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.

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.

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

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: design of tailings dams, geoethics, Risk Assessment, risk exposure
Category: Consequences, Crisis management, Hazard, Mitigations, Optimum Risk Estimates, Probabilities, Probability Impact Graphs, Risk analysis, Risk management, Tolerance/Acceptability
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.