Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century

Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century

Aug 7th, 2019

Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century discusses a comprehensive approach to address the need to improve the:

  • design of tailings dams,
  • management and finally
  • regulation of tailings management facilities.

The aim is to explore what What Mining Companies Need to Know and Do to Thrive in Our Complex World.

Cover of the book Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century by Dr. F. Oboni and C. Oboni

The book summary, ToC are available at https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030194468.

Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century

Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century discusses what the public seeks in terms of:

The scope of the challenge is well documented in a report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and GRID Arendal. It bears the title “Mine Tailings Storage: Safety Is No Accident.” The release date was October 2017.

The report identifies several areas where further improvements are required. That is because the application of cutting-edge risk-assessment methodologies and risk-management practices can contribute to a significant reduction and eventual elimination of dam failures through Risk Informed Decision Making.

Background of Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century

 The book is based on: 

  • over thirty years of world-wide consulting experience,
  • relentless methodological research and development,
  • prior books,
  • courses, seminars delivered to corporate key stakeholders, public and finally governmental agencies,
  • public hearings,
  • expert witnessing in civil and criminal courts, and finally
  • over fifty technical papers.

Purpose of Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century

 Its purpose is to identify and describe those risk assessment approaches and risk management practices that must be implemented to reach an important societal goal. That is to develop a path reaching profitable and sustainable operations.  That path will be corporately and societally acceptable from a risk standpoint. This will simultaneously cover the interests of the:

  • public,
  • lenders,
  • investors and finally insurers.

Thus, the book discussion focuses on identifying and describing the risk-assessment approaches and risk-management practices that need to be implemented in order to develop socially acceptable levels of tailings dams’ risks at portfolio level.

Post catastrophe picture of the tailings at Samarco Dam, Brazil.

Figure 1 Tailings flood downstream of Samarco Tailings Dam, Brazil.

A statistical graph showing one century of tailings dams failures around the world.

Figure 2 Graph showing one hundred years of tailings dams failures around the world

Case study includes real-life dams

The complete case study, in the form of a dams’ portfolio risk prioritization geared towards risk mitigation explores the interaction between corporate and societal risk tolerance. Finally, it shows how both must guide risk based decision-making.

The discussion shows and discusses in detail a path for rational and reasonable tactical and strategic planning.

Closing remarks

The book aims to a wide audience concerned by tailings dams risks, from general public up to mining companies board of directors. The language is plain. Finally, mathematical concepts intervene parsimoniously, on a strict need-to-reference basis.

Tagged with: , , ,

Category: Consequences, Crisis management, Hazard, Mitigations, Optimum Risk Estimates, Probabilities, Probability Impact Graphs, Risk analysis, Risk management, Tolerance/Acceptability

One response to “Tailings Dam Management for the Twenty-First Century”

  1. raman says:

    sir
    we qre interesed soil mechanics/load bearing capacity appraisal study/after hurricane affect and reclaim for insuranc,and govt public grievance department.
    pl.share dry/rain hit slot cases.Wadi/river entry case.
    Regards
    Raman (I.R.M. U.K.)
    CEO
    DRSL Mgt and Engg. consultnas.

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