposal in disused underground workings as backfill material 

• establishing and maximizing the potential uses for the tailings material, such as use as a 

construction material, use as a soil ameliorant, and use in the restoration of other mine sites. 

• the use of suitable waste rock and soil emanating from the mining operations to form part of the 

tailings disposal solution to provide an integrated and cost effective solution. 

• the use of disused and exhausted open pits should be 

• conditioning the tailings within the metallurgical processes to minimise any environmental or 

safety 

• reduction of reagent usage to minimise the potential pollutants discharged to the environment, 

such as cyanide recovery or destruction. 

Technical studies that typically may be required include: 

• geotechnical site investigation 

• hydrological investigations and analyses 

• hydrogeological site investigation including characterisation of pre-construction, operational and 

post-closure flow patterns 

• geo-chemical characterisation of representative samples of all anticipated tailings materials 

including dynamic evaluation of the ARD potential, radiation, metals, pH, salts, potential for 

precipitation in drains 


• geotechnical characterisation of representative samples of the tailings materials for stability and 

deposition determination as well as for de-watering conditions for closure 

• mineralogical analyses. 

• the effects of material changes with time (e.g. weathering of the pyrite content, change from 

alkaline conditions upon deposition and subsequent change to acid condition, and 

disintegration of components) 

• environmental baseline data collection including climatology 

• environmental impact assessment of the proposed modifications. 

D3 

Items to be Included in a Design Report 

These are: 

• environmental aims 

• design aims and assumptions 

• design details, description of the design and design parameters for each of the facility elements 

• calculations for structural and hydraulic adequacy, including safety factors. 

• average and extreme water balance simulations 

• engineering plans with general arrangements of the facility works before deposition 

commences 

• engineering plans showing the construction details for the entire infrastructure associated with 

the facility 

• operational aims and constraints 

• operational and surveillance requirements 

• failure mode and consequence analysis 

• process details, tailings production rates, residue densities and properties and geo-chemical 

characteristics of the tailings 

• specifications for the construction quality assurance and the required qualifications and 

experience of personnel to undertake the construction, commissioning and operation of the 

facility 

• conceptual closure details and costs. 

D4 

Items to be Included in an Operating Manual 

The Operations Manual should contain: 

• administration and responsibilities for facility operation, safety and review 

• design overview and key design criteria 

• stage-capacity curves 

• tailings deposition plans 

• water management plans and the water balance 

• planning requirements (reviews, construction, operation and training) 

• training and competency requirements 

• operating systems and procedures 

• facility surveillance, including checklists, signs of unfavourable performance, and responses to 

unusual readings, events or observations 

• reporting and documentation requirements 

• emergency action and response plans 

• construction and quality assurance and quality control requirements 

• indicative closure details 

• standard formats for monthly status reports and performance reviews 

• reference reports. 


Good operational practices that should be specified in the operations where appropriate would typically 

include the following: 

• stockpiling topsoil for future rehabilitation purposes 

• access control and clear signage that warns of potential hazards 

• secondary containment of slurry delivery pipe line spillage 

• slurry pipe line burst or leak detection with automatic pump shutdown 

• minimisation of water retention or storage on the facility surface 

• minimisation of the discharge of process waters to 

• amelioration of any excess process waters prior to discharge 

• seepage control and management 

• diligent water management in accordance with predetermined objectives 

• exclusion of external surface water entering the facility 

• separation of clean and process waters to minimise the contamination of clean water 

• maintenance of freeboard in excess of that required for the design storm appropriate to the 

level of hazard posed by the facility 

• systematic deposition of tailings in accordance with the objectives specified by the design and 

operating procedures 

• maintenance of the decant pool away from all impoundment walls unless specifically designed 

for 

• deposition rates appropriate to the consolidation characteristics of the tailings 

• geometric control of wall building or raising 

• prohibition of co-disposal of other mine waste products 

• avian and wildlife protection measures 

• clear referencing in the field of each and every monitoring point, such as piezometers, 

monitoring beacons, drain outlets, etc. 

• concurrent rehabilitation wherever possible. 

D5 

Items to be Addressed in a Review or Audit 

During the review or audit the third examining party should, where appropriate: 

• conduct a detailed formal inspection to review the physical condition of the facility in the 

presence of operational management 

• undertake a thorough review of the management system 

• review and analyse monitoring and water balance data and compare with pre-determined 

performance criteria 

• review the adequacy of relevant documentation, information and data 

• assess the factors of safety against failure 

• assess the freeboard recalculation 

• determine the environmental status and performance 

• determine compliance with the legislation and permits, codes of practice and the operating 

manual 

• confirm the historical and predicted development of the facility and review of the latest life-ofmine 

plans and production scenarios 

• review the adequacy of pumping 

• formulate specific deposition strategies and development plans for the short- and long-term to 

ensure that the strategies comply with legal requirements and render the facility stable and 

safe 

• conduct risk assessments to re-evaluate downstream 

• review emergency preparedness, response procedures and contingency plans 

• establish and update possible failure modes and effects 


• assess monitoring and operational control systems to provide sufficient and adequate 

performance measurement data to ensure stable and safe development 

• provide advice on methods to improve the operation 

• make recommendations for additional work to improve the understanding of foundation, wall 

and deposited materials and additional instrumentation if considered necessary 

• conduct confirmatory checking or performance monitoring instrumentation and data gathering, 

e.g. piezometers, flow rates, monitoring wells, pipeline inspections and status, operational 

checking and inspection systems 

• detail findings on a comprehensive checklist 

• recommend any necessary enhancements 

• identify work activities required in the short-, medium- and long-term 

• compile a list of deficient items 

• make recommendations for additional audits or reviews if considered necessary 

• provide feedback to senior management identifying key issues and corrective actions at the 

end of the process. 

Operations should make all relevant data available to the Auditor and provide all necessary assistance. 

D6 

Guidance on Standards of Practice for a ‘Design for the Environment’ Approach to 

Closure 

Design for the closure should typically include consideration of the following: 

• design for closure from conceptual stage of the project with the end in mind 

• examination and implementation of new methods of deposition that facilitate closure in a 

sustainable manner 

• endeavouring to remove as many pollutants from the tailings stream at source 

• keeping pollutants separate 

• not inhibiting the ability of future generations to live at similar standard 

• adopting technical details that assist with sustainable closure, for example flatter slopes (not 

steeper than 30% and preferably flatter) that mirror those found in nature (convex/concave), 

integrated vegetative and non-vegetative soil stabilisation measures, and soil/waste rock mixes 

for cladding purposes 

• conserve, stockpile and use topsoil for rehabilitation 

• planting native species to prevent erosion and encourage self-sustaining development of a 

productive ecosystem on the rehabilitated land 

• conducting the necessary social and environmental impact assessments 

• conducting risk assessments 

• developing a framework for closure based upon detoxification at source 

• establishing optimum after-use alternatives based on the comprehensive social impact 

assessment 

• preparing an initial closure plan accounting for site specific conditions 

• preparing a closure and aftercare estimate. 

Around two years prior to plant closure, a final closure plan and update costs estimates should be 

prepared. It is generally recognized that there are no ‘walk-away’ solutions to closure of most tailings 

facilities, but the main objective of any closure design should be to get the facility as close to this state 

as reasonably possible. 

The closure configuration should be constructed to ensure that the outer face configuration remains 

stable and is no more prone to wind and water erosion than the natural ambient topography. 


D7 

Anglo American plc Golden Rules for Safety 

Golden Rules - Fundamentals 

The Anglo plc Safety Golden Rules are quoted here for reference, being the minimum standards that 

Anglo operations should subscribe to. However, it is acknowledged that most of the Anglo companies 

have adapted the AA plc Rules to suit their specific circumstances, especially Golden Rule 5 on sitespecific 

risks which include tailings. 

Anglo American Safety Fundamentals 

Anglo American’s safety management is founded on OTTO - “zero tolerance, target zero” - an 

approach to safety that requires an absolute adherence to standards at all times and an intolerance of 

unsafe acts or conditions. 

Anglo American, therefore, expects its divisions and companies to be fully accountable for 

communicating, training and implementing safety procedures based on these Golden Rules. 

Performance under these rules will be audited to ensure compliance. 

The accompanying Golden Rules will be strictly enforced by all operations to ensure the safety of our 

employees and contractors, and to safeguard the community. 

The following fundamentals are embedded in each of these rules: 

• Safe systems of work and the provision of timely, appropriate safety and health information 

underpin all activities. 

• Hazards are identified and risks assessed before activities commence 

• Hazards and risks are reviewed whenever processes, people or natural circumstances change 

• All persons are trained, authorised and fit to perform their duties. 

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn as defined by risk assessment and minimum site 

requirements 

• Emergency response plans, developed from a review of potential emergency scenarios, are in 

place before commencement of work 

• Zero tolerance means stopping work that is unsafe 

Has anything changed? 

Are you trained and authorised to perform this work? 

Zero tolerance means stopping work that is unsafe 


Golden Rule 1 

Confined Spaces 

A confined space is defined as an enclosed or partially enclosed space that is at atmospheric 

pressure during occupancy and is not intended or designed primarily as a place of work, 

which could have restricted means for entry and exit, and which may at any time: 

o Have an atmosphere which contains potentially harmful levels of contaminant 

o Have an oxygen deficiency or excess, or 

o Cause engulfment 

Operations must assess the risks associated with confined spaces and have in place procedures to 

prevent unauthorised entry, so that no-one enters such a space unless: 

• All other options have been ruled out 

• A permit is issued with authorisation by a responsible person(s) 

• The permit is communicated to all affected personnel and posted, as required 

• All persons involved are competent to do the work and are using PPE 

• All sources of energy affecting the space have been isolated and locked out 

• Testing of atmospheres is conducted, verified and repeated as often as defined by the risk 

assessment and permit to work 

• Emergency response arrangements are in place in accordance with the permit to work 





Golden Rule 2 

Working at Heights 

Operations must assess risks associated with working at heights or over openings. 

Each Operation must have in place safety procedures covering situations where there is a risk of falling 

2 metres or more, that reflect due consideration of its own particular risks and require at least that work 

does not proceed unless: 

• Powered mobile platforms be designed to be failsafe in the event of an electrical or hydraulic failure 

• Platforms or scaffolding where erected, are inspected and certified by a competent person 

• Fall-arrest equipment is worn that will limit free fall to ensure the safety of persons 

• All equipment is subject to regular inspection and all defective or damaged equipment is 

immediately taken out of service 

• Person(s) are appropriately trained and authorised to perform work at heights 

• The use of portable ladders is governed by site specific procedures and included in general 

workforce education and training 





Golden Rule 3 

Energy and Machinery Isolation 

Operations must assess risks associated with isolation of and working on energy systems, particularly 

where moving machinery is involved. 

Each operation must have in place safety procedures that reflect due consideration of its own particular 

risks and require at least that such work does not proceed unless: 

• The methods of isolation and discharge of stored energy are agreed and executed by a trained and 

authorised person(s) 

• Any stored energy is discharged or is managed by an agreed lockout procedure 

• A lock-out procedure incorporating locks and personal tags is utilised at isolation points 

• A test is conducted by a competent person(s) to ensure that the isolation is effective 

• Isolation effectiveness is periodically monitored 

• All guarding and safety systems are re-established upon completion of work 

• A risk assessment is conducted and appropriate safety measures are in place where it is necessary 

for work to be carried out on live systems 





Golden Rule 4 

Surface Vehicle Safety 

Operations must assess risks associated with the use of vehicles in surface activities. 

Each operation must have in place safety procedures that reflect due consideration of its own particular 

risks and require at least that vehicles are not operated unless: 

• There is an appropriate service and check procedure in place and the vehicle is confirmed to be in 

safe working order 

• Drivers and operators are certified, authorised, and fit to operate the class of vehicle 

• The number of passengers does not exceed the design specification for a given vehicle 

• Seat belts are installed and worn by all occupants 

• The driver does not use a hand-held cell phone 

• Persons and unsecured material and equipment are not being transported together in the same 

compartment 





Golden Rule 5 

Mining Operations 

Each Mining Operation, following due consideration of its own particular risks, must have in place 

Codes of Practice that will cover: 

• A ground-control plan which must include design, implementation and monitoring aspects 

• The operation and maintenance of shafts and hoisting installations 

• The provision of ventilation to ensure the dilution of noxious and flammable gases 

• The prevention and control of fires and explosions 

• The operation and maintenance of trackless and trackbound mining equipment including men and 

material conveying systems 





Golden Rule 6 

Lifting and Material Handling 

Operations must assess the risks associated with material handling utilising cranes, hoists or other 

mechanical lifting devices, including manual handling. 

Each operation must develop safety procedures that reflect due consideration of its own particular risks 

and require at least that these activities will not commence unless: 

• An assessment of the task has been completed and the method and equipment have been 

determined by an appropriately trained and authorised person(s) 

• Operators of powered lifting devices are trained and authorised 

• Rigging of the load is carried out by a trained and authorised person(s) 

• Lifting devices and equipment have been certified for use 

• The load does not exceed dynamic and/or static capacities of the lifting equipment 

• Any safety devices installed on lifting equipment are operational and are tested 

• Suitable tools, PPE and procedures are in place, particularly for manual material handling 





D8 

Suggested Format for an Emergency Preparedness/Action Plan 

NOTIFICATION FLOWCHART 

• develop one per classification level in the Emergency Detection Plan 

(see ‘Emergency Detection Plan’ overleaf), and then one overall flowchart with colour-coding 

• show information flow up and down the flowchart 

• show prioritized order of notification 

• include all contact details and alternatives (relief and substitute personnel) 

• limit one individual’s notification responsibility to four others 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION 

• Include vicinity maps 

• List significant downstream features 

EMERGENCY DETECTION PLAN 

(See suggestions for ‘Emergency Detection and Evaluation’ that follows) 

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Who decides and declares an emergency 

• Command structure 

• Responsibility matrix 

• TSF owner responsibilities 

• Local authority responsibility 

• Fire department responsibility 

• Traffic department responsibility 

• Paramedic responsibility 

• Medical facilities responsibility 

• Community leaders responsibility 

• Media responsibilities/guidelines 

ZONE OF INFLUENCE MAPS 

• Define potential zones of influence (via dam-break analyses or by inspection depending upon level 

of risk as appropriate) 

• People inside these potential inundation areas are to be listed in the evacuation plans 

EVACUATION PLANS 

• One for every tailings dam/complex 

• Who activates evacuation (also during Level B emergency) (Readiness)? 

• All contact information for the employees, residents and business premises etc. within the 

inundation area is to be collected 

• Source sufficient transportation 

• Alternative accommodation, food, drinking water etc. is to be sourced 

• Communication for evacuees 

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN 

• Shut down of operations 

• Alarm systems 

• Disaster response 

• Access routes 

• Evacuation plan (as above) 

• Security for evacuees and property 

• Traffic control 


• Task completion review 

• Crisis centre 

• Media centre 

• Emergency resources such as power, water, food, transport, earth moving equipment, personal 

protective equipment, etc. 

• Wildlife management/rescue 

• Situation Assessments 

• Communication procedure manual 

• Communication resources 

• Special or unique conditions (cyanide etc.) 

• Follow-up with relatives etc. 

• Trauma counseling for victims 

CLEAN-UP AND REHABILITATION PLAN 

• Termination conditions – when is the emergency considered to be over 

• Authority to order re-start 

• Re-start procedures 

• Risk assessments on clean-up options 

• Collect environmental baseline data on water, soil, vegetation, etc. 

• Soil, water contamination testing 

• Removal of spilt material 

• Rehabilitation of affected areas 

• Incident investigation 

• Evaluation of effectiveness of emergency response plan 

• Ongoing communication 

• Insurance considerations 

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN TESTING PROCEDURES 

• Specify the nature and frequency of procedures to test the emergency response plan 


Disclaimer 

As contributors of this information, Anglo American plc or any of its Group 

companies or their servants, agents or contractors, (generally referred to as 

the Company), are not responsible for any actions (or lack thereof) taken as a 

result of the information contained herein and the Company cannot be held 

liable for any damages resulting from reliance on or use of this information. 

Without limiting the above, as contributors, the Company shall have no 

responsibility for any act or omission of any other contributor. 

It is recorded that this material is presented for information purposes only, in 

the interests of sharing good practice. Whilst the information may be regarded 

as indicative of good practice, and effort has been made to ensure that it is 

accurate, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the 

accuracy, currency or completeness thereof. It is provided solely on the basis 

that users will be responsible for making their own assessments of the 

information. Users are accordingly advised to obtain independent advice 

before acting on the information contained herein, and to take specific advice 

from a qualified professional when dealing with specific situations. 

The Company will accordingly not accept any liability for any loss or damage 

of any kind whatsoever (including consequential loss), suffered by any person 

acting in reliance upon the information, howsoever such loss or damage may 

have been caused or sustained. The Company expressly disclaims liability for 

any such loss or damage. By accessing the information presented on the 

terms and conditions indicated, the user hereby indemnifies and holds the 

Company harmless against all such loss or damage.

SAFETY, HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN - MIRMgate

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