The Nature and Articulation of Ethical Codes on Tailings Management in South Africa

Rather quietly, a new generation of European norms dealing with earthworks has been developed over the past few years, in particular a part of EN 16907 pertaining to extractive waste. Whereas the majority of the parts deal with routine geotechnical aspects, one part deals specifically with tailings dams. The standard is currently in draft form but if this becomes a European Standard, members of the European Union are bound to comply with the regulations. As such, the standard has the capacity to influence mining in Europe and potentially in South Africa. In this paper we review the standard and compare it to the South African standard on mine residues and the recently published Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM). We conclude found that although the European norm makes great strides towards increasing tailings dam safety, there is room for improvement. The current South African standard has served well since its inception, but can be improved by using concepts from the European and global tailings standards.

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“…Similar types of reviews and comparisons have been undertaken by others (e.g. Poswa and Davies, 2017;Wates and Lyell, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 75%

A review of EN 16907 on earthworks (extractive waste) in the context of South African mine residues

Hörtkorn

Narainsamy

2022

J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall.

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“…The tailings dam is built with borrow material using the centerline construction method around the entire perimeter of the tailings storage facility (ring dyke) (Figure 14). Tailings are discharged from the dam crest around the entire perimeter of the tailings deposit, forming a tailings beach that locates the supernatant process water pond in the center of the deposit [40]. For this reason, this TSF is classified with nonconservative tailings management.…”

Section: Jagersfontain Tailings Storage Facility-south Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and Temporal Study of Supernatant Process Water Pond in Tailings Storage Facilities: Use of Remote Sensing Techniques for Preventing Mine Tailings Dam Failures

Cacciuttolo

Cano

2023

Sustainability

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Considering the global impact on society due to tailings storage facilities (TSFs) accidents, this article describes a study to monitor mine tailings management and prevent mining tailings dam failures, considering the analysis of different TSFs real cases. The spatial and temporal dynamic behavior of the supernatant process water pond of the TSFs is studied as a critical issue, using remote sensing techniques based on multispectral satellite imagery. To understand the current state of the art, a brief description of engineering studies for the control and management of the supernatant process water pond in TSFs is presented. This research considers the main method of the study of practical cases with the use of techniques of multispectral interpretation of satellite images from the Sentinel 2 remote sensor. In addition, the management of tools such as Geographical Information System (GIS) and Google Earth Engine (GEE) is implemented, as well as the application of some spectral indices such as NDWI and the joint use of (i) NDVI, (ii) mNDWI, and (iii) EVI. Real TSF cases are analyzed, including the dam failures of Jagersfontain TSF in South Africa and Williamson TSF in Tanzania. Finally, this article concludes that the size, location, and temporal variability of the supernatant process water pond within a TSF has a direct impact on safety and the possible potential risk of the physical instability of tailings dams.

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“…Despite constant searches and obtaining new opportunities for using tailings, the problem of their accumulation and negative impact on the natural environment still re-mains urgent [POSWA, DAVIES 2017;QUAGHEBEUR et al 2013;TSCHUSCHKE et al 2017].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Limiting horizontal water filtration using drainage-screened modules

Клімов

Pinchuk

Kunytskiy

et al. 2019

Journal of Water and Land Development

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In the context of climate change, it is important to minimize the changes that are introduced in the territory adjacent to the object of human economic activity. In some cases, this can be done with the help of drainage-screened modules – an anti-filtration screen that redistributes the zone of influence of the drain placed near it. As a result, the drain regulates to a greater extent the zone of human economic activity (drainage system, tailing dump, populated area, etc.) and to a lesser extent lowers the level of groundwater in the adjacent territory. The use of drainage-screened modules in tailing farms, for the organized storage of mineral waste of enterprises makes it possible to increase the filtration stability of dike, ensuring the uniform operation of the tailing dams, as well as reliable removal of intercepted groundwater. This is achieved because in the tailing farm the dikes are intensified by drainage-screened modules. Water, filtered through the body of the dike and under it, is intercepted by a drain. A part of the filtration flow, which is not intercepted by the drain, is stopped by the anti-filtration screen.

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The Nature and Articulation of Ethical Codes on Tailings Management in South Africa

Cited by 9 publications

References 25 publications

A review of EN 16907 on earthworks (extractive waste) in the context of South African mine residues

A review of EN 16907 on earthworks (extractive waste) in the context of South African mine residues

Spatial and Temporal Study of Supernatant Process Water Pond in Tailings Storage Facilities: Use of Remote Sensing Techniques for Preventing Mine Tailings Dam Failures

Limiting horizontal water filtration using drainage-screened modules

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