Modern Mining August 2020

MINING News

New global industry standard on mine tailings aims for zero harm

The International Council on Mining and Minerals and the United Nations Environment Programme have launched global standards for the safe management of mine tailings. The historic agreement to lay out a set of industry protocols comes 18 months after the tailings dam disaster at the Corrego do Feijão mine in Brazil that killed 270 people. The UN and the mining industry were joined by the peak body for responsible investment, the Principles of Responsible Investment, to undertake the Global Tailings Review. These three co-convenors represent government, industry and inves- tor stakeholders. UNESCO Professor of Marine Science, Elaine Baker from the School of Geosciences

and GRID-Arendal at the University of Sydney, is a member of the international advisory panel that oversaw the develop- ment of the new protocols. “The dams are some of the largest human-made structures on the planet and require careful ongoing management,” Professor Baker says. “While large-scale failures of tailings dams are uncommon, when they do occur, they can be cata- strophic for downstream communities and the environment.” The more than one-year process has resulted in the development of a revolution- ary global standard for the management of new and existing mine tailings facilities. Mine tailings are material that remains after the commercially viable resources have been

removed in the mining process. This mate- rial is commonly stored as a slurry in dams. The aim of the Global Tailings Review was to establish an industry standard that could eliminate tailings dam failures. The reasons for these failures are well under- stood, so the task of the review was to establish a standard that would ensure mine operators applied best practices in planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, monitoring, closure and post- closure of tailings facilities. “The differences between the global standard and many existing standards for tailings dam management include provi- sions for greater consultation from the outset with potentially affected communi- ties,” Professor Baker says. Ligia Noronha, director of the UNEP Economy Division, says: “The Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management is an important milestone towards the ambition of zero harm to people and the environment from tailings facilities.” The standard will strengthen current practices in the mining industry by integrat- ing social, environmental, local economic and technical considerations. The new standard covers the entire tailings facility lifecycle – from site selection, design and construction, management and monitoring, through to closure and post-closure.  of a new pit, Kapstevel South and associ- ated infrastructure at Kolomela. The pit is a conventional truck and shovel operation producing high quality direct shipping ore (DSO). While the pit is included in the cur- rent life of mine, it contributes significantly to sustaining production of 13 Mt for the remaining life of mine. Pit establishment and waste stripping will commence this year with first ore expected in 2024. Themba Mkhwanazi, CEO of Kumba, says: “The approval of this project, at a time when the global and South African economies face the challenges of COVID-19, underscores Kumba’s posi- tive longer-term outlook for demand for its high-quality product. It also demon- strates our commitment to extend the lives of our mines and continue providing much-needed jobs and livelihoods in the Northern Cape region.” 

The Corrego do Feijåo tailings dam burst in Brumadinho, Brazil, on 25 January 2019, killing 270 people.

Kumba approves Kapstevel South project at Kolomela

stripping. It is anticipated that the addition of the Kapstevel South pit will deliver an after-tax internal rate of return of 25% and allow Kolomela to maintain an estimated EBITDA margin of >35% in the long term. The project entails the development

Kumba Iron Ore has announced the approval of its Kapstevel South project at its Kolomela mine by both the company’s and Anglo American’s boards. The total capital cost of the project will be approximately R7-billion, including pre-

Implats appoints chairperson designate The board of directors of Implats has announced the appointment of Adv Thandi Orleyn as independent non-executive director and chairperson designate. Her appointment to the board took effect on August 3, 2020 and she will assume the chairpersonship at the conclusion of the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) on October 14, 2020. Dr Mandla Gantsho will retire from the board at the conclusion of the AGM as announced on June 10, 2020. Adv Orleyn is a seasoned business-

woman and company director who holds B Proc, B Juris, LLB and LLM degrees and brings diverse corporate experience to her new role. She has built her distinguished reputation in various leadership positions, including the 11 years she served on the Implats board before stepping down in 2015. In addition to her executive role at Peotona Group Holdings, Adv Orleyn cur- rently serves on the boards of BP Southern Africa, Reunert, Toyota SA and Ceramics Industries. 

4  MODERN MINING  August 2020