18
2 Two Recent Catastrophic Tailings Dams Accidents
a. A detailed evaluation of all potential failure modes and a management scheme
for all residual risk.
b. Detailed cost/benefit analyses of best available techniques (BAT) tailings
and closure options so that economic effects can be understood, recognizing
that the results of the cost/benefit analyses should not supersede BAT safety
considerations.
c. A detailed declaration of quantitative performance objectives (QPOs).
2. Corporations proposing to operate a TSF should be required to be a member of the
Mining Association of Canada (MAC) or be obliged to commit to an equivalent
program for tailings management, including the audit function.
3. The utilization of independent tailings review boards should be utilized to
enhance validation of safety and regulation of all phases of a TSF.
4. The concept of QPOs to improve regulator evaluation of ongoing facilities should
be utilized to strengthen regulatory oversight.
The panel also stated:
5. “In the view of the Panel, the fundamental need is to improve the geological, geomorphological, hydro-geological and possibly seismotectonic understanding of
sites proposed for tailings dams in B.C. This improved understanding should
account for the likely scale associated with variability so that site investigations
can be planned with enhanced reliability.”
6. With regard to industry standards (CDA):
a. “Recognizing the limitations of the current Canadian Dam Association
(CDA) Guidelines incorporated as a statutory requirement, develop improved
guidelines that are tailored to the conditions encountered with TSFs in British
Columbia … that emphasize protecting public safety.”
b. “The Panel anticipates that this will result in more prescriptive requirements
for site investigation, failure mode recognition, selection of design properties,
and specification of factors of safety.”
7. Government Role:
The Panel, while being impressed with the skill and commitment of regulatory
staff, identified the need to strengthen the current regulatory operations in British
Columbia. Their main recommendation was to introduce the concept of critical
control measures QPOs as an aid to improved oversight. However, in Chap. 8,
“Regulatory Oversight”, the Panel noted that the regulator had “limited ability” to
influence design issues having to rely on the expertise and professionalism of the
Engineer of Record (EOR). It was further noted that “The relationship between
the Regulator and the EOR can result in different opinions being expressed that
are not easy to resolve without independent input.”
2 Two Recent Catastrophic Tailings Dams Accidents
a. A detailed evaluation of all potential failure modes and a management scheme
for all residual risk.
b. Detailed cost/benefit analyses of best available techniques (BAT) tailings
and closure options so that economic effects can be understood, recognizing
that the results of the cost/benefit analyses should not supersede BAT safety
considerations.
c. A detailed declaration of quantitative performance objectives (QPOs).
2. Corporations proposing to operate a TSF should be required to be a member of the
Mining Association of Canada (MAC) or be obliged to commit to an equivalent
program for tailings management, including the audit function.
3. The utilization of independent tailings review boards should be utilized to
enhance validation of safety and regulation of all phases of a TSF.
4. The concept of QPOs to improve regulator evaluation of ongoing facilities should
be utilized to strengthen regulatory oversight.
The panel also stated:
5. “In the view of the Panel, the fundamental need is to improve the geological, geomorphological, hydro-geological and possibly seismotectonic understanding of
sites proposed for tailings dams in B.C. This improved understanding should
account for the likely scale associated with variability so that site investigations
can be planned with enhanced reliability.”
6. With regard to industry standards (CDA):
a. “Recognizing the limitations of the current Canadian Dam Association
(CDA) Guidelines incorporated as a statutory requirement, develop improved
guidelines that are tailored to the conditions encountered with TSFs in British
Columbia … that emphasize protecting public safety.”
b. “The Panel anticipates that this will result in more prescriptive requirements
for site investigation, failure mode recognition, selection of design properties,
and specification of factors of safety.”
7. Government Role:
The Panel, while being impressed with the skill and commitment of regulatory
staff, identified the need to strengthen the current regulatory operations in British
Columbia. Their main recommendation was to introduce the concept of critical
control measures QPOs as an aid to improved oversight. However, in Chap. 8,
“Regulatory Oversight”, the Panel noted that the regulator had “limited ability” to
influence design issues having to rely on the expertise and professionalism of the
Engineer of Record (EOR). It was further noted that “The relationship between
the Regulator and the EOR can result in different opinions being expressed that
are not easy to resolve without independent input.”