Tailings and mining waste
Responsible management of tailings and mining waste is vital to our operations and we are committed to minimising environmental impact through safe and sustainable practices.
Our commitment
We are committed to designing, operating and managing our tailings storage facilities in a safe, sustainable and responsible manner throughout the lifecycle of our mining operations.
Our management approach
Our mining operations generate mining-related waste including tailings and waste rock. Tailings are a by-product of the mining process, consisting of fine-grained processed rock or soil left over from the separation of the commodities of value.
Responsible tailings management throughout the mine life cycle is a critical part of managing and minimising the risks from waste produced during the mining process. TSF failure can range from seepage to catastrophic release of solids and water, with potential to impact sensitive receptors.
In line with best practice, management accountability of the tailings storage facility (TSF) sits with the MinRes Executive team, with the Board maintaining oversight of all tailings management.
To reduce the risk of TSF failure, a rigorous regulatory process is followed in Western Australia. All TSF details - including design, technical data, analyses, construction method, quality control and operational procedures - must conform to the Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety's TSF Code of Practice and design, management and operational guidelines published by the Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) and other relevant bodies.
We strive to operate in line with the 15 principles and 77 requirements set out by the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) as well as the guidelines set out by ANCOLD for large and small water and tailings dams. We recognise the value in the principles and guidelines set out by these standards and have elected to align our operations to these guidelines.
In alignment with ANCOLD, MinRes has a Tailings Storage Facility Policy which outlines our commitment to designing, operating and managing our TSFs in a safe and responsible manner to ensure we meet the goal of zero harm to people and the environment, with zero tolerance for human fatality.
MinRes follows a risk informed approach to our tailings management, ensuring adequate surveillance and monitoring programs are conducted across all tailings, with active TSFs undergoing daily inspections, annual audits and external design reviews.
Ongoing surveillance programs collect key information such as the geological and structural features of the TSFs and their foundations, enabling early detection of any potential deterioration.
We focus on the safety of our TSFs through all phases of the lifecycle with consideration of factors impacting all key stakeholders through project conception, planning, design, construction, operation, closure and post closure.
This includes proximity to employees, communities and infrastructure, and the geological conditions and deposition of the tailings.
Our TSF management is incorporated into broader site management systems in a safe and compliant manner consistent with regulatory requirements, applicable guidelines and standards.
We engage external design engineers for each facility and independent reviews are undertaken by external engineers.
Additional assurance is provided by our technical specialists, with support from external experts.
Our risk-informed approach includes the below overarching operating practices to provide a robust approach for sustainable tailings management:
- Site operational controls, surveillance and monitoring.
- Technical and operational support provided by internal subject matter experts.
- Design, operational support and risk review provided by external Engineer of Record.
- Regular inspection, review and reporting by independent experts.
- Board oversight of risks.
We are confident in the safety and security of our TSFs and are committed to continually reviewing our facilities and procedures to maintain a high standard of safety at our operations.
We take into consideration learnings from our peers to promote continual improvement and ensure the most suitable approach to performance and risk management.
We currently manage six active TSFs, three decommissioned TSFs and six TSFs in care and maintenance, located across five sites. All facilities are situated in remote areas and significant distances from local communities and infrastructure.
Our active TSFs include three in-pit facilities and two ‘dry-stacked’ facilities, which co-mingle the tailings with waste rock. These methods of tailings management are considered Best Available Technology (BAT) and substantially reduce the risk of harm to the environment or community .
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