Dam risks informational gap impacts to a certain extent all dams: hydro, tailings and finally, toxic dumps. There are thousands of active dams around the world significantly different because of: age, function, materials, construction style and care, maintenance care and finally “behavior” or performance. Oroville dam was one of those, like other recent mining catastrophes and the Michigan failures. What do all dams have in common? Dams are all exposed to hazards, e.g. natural, man-made such as excess of confidence,…
Read More
In follow-up to Aidan Davy’s (ICMM) keynote session at TMW2019, here are our Notes on Global Tailings Standard Draft for Public Consultation. To this date the three co-conveners (UNEP, ICMM and PRI) reportedly did not endorse the draft. Positive Notes on Global Tailings Standard Draft for Public Consultation We found the current draft to be an overall well written document. It encompasses important points on: human rights (see chapter 5 on “what people want” in our latest book) conflict of…
Read More
Soon we will participate in the conference Tailings and Mine waste 2015 focusing on risks and tailings stewardship (TMW2015) in Vancouver. Tailings and Mine waste 2015 focusing on risks and tailings stewardship We were puzzled to still see some papers and hearing some talks confusing the term “risk” for consequence of an adverse event or likelihood of an event. The result of those glossary slips is confusion and difficulties in performing practical risk assessments. Like in other industries, most of…
Read More
