The GISTM requires a shared state of readiness among stakeholders, based on a site-specific tailings facility Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan.
Deadlines to apply new safety standards to mine tailings dams are starting to kick in, but there still seems to be limited awareness among municipalities that this important issue requires their direct involvement.
The first deadlines for complying to the Global Industry Standards on Tailings Management (GISTM) were passed in August 2023. These applied to mines with tailings storage facilities (TSFs) classified as 'Extreme' or 'Very high' in terms of the potential consequences of failure. According to Andries Fourie, senior technologist in disaster and risk management at SRK Consulting, the GISTM continues to roll out across the industry. The recent deadline, therefore is only the start of a long process of learning, discovery and implementation.
