144 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
apply your skills in a way that is potentially industry-chang-
ing and can affect individuals and companies in a signifi-
cant positive way.
CONCLUSIONS
New technologies in tailings management continue to
emerge. However, traditional hydraulic methods can pro-
duce safe tailings storage facilities and should not be ruled
out and must be considered in the evaluation process.
Filtered tailings shows promise as manufacturers work
out challenges that impact consistent production and reli-
ability and reduce operation and maintenance availability.
GeoStable as a design co-mingling tailings and waste rock
into a single stable repository also shows strong viability for
the appropriate site conditions.
The GISTM and the application of ESG have had a sig-
nificant impact on our industry both positively (improved
governance) and negatively (distracting limited resources
into non-core areas). Experience has shown us that GISTM
compliance does not ensure facility safety. However, the
GISTM has contributed a governance framework that
provides a robust backdrop from which to administer and
manage tailings facilities. It has identified key stakeholders
with the EoR being the most important individual within
the group.
The industry’s lack of qualified resources, and the
training capacity for them, is of greatest concern. Our
industry continues to lack critical resources and has insuf-
ficient capacity to place a qualified EoR at each mine site,
an RTFE in critical leadership positions, and independent
technical review boards to protect the industry from costly
mistakes. We see that the future remains a challenge for
the next 15 to 20 years, and the next attrition cycle will
hit engineers capable of serving on ITRBs and providing
important mentorship and project review. The industry is
working diligently to develop resources, but in the end, this
may be too little too late. Finally, our future remains in our
hands. Our community needs to demand a focus on STEM
school programs and identify opportunities to develop and
train future engineers.
REFERENCES
CDA (Canadian Dam Association). 2019. Application of
Facility Safety and Guidelines to Mining Dams, 2019
Edition. Canadian Dam Association, Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada.
Collins, J., and Lazier, W. 2020. BE 2.0 (Beyond
Entrepreneurship 2.0): Turning Your Business into
an Enduring Great Company. December 1, 2020.
Penguin/Portfolio.
Hatton, C. 2019. Affecting Effecting Change Through
Investment. Keynote lecture for the 2019, Tailings and
Mine Waste, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA.
Hatton, C, and Morrison, K. 2016. Engineer(s) of Record,
Changing the Dam Paradigm. Proceedings of the 2016
Tailings and Mine Waste, Keystone Colorado, USA.
Hatton, C., Spencer, L., Bareither, C., and Ward, K. 2020.
All Hands on Deck! A Semi-Quantitative Attempt
to Characterize the Impending Qualified Tailings
Professional Resource Shortage. Proceedings of the
2020 Tailings and Mine Waste Conference. Keystone,
Colorado, the USA.
Holtz W.G. 1990. Personal communication.
ICMM. 2021a. Conformance Protocols: Global
Industry Standard on Tailings Management.
May 6, 2021. [Accessed June 12, 2024.] https://
www.icmm.com/en-gb/our-principles/tailings
/tailings-conformance-protocols.
ICMM (International Council on Mining &Metals).
2021b. Tailings Management: Good Practice Guide.
May 6, 2021. [Accessed June 12, 2024.] https://
www.icmm.com/en-gb/guidance/innovation/2021
/tailings-management-good-practice.
ICMM, UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme),
and PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment). 2020.
Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management.
August 2020. [Accessed June 12, 2024.] https://
globaltailingsreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2020
/08/global-industry-standard_EN.pdf.
MAC (Mining Association of Canada). 2017. A Guide
to the Management of Tailings Facilities. November
7, 2017. [Accessed June 12, 2024.] https://mining.ca
/resources/guides-manuals/a-guide-to-the
-management-of-tailings-facilities-third-edition/
MAC. 2019. Developing an Operation, Maintenance,
and Surveillance Manual for Tailings and Water
Management Facilities. Second Edition. February
2019.
Morrison, K. 2023. Keynote lecture. Mine Waste and
Tailings Conference 2023.
Ruben, G. 2009. The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a
Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets,
Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More
Fun. Harper 1
Sova, M., Ertürk H., and Hatton, C. 2023. Effective
EoR Succession Planning Recommendations for
Implementation of GISTM, Tailings, and Mine Waste
2023, Vancouver BC.
apply your skills in a way that is potentially industry-chang-
ing and can affect individuals and companies in a signifi-
cant positive way.
CONCLUSIONS
New technologies in tailings management continue to
emerge. However, traditional hydraulic methods can pro-
duce safe tailings storage facilities and should not be ruled
out and must be considered in the evaluation process.
Filtered tailings shows promise as manufacturers work
out challenges that impact consistent production and reli-
ability and reduce operation and maintenance availability.
GeoStable as a design co-mingling tailings and waste rock
into a single stable repository also shows strong viability for
the appropriate site conditions.
The GISTM and the application of ESG have had a sig-
nificant impact on our industry both positively (improved
governance) and negatively (distracting limited resources
into non-core areas). Experience has shown us that GISTM
compliance does not ensure facility safety. However, the
GISTM has contributed a governance framework that
provides a robust backdrop from which to administer and
manage tailings facilities. It has identified key stakeholders
with the EoR being the most important individual within
the group.
The industry’s lack of qualified resources, and the
training capacity for them, is of greatest concern. Our
industry continues to lack critical resources and has insuf-
ficient capacity to place a qualified EoR at each mine site,
an RTFE in critical leadership positions, and independent
technical review boards to protect the industry from costly
mistakes. We see that the future remains a challenge for
the next 15 to 20 years, and the next attrition cycle will
hit engineers capable of serving on ITRBs and providing
important mentorship and project review. The industry is
working diligently to develop resources, but in the end, this
may be too little too late. Finally, our future remains in our
hands. Our community needs to demand a focus on STEM
school programs and identify opportunities to develop and
train future engineers.
REFERENCES
CDA (Canadian Dam Association). 2019. Application of
Facility Safety and Guidelines to Mining Dams, 2019
Edition. Canadian Dam Association, Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada.
Collins, J., and Lazier, W. 2020. BE 2.0 (Beyond
Entrepreneurship 2.0): Turning Your Business into
an Enduring Great Company. December 1, 2020.
Penguin/Portfolio.
Hatton, C. 2019. Affecting Effecting Change Through
Investment. Keynote lecture for the 2019, Tailings and
Mine Waste, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA.
Hatton, C, and Morrison, K. 2016. Engineer(s) of Record,
Changing the Dam Paradigm. Proceedings of the 2016
Tailings and Mine Waste, Keystone Colorado, USA.
Hatton, C., Spencer, L., Bareither, C., and Ward, K. 2020.
All Hands on Deck! A Semi-Quantitative Attempt
to Characterize the Impending Qualified Tailings
Professional Resource Shortage. Proceedings of the
2020 Tailings and Mine Waste Conference. Keystone,
Colorado, the USA.
Holtz W.G. 1990. Personal communication.
ICMM. 2021a. Conformance Protocols: Global
Industry Standard on Tailings Management.
May 6, 2021. [Accessed June 12, 2024.] https://
www.icmm.com/en-gb/our-principles/tailings
/tailings-conformance-protocols.
ICMM (International Council on Mining &Metals).
2021b. Tailings Management: Good Practice Guide.
May 6, 2021. [Accessed June 12, 2024.] https://
www.icmm.com/en-gb/guidance/innovation/2021
/tailings-management-good-practice.
ICMM, UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme),
and PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment). 2020.
Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management.
August 2020. [Accessed June 12, 2024.] https://
globaltailingsreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2020
/08/global-industry-standard_EN.pdf.
MAC (Mining Association of Canada). 2017. A Guide
to the Management of Tailings Facilities. November
7, 2017. [Accessed June 12, 2024.] https://mining.ca
/resources/guides-manuals/a-guide-to-the
-management-of-tailings-facilities-third-edition/
MAC. 2019. Developing an Operation, Maintenance,
and Surveillance Manual for Tailings and Water
Management Facilities. Second Edition. February
2019.
Morrison, K. 2023. Keynote lecture. Mine Waste and
Tailings Conference 2023.
Ruben, G. 2009. The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a
Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets,
Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More
Fun. Harper 1
Sova, M., Ertürk H., and Hatton, C. 2023. Effective
EoR Succession Planning Recommendations for
Implementation of GISTM, Tailings, and Mine Waste
2023, Vancouver BC.