Tailings disposal uses substantial quantities of water. Many TSF failures have resulted from inadequate water management and/or a lack of understanding of the dynamics of water movement on and within a TSF. These facilities conventionally have a return water dam (RWD) system to recover runoff, decant and seepage from the TSF back into the process, thereby reducing the concentrator demand for fresh water. Uncontrolled RWD or TSF discharge results in degradation of downstream water resources.
Construction, operation and closure of a TSF poses a serious risk to water resource quality and quantity. Water stewardship provides a mechanism to contextualise a TSF within a catchment, encouraging appropriate water use management, and water resources impact mitigation throughout the life of a TSF.
The International Council on Mining and Metals endorses water stewardship, requiring strong and transparent water governance, effective operational water
management and collaboration to achieve responsible water use.
With appropriate water stewardship practices, it is possible to ensure that:
• TSF operations do not deprive water users (and environment) of good water quantity and quality
• TSF water use requires appropriate catchment mitigation, management and monitoring
• TSF operational emergency situations are appropriately mitigated and managed to prevent catastrophic incidents
• Incidents that can cause environmental or human health risks are appropriately
mitigated and managed to minimise long-term adverse impacts.
The GISTM supports water stewardship at TSFs as an appropriate mechanism for the development of TSF water management plans (WMPs). Plausible changes and
challenges considering TSF operational and natural system variability and uncertainties throughout a TSF’s life cycle need to be identified in the development of a WMP.
The development of a WMP as part of the implementation of a strong water stewardship at TSFs encourages appropriate water use management, and water resources impact mitigation throughout the life of a TSF.
