Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management

The Global Tailings Review convened by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) launched the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management. The Standard was developed by a multi-disciplinary Expert Panel, with input from a multi-stakeholder Advisory Group. The Standard is further informed by existing best practice and findings from past tailings facility failures. In addition, the Standard underwent a public consultation and commenting period from 15th November until 31st December 2019. The Global Tailings Review team ran a total of 21 workshops with a wide range of stakeholder groups across Australia, Chile, China, Ghana, Kazakhstan and South Africa. The consultation received 202 online and email submissions, as well as responses from in-country workshops consisting of 427 participants.

The Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, which is the outcome of the Global Tailings Review process, is an important milestone towards the ambition of zero harm to people and the environment from tailings facilities. 

Underpinned by an integrated approach to tailings management, the Standard aims to prevent catastrophic failure and enhance the safety of mine tailings facilities across the globe. It goes beyond existing guidance on the management of tailing facilities addressing crucial issues including:

• meaningful engagement of project affected people throughout the lifecycle of the mine tailing facility;
• raising the bar on human rights related requirements;
• strengthening of environmental protection requirements, including stronger attention to the evolving climate change impacts on mine tailing facilities and to restoration;
• application of a structured and robust approach to the risk classification of existing and planned facilities;
• establishing a governance mechanism for the management of tailing facilities, as well as identifying high level responsibility for the implementation of the standard, in direct communication with the Board;
• public disclosure and transparency of information on mine tailing facilities to stakeholders.

Comprising six Topic areas, 15 Principles and 77 auditable Requirements, the Standard will ultimately be supported by implementation protocols that will provide detailed guidance for certification or assurance as applicable, and for equivalence with other standards.