In considering the critical aspects required to improve tailings dam safety, the following subjects are addressed in this Bulletin: Corporate and Management Commitment, Education and training of company staff, Critical aspects relating to the design of a tailings dam, Critical aspects to be considered when designing for and implementing the final closure of a tailings dam, Risk management, The essential need for regular external audits and Some notes on the positive role that is played by industry regulators. The conclusion reached in the document is that diligent attention to these critical aspects will result in improved awareness and a lowering of safety incidences for tailings dams.
Examples of pre-event exercises and training relating to dams and dam emergencies that were conducted prior to Hurricane Matthew in 2016 to help stakeholders better understand pre-event exercises and training efforts that will help them respond to potential dam emergencies.
The National Dam Safety Program (NDSP) Training Program is designed to help state, local and tribal governments obtain the knowledge, tools, and support that they need to plan and implement effective dam safety strategies. Resources available through the program include instructor-led courses, web-based courses, and videos.
The Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management is comprised of 12 two-point micro-credentials. Students may apply for the Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management after successfully completing all 12 micro-credentials and associated assessments. The courses include: Introduction to Tailings Management, Tailings operations and Water Management, Tailings Risk Evaluation, Tailings Governance.
This manual is intended to provide engineering and technical personnel at all levels of Government (Federal, State, and local) and private engineering organizations with sound, comprehensive guidelines and procedures for me examination and evaluation of public and private dams.
The TAilings and IndustriaL waste ENGineering (TAILENG) Center is a research center dedicated to advancing the state of knowledge and practice in the design of tailings and industrial waste storage facilities. A consortium of four universities work with mine owners and operators to perform fundamental and applied research on mine tailings and industrial waste (e.g., coal ash) to improve the resilience and sustainability of geotechnical infrastructure required to promote safety in the mining and power industries. We educate students and professionals on the state-of-art and state-of-practice related to tailings and industrial waste storage facilities. We engage with mine owners and operators, consulting engineering, regulatory personnel, and interested members of society to discuss important aspects related to mining and industrial waste.
To meet the growing need for multi-disciplinary training and education, three major universities in the US that are at the core of training and research in mining engineering and mine waste management have combined forces to form the Tailings Center. The Tailings Center will leverage faculty from the three universities and work with industry leaders to develop timely and appropriate training opportunities for practicing professionals and graduate/undergraduate students that have an interest in tailings management.
TAILLIQ is a university-industry research project whose purpose is to help better understand and reduce the risk of mine tailings loss of containment from static liquefaction. The research is being carried out at four Australian universities, with funding providing by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and six international mining companies. The website has been developed to provide project updates and links to publications produced from the research.
AusIMM, in conjunction with leading experts in the mining industry, has developed the Professional Certificate in Tailings Management. Featuring internationally-renowned tailings experts and case studies, the course will cover geotechnical, geochemical, governance, closure and socio-economic considerations of tailings management. The interactive, online format of the course will provide participants with an opportunity to learn in a community-based environment from wherever they are situated.