This document provides oil sands mining operators with guidelines for the audit and assessment process consistent with the requirements set out in the Performance Management documents from COSIA. There is a requirement for a 5-year audit and assessment by an independent team of audit/assessors. Through this process, the audit and assessment team will: 1. Assess the reasonableness of the relevant plans and reports. 2. Provide an opinion as to whether the mine closure plan is realistic and the progressive management of FFT is on track to the desired closure outcome.
The major objective of a tailings impoundment closure is to satisfy the requirements of the regulatory agencies, while minimizing the future liabilities of the mining company with an effective and cost efficient design. Several design concept alternatives with various design component options are generally evaluated during the early planning phases to select a preferred closure design alternative to be implemented. This paper presents a risk-based alternatives evaluation methodology as a decision-making tool that could be applied to planning for tailing impoundment closures.
There are growing expectations of mining companies to operate in a more sustainable manner, with a strong business case for improving waste management and reducing environmental impacts. As the stewardship of tailings come under increasing scrutiny, decision-makers are urged to adopt a robust approach to the selection of a tailings management strategy that encompasses design for closure, and leading practices to lower the risk of catastrophic dam failures, optimise the use of resources, and mitigate environmental impacts on climate change. An integrated analysis, considering economic, environmental, social, and risk aspects of the operation can therefore provide decision-makers with balanced information to ensure the right projects proceed with an optimal business case so that the most cost-effective solution, that does not externalise costs, can be selected. However, literature review revealed that fundamental shortcomings exist within traditional evaluation approaches used for economic comparisons. This paper reports on life cycle cost analyses conducted for comparing various tailings management options under different scenarios. A conceptual case study for the disposal of gold tailings in Western Australia as a slurry, as thickened, or as filtered tailings, was considered. This was done for examining the extent to which potentially hidden costs impact on the total cost of a project. It is suggested that the proposed approach will lead to selection of a tailings management alternative that ensures sound economic, environmental, and social performance is achieved.
Library contains journals, books, magazines, proceedings, standards and more. Use the search to find information on tailings and related topics. Link brings you to a search of the ASCE library on "Tailings".
The British Columbia Technical and Research Committee on Reclamation originated in the early 1970's, in response to a demonstrated need in BC for greater government-industry communications in the area of environmental protection and reclamation associated with mining. All BC Reclamation Symposia papers from 1977 to current are available for free at the University of British Columbia library. The UBC library collections have been revised making it much easier to search key subject areas such as native species, revegetation techniques, tailings, mining best practices, environmental monitoring etc., the author, paper title, and/or year presented (all the way back to 1977).
EPA developed these best practices to prevent and minimize the potential for sudden uncontrolled releases of fluid mine waste that could result from the Agencys Superfund response actions at tailings impoundments located on abandoned hardrock mine and mineral processing sites.
This bulletin discusses common problems in the disposal of tailings at mines, quarries and other industries, and identifies safe methods of designing and operating dams and impoundments. The problems encountered at the end of operations when it becomes desirable to end tailings dam construction and it is necessary to rehabilitate the dam and its impoundment to make it permanently safe and environmentally acceptable are discussed and a final chapter describes some of the governmental regulations controlling tailings dams in some countries.
This bulletin provides guidance for the designers, owners, operators and regulators of tailing dams on closure considerations for design at all stages of the tailings dam. The bulletin contains three main sections with a discussion on the following topics: Sustainable Closure Principles, covering current international practice, regulations, objectives, design life and phases, financial and risk management practices as they relate to closure; Sustainable Design Considerations, covering the main aspects of physical, chemical, ecological and social stability associated with tailing dam closure; Monitoring, covering post closure and long term monitoring requirements. The document presents a range of international approaches to the subject of sustainable tailings dam closure.
This bulletin provides references to publications written up until 1989 on tailings dams. It divides the references into the following categories: Tailings Sources; Deposition and Disposal Techniques; Safety and Failures; Stability of Tailings Embankments including Seismic Aspects; Material Properties and Evaluation; Legal Aspects; Site Selection and Investigation; Tailings Transportation; Drainage, Seepage and Groundwater; Decants, Water Management; Pollution Control and Environmental Aspects; Closure and Rehabilitation:Monitoring; Instrumentation; Vegetation; Reworking Existing Deposits; General.
This bulletin deals with: Location of dams, Site investigation, Design, Construction and operation, Closure and abandonment