ESG

Independent review of tailings storage facilities launched

The International Council of Mining and Metals (ICMM), the Principles for Responsible Investment and the United Nations Environment Programme have decided to co-convene an independent review of mine tailings storage facilities in response to the recent Brumadinho tragedy in Brazil.

Staff reporter
The Brumadinho tragedy in Brazil has triggered a review of all mine tailings storage facilities

The Brumadinho tragedy in Brazil has triggered a review of all mine tailings storage facilities

Professor Bruno Oberle will chair the review, and a multi-stakeholder advisory panel will also be appointed, consisting of non-governmental organisations, international bodies and responsible investors.

The chair will also be able to draw on the experience of an expert panel of tailings and dam specialists drawn from academia and industry.

The review will be informed by evidence and lessons from the Brumadinho disaster, as well as other mine tailings dam failures and ultimately establish an international standard for the safe management of tailings storage facilities that can be applied to all tailings dams globally.

The chair will oversee every aspect of the review and prepare a report to be published by the end of the year.

Oberle said the review had a responsibility to the people of Brumadinho to get it right.

"My objective is clear: I will oversee a comprehensive review of the current situation and draw up a new international standard for tailings storage facilities that draws on the best practice from around the globe," he said.

Oberle has years of experience in the environmental space and is currently the Green Economy and Resource Governance chair, academic director of the International Risk Governance Center at L'Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, a panel member of the International Resource Panel and a member of the Leadership Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

He was also previously the Swiss Secretary of State for the Environment and director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment.

ICMM CEO Tom Butler said the new standard agreed on by the review would be mandatory for all ICMM members and adopted at all their operational assets globally.

"I hope that non-members will sign up to the standard too," he said.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Investor Sentiment Report 2024

Survey revealing the plans, priorities, and preferences of 120+ mining investors and their expectations for the sector in 2024.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Mining Equities Report 2023

Access an exclusive, inside look on the quarterly mining IPOs and secondary raisings data and mining equities performance tables with an annual Stock Exchange Comparisons supplement.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence World Risk Report 2023 (feat. MineHutte ratings)

A detailed analysis of mining investment risks across 121 jurisdictions globally, built on 11 ‘hard risk’ metrics and an industrywide survey.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Global Leadership Report 2023: Social licence

Gain insights into social licence trends and best practices from interviews with 20+ top mining company executives and an industrywide survey.