Global Tailings Review

Global Tailings Review
Name	Global Tailings Review
Formation	2019
Type	Initiative
Headquarters	Geneva
Region served	Global
Leader title	Chair
Parent organization	International Council on Mining and Metals

Global Tailings Review The Global Tailings Review is an international initiative established to address failures in tailings storage facilities following the 2019 Samarco and Brumadinho disasters. It convenes stakeholders from the mining sector, finance, civil society, and multilateral organizations to develop standards, guidance, and oversight mechanisms for tailings facilities in mining and metallurgical operations. The Review produced the Global Industry Standard for Tailings Management and works with governments, companies, and financiers to promote adoption and accountability.

Background and Purpose

The Review emerged after the Brumadinho dam collapse and drew on responses to the earlier Samarco dam disaster and precedent events such as the Omai Dam incident and the Kabwe lead poisoning legacy to catalyze reform across Rio Tinto Group, BHP, Vale S.A., and other major extractive companies. It sought to align practices with expectations from institutions like the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The initiative aimed to reduce catastrophic failure risk at facilities managed by entities such as Glencore, Anglo American plc, and Newmont Corporation while addressing concerns raised by NGOs including International Council on Mining and Metals, Oxfam International, and Amnesty International.

Governance and Structure

The Review operates under stewardship arrangements involving the International Council on Mining and Metals, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the Principles for Responsible Investment. Its governance includes a multi-stakeholder Advisory Panel drawing expertise from regulators such as the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources, the Canadian Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Chilean Ministry of Mining, and technical specialists from institutions like the International Commission on Large Dams and universities including Imperial College London and the University of British Columbia. Financial oversight and donor coordination have involved foundations and agencies such as the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Global Industry Standard for Tailings Management

The Review authored the Global Industry Standard for Tailings Management, a normative document setting criteria for design, construction, operation, closure, and governance of tailings storage facilities. The Standard incorporates requirements influenced by engineering practice from bodies like the Institution of Civil Engineers, risk frameworks used by the World Economic Forum, and mine closure guidance from the International Council on Mining and Metals. It mandates independent tailings review boards analogous to precedents in Norwegian Petroleum Directorate oversight and borrows assurance concepts from International Organization for Standardization standards and Equator Principles used by lenders.

Implementation and Compliance

Implementation has involved signatories from major mining corporations including Barrick Gold, Freeport-McMoRan, Sibanye-Stillwater, and Kinross Gold, and engagement with financiers such as JPMorgan Chase, Export Development Canada, and the European Investment Bank. Governments in jurisdictions like Peru, Chile, Indonesia, and South Africa have integrated aspects of the Standard into permitting and inspection regimes, alongside national regulators such as the Brazilian National Mining Agency. Compliance mechanisms include public disclosure platforms modeled on initiatives like the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and assurance processes drawing on auditing practices from firms such as Deloitte, KPMG, and Ernst & Young.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critics from organizations like MiningWatch Canada, Earthworks, and academic researchers at University of Melbourne and University of Western Australia have argued the Standard lacks enforceability without statutory backing and may insufficiently address legacy sites exemplified by cases in Cerro de Pasco and Picher, Oklahoma. Some civil society groups have raised concerns similar to debates over Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and Carbon Disclosure Project: that voluntary commitments by companies such as Teck Resources and Rio Tinto Group risk being used for reputational management rather than systemic change. Disputes also emerged over the balance between technical engineering controls and human rights-led approaches championed by entities like the International Labour Organization and Human Rights Watch.

Impact and Outcomes

Since publication, the Standard has driven changes in corporate governance at signatory firms, prompted enhanced engagement by lenders mirroring the Equator Principles Association approach, and stimulated legislative reviews in mining jurisdictions including Chile and Peru. Independent Tailings Review Boards have been established at operations run by Newcrest Mining and others, and increased transparency has enabled downstream scrutiny by investors such as BlackRock and CalPERS. While some high-risk facilities remain, multi-stakeholder monitoring has reduced opaque practices reminiscent of earlier failures like Fundão dam and has been credited with improving emergency preparedness in regions affected by tailings such as Ghana and Mongolia.

Related Initiatives and Partnerships

The Review coordinates with international frameworks and partnerships including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change dialogues on resilience, the Global Environment Facility for remediation funding, and the Principles for Responsible Investment for investor expectations. It aligns with remediation projects by United Nations Development Programme and collaborates with technical bodies such as the International Council on Metals and the Environment and professional associations like the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration. Cross-sectoral linkages extend to finance initiatives including the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures and civil society campaigns led by BankTrack and Friends of the Earth.

Category:Mining safety Category:Environmental policy