Spotlight Feature Articles MWH/Stantec Tailings and Waste Management July 16 | Page 4

TAILINGS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
milling), is an area ripe for new ideas and
innovation. He cautioned that selecting a mine
waste process, especially a new technology,
should include a thorough understanding of the
risks to facilitate decision making. A structured,
transparent decision making process that seeks
inputs from a diversity of stakeholders like the
surrounding communities and experts in all of
the ‘ologies’, technology being but one of many,
is also crucial to a project’s success.
During a second break-out session groups
discussed competency requirements for tailings
personnel and similar themes were echoed
amongst the groups: teams of people, rather
than individuals, are needed to fill tailings roles;
rather than looking for wonderwoman or
superman, mining companies must overlap roles
to avoid gaps and; mentoring programs are
needed to support succession planning for this
very important function. Industry groups can
potentially help the industry by: offering training
like tailings certification or master’s programs;
providing guidance for qualifications and skills
needed to fulfil tailings specific roles;
establishing a standard understanding of and
approach to risk and; formal mentoring programs
to groom operators and Engineers of Record.

Value to stakeholders and the
environment
Mark Freburg of Teck spoke about social,
environmental and regulatory approvals and

Workshop organiser Rick Siwik listens in
encouraged companies to:
n Focus on process as much as outcomes
n Take an integrated approach to project
development
n Do a good job of upfront planning
n Build relationships and do early, transparent
engagement and data collection
n Clearly understand the state of the project at
any point in time.
Nalaine Morin of Arrowblade Consulting gave
an enlightening presentation that stressed
aboriginal peoples’ very long term views on
nature and environmental stewardship. When
mining companies take a long term view on mine
waste management practices, this aligns well
with aboriginal values and is key to mining
project acceptance by stakeholder groups. She
closed by saying, “management of the lands is
everyone’s responsibility.”

The workshop closed with a panel discussion
focused on existing gaps, areas for improvement
and minimum requirements that lead to
predictable outcomes for mining projects.
Organised and led by Rick Siwik, the workshop
allowed for open knowledge sharing and candid
conversations by experts, industry practitioners
and other stakeholders from around the world
and primarily from North America. The outputs
from the workshop, and in particular the small
group discussions, will be considered as the
Environmental, Social and Governance Task Group
establishes its workplan which is likely to include
developing standards, definitions and best
practices for water, tailings and mineral waste
management. The CIM will hold the next water,
tailings and mineral waste management workshop
prior to the CIM 2017 annual convention in
Montreal on April 30, 2017. The process has
started, and Canada is again leading the way on
more responsible approaches to tailings and water
that will result in better outcomes. IM
1.http://csp2.org/files/reports/Bowker%20%26%20Cha
mbers%20-%20Risk-Public%20LiabilityEconomics%20of%20Tailings%20Storage%20Facility%2
0Failures%20%E2%80%93%2023Jul15.pdf
2. NI 43-101 for the Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects is a set of rules and guidelines for reporting
information related to mineral properties owned by, or
explored by, Canadian companies (public or private)
regardless of where the project is located.