Future-Proof Your Tailings Plans

-News release, Mining Watch Canada, Feb.13, 2007

Few issues cause so much public opposition to mining worldwide, as has the issue of waste rock and tailings management. A Google search for “tailings protests” turns up nearly 100,000 hits, many of them describing local opposition to mining projects, based on the potential or current environmental impact of mine tailings.

This trend is perhaps best seen in the spectacular growth in acceptance of the Equator Principles, a financial industry benchmark for determining, assessing and managing social and environmental risk in project financing. The Equator Principles signatories have pledged “to ensure that the projects we finance are developed in a manner that is socially responsible and reflect sound environmental management practices.” About 85% of project lending worldwide is carried out by Equator Principles signatories.

Mining companies accustomed to thinking of tailings management as a “technical” issue need to put more emphasis on managing the environmental and social costs. The good news is that, far from being a fuzzy, hard-to-measure exercise, social and environmental tailings impact management is becoming a firmly-based discipline.

It has been said that mines are primarily in the waste management business, and this is very much the case when considering the volume of earth and rock that must be moved to isolate the relatively small amount of the mineral being sought. One of the keys to success in the new, complex world of tailings management is making an early start on managing the environmental and social implications and sustainability of tailings disposal.

Part of the mining company’s job will be educating the general public. Widespread misperceptions about the steps that are being taken to manage tailings risks must be corrected at an early stage in a project.

Experience has found that at many mining projects, it’s a case of “too little, too late.” Some companies only start trying to manage community relations after they hit a literal or figurative roadblock in the form of a protest on site or at their annual meetings.

In today’s environment, mining companies need to have community relations professionals working on their behalf and interacting with the local communities, almost as soon as they send the geologists into the field.

The mining company must start early with its consultations with local leaders, regional and national governments and other stakeholders, to find out how to meet their expectations and deal with their concerns. This early-stage work can generate a study to find out what are the leading issues or “red flags”.

Some mining company officers, tend to confuse “community relations” with “public consultation”.

Community relations is the big-picture effort to build and maintain good relations with stakeholders. It is a long-term, ongoing process, and includes consulting with stakeholders to determine their needs concerning environmental protection, employment, economic spin-offs, social spending and sustainability in areas such as clinics, schools, roads and other infrastructure.

Public consultation is part of the community relations process, and is an information-gathering exercise. It should not be viewed as an opportunity to advocate the company’s position or plans.

One result of a correctly done community relations process is the social impact assessment (SIA), counterpart to the environmental impact assessment. A newer aspect to the process is the social development plan (SDP), which in effect puts wheels on the SIA and makes things happen.

Given the importance of waste management to a mining company, and the fact that much of the waste comes in the form of waste rock and tailings, a good social and environmental process is a big part of keeping the mine functioning and profitable.

1. “Red flag” study

2. Community relations program establishment

3. Public consultations

4. Social impact assessment

5. Social development plan

Karen Clarke-Whistler is team leader on sustainable development for Golder Associates. Don Welch, PEng., of Golder Associates Ltd. is group leader, project manager, advisor and review consultant on tailings, mine waste, dams, hydraulic structures and water management, primarily in Canada and South America including Elliot Lake, Hemlo, Voisey’s Bay, Collahuasi, El Pachon, Antamina and Goro. Both can be reached at 905-567-4444 or by e-mail at kwhistler@golder.com and dwelch@golder.com.

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