Latest news with #GlobalIndustryStandardonTailingsManagement
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Do you live near a dam holding mine waste? 6 questions to ask
Mining is essential to modern lifestyles. Copper, iron and other mined products are vital to the products many people take for granted, like electronic devices. Being able to buy these goods quite easily may give a person a false sense of how difficult it is to extract the elements they're made of. Mining involves the removal of mineral-rich rock from the ground and processing it to extract the high-value minerals. Depending on the mineral, this quantity can be as low as a few grams in a tonne of rock. For example, removing a tiny quantity of platinum from rock requires finely grinding the rock. The fine material that remains once the platinum is removed is known as tailings. Every mining operation produces tailings. This can be coarse, like instant coffee granules, or fine, like cocoa powder. Tailings are typically mixed with water to form a liquid slurry that can be pumped and transported easily. Slurry is kept in specially designed tailings dams. The designs are unique and depend on what is being mined and the local area. Unfortunately, the history of mining is stained with examples of poorly managed dams that collapse, spilling the slurry, which is sometimes toxic. This can cause serious environmental, social and economic damage. One such mine disaster happened in February 2025 in Zambia at the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine. Over 50 million litres of toxic waste flowed over the dam's wall into the Mwambashi River. From there it flowed into one of the largest and longest Zambian rivers, the Kafue. The pollution travelled further than 100km from the dam, contaminating the river, and killing fish and livestock on nearby farms. The Zambian government had to shut down municipal water to the city of Kitwe to protect residents from consuming the polluted water. This should not have happened, because steps have been taken to ensure proactive management of dams. In 2020, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management introduced a new set of safety measures and standards. Many mines are proactively embracing these standards. This enhances community trust in tailings dams. But other mines are not engaging with communities that might be affected by dams. Or communities may feel unsure what to ask the mines. We are geotechnical engineers who have studied tailings dam collapses. Here, we outline six questions people living near mines should ask mine management to ensure they understand the key hazards and risks in their communities. Each tailings dam has a zone of influence. This is determined by analysing what would happen if the slurry breached the dam walls and started to flow out. It is an estimate of the area which would be swamped by tailings if the dam failed. Generally, tailings disasters have caused significant damage up to a distance of 5km from the dam. If the tailings slurry gets into a river, it can flow hundreds of kilometres downstream. Read more: Zones of influence are often determined for extreme events, like once in a lifetime storms or large earthquakes. But zones of influence could also include places affected by dust or water pollution from the mine. If you can see a tailings dam from where you live or work you should consider yourself within the zone of influence. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for day-to-day operation should be in place in every mine. There should be suitably qualified engineers appointed to carry out monitoring and maintenance of the dam. There need to be enough qualified people to cope with the size of the dam. The management structure should set out how day-to-day issues related to the tailings dam are discussed between workers on the ground in mines and top management, and how solutions are found. Mines should also keep audit and inspection reports on their tailings dams, and records should be kept over the long term (because tailings dams are often operational for several decades). Mines should have plans to reduce the impact that tailings dams have on the environment. These would have been informed by public participation. The plans must state what monitoring is in place to measure the impacts of dust and water (groundwater and surface water). The true extent of impacts only becomes apparent once the mine starts operating. So, the public should hold mines accountable for commitments made. Mines should satisfy communities that monitoring is continuing to identify and track the dam's environmental impacts. Closure plans should also be continuously communicated to mining-affected communities. This will assure the community that when the miners leave, they won't be left with a dangerous dam near their homes, with no one to look after it. A common way that tailings dams fail is when water or slurry washes over the dam sidewalls. This washes away the support. It is known as overtopping, and can happen in storms or if too much tailing is pumped into the dam. Overtopping is best managed by keeping the water a certain distance below the dam wall. Mine management must measure this regularly and control how much tailing they pump to the dam. Their task is to make sure that even in a severe storm the level will stay well below the top of the dam wall. Small failure incidents such as sloughs, slides and bulges where dam walls move but no slurry is released can occur. Mines should investigate and report these, detailing likely causes and mitigation measures implemented. Publicly available satellite imagery can easily show where mine tailings dams are becoming unstable. Mines should be transparent and provide explanations for these to avoid any speculation over whether the dam is stable or not. Sometimes dams must be changed to accommodate changes in mining or the extraction process. These changes could include how fast the dam is being built, moving the position of the dam wall, or placing material at the base of the wall to stabilise it. The unexpected consequences of alterations to a tailings dam could be water seeping out and creating damp spots, leading to dam walls sagging or cracking. If left unchecked this can lead to structural failure. When substantial changes are made to a dam's design, mines need to demonstrate that sufficient consideration has gone into making these changes. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Charles MacRobert, Stellenbosch University and Talia da Silva Burke, Stellenbosch University Read more: South Africa needs to refresh how it manages by-products from mining Dam collapse at Brazilian mine exposes grave safety problems Mine waste dams threaten the environment, even when they don't fail The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Do you live near a dam holding mine waste? 6 questions to ask
Mining is essential to modern lifestyles. Copper, iron and other mined products are vital to the products many people take for granted, like electronic devices. Being able to buy these goods quite easily may give a person a false sense of how difficult it is to extract the elements they're made of. Mining involves the removal of mineral-rich rock from the ground and processing it to extract the high-value minerals. Depending on the mineral, this quantity can be as low as a few grams in a tonne of rock. For example, removing a tiny quantity of platinum from rock requires finely grinding the rock. The fine material that remains once the platinum is removed is known as tailings. Every mining operation produces tailings. This can be coarse, like instant coffee granules, or fine, like cocoa powder. Tailings are typically mixed with water to form a liquid slurry that can be pumped and transported easily. Slurry is kept in specially designed tailings dams. The designs are unique and depend on what is being mined and the local area. Unfortunately, the history of mining is stained with examples of poorly managed dams that collapse, spilling the slurry, which is sometimes toxic. This can cause serious environmental, social and economic damage. One such mine disaster happened in February 2025 in Zambia at the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine. Over 50 million litres of toxic waste flowed over the dam's wall into the Mwambashi River. From there it flowed into one of the largest and longest Zambian rivers, the Kafue. The pollution travelled further than 100km from the dam, contaminating the river, and killing fish and livestock on nearby farms. The Zambian government had to shut down municipal water to the city of Kitwe to protect residents from consuming the polluted water. This should not have happened, because steps have been taken to ensure proactive management of dams. In 2020, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management introduced a new set of safety measures and standards. Many mines are proactively embracing these standards. This enhances community trust in tailings dams. But other mines are not engaging with communities that might be affected by dams. Or communities may feel unsure what to ask the mines. We are geotechnical engineers who have studied tailings dam collapses. Here, we outline six questions people living near mines should ask mine management to ensure they understand the key hazards and risks in their communities. Each tailings dam has a zone of influence. This is determined by analysing what would happen if the slurry breached the dam walls and started to flow out. It is an estimate of the area which would be swamped by tailings if the dam failed. Generally, tailings disasters have caused significant damage up to a distance of 5km from the dam. If the tailings slurry gets into a river, it can flow hundreds of kilometres downstream. Read more: Zones of influence are often determined for extreme events, like once in a lifetime storms or large earthquakes. But zones of influence could also include places affected by dust or water pollution from the mine. If you can see a tailings dam from where you live or work you should consider yourself within the zone of influence. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for day-to-day operation should be in place in every mine. There should be suitably qualified engineers appointed to carry out monitoring and maintenance of the dam. There need to be enough qualified people to cope with the size of the dam. The management structure should set out how day-to-day issues related to the tailings dam are discussed between workers on the ground in mines and top management, and how solutions are found. Mines should also keep audit and inspection reports on their tailings dams, and records should be kept over the long term (because tailings dams are often operational for several decades). Mines should have plans to reduce the impact that tailings dams have on the environment. These would have been informed by public participation. The plans must state what monitoring is in place to measure the impacts of dust and water (groundwater and surface water). The true extent of impacts only becomes apparent once the mine starts operating. So, the public should hold mines accountable for commitments made. Mines should satisfy communities that monitoring is continuing to identify and track the dam's environmental impacts. Closure plans should also be continuously communicated to mining-affected communities. This will assure the community that when the miners leave, they won't be left with a dangerous dam near their homes, with no one to look after it. A common way that tailings dams fail is when water or slurry washes over the dam sidewalls. This washes away the support. It is known as overtopping, and can happen in storms or if too much tailing is pumped into the dam. Overtopping is best managed by keeping the water a certain distance below the dam wall. Mine management must measure this regularly and control how much tailing they pump to the dam. Their task is to make sure that even in a severe storm the level will stay well below the top of the dam wall. Small failure incidents such as sloughs, slides and bulges where dam walls move but no slurry is released can occur. Mines should investigate and report these, detailing likely causes and mitigation measures implemented. Publicly available satellite imagery can easily show where mine tailings dams are becoming unstable. Mines should be transparent and provide explanations for these to avoid any speculation over whether the dam is stable or not. Sometimes dams must be changed to accommodate changes in mining or the extraction process. These changes could include how fast the dam is being built, moving the position of the dam wall, or placing material at the base of the wall to stabilise it. The unexpected consequences of alterations to a tailings dam could be water seeping out and creating damp spots, leading to dam walls sagging or cracking. If left unchecked this can lead to structural failure. When substantial changes are made to a dam's design, mines need to demonstrate that sufficient consideration has gone into making these changes. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Charles MacRobert, Stellenbosch University and Talia da Silva Burke, Stellenbosch University Read more: South Africa needs to refresh how it manages by-products from mining Dam collapse at Brazilian mine exposes grave safety problems Mine waste dams threaten the environment, even when they don't fail The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Hamilton Spectator
21-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Fortuna publishes its 2024 Sustainability Report
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fortuna Mining Corp. (NYSE: FSM | TSX: FVI) is pleased to announce the publication of its seventh annual Sustainability Report, highlighting key developments in 2024 related to governance, corporate strategy, risk management, and performance. The report also outlines Fortuna's commitments and progress on the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors most material to our business and stakeholders. Jorge A. Ganoza, President, and CEO, stated, 'Sustainability is not just a responsibility - it is a strategic imperative that underpins our success as an efficient business and a trusted partner to our investors and stakeholders in the countries where we operate, now and in the future. We take pride in our 2024 performance, while acknowledging that continuous improvement is essential in the areas that matter most.' Mr. Ganoza added, 'Our leadership team is fully committed to embedding sustainability—particularly the prioritization of health and safety—into every aspect of our decision-making, from daily operations to long-term strategic planning.' Julien Baudrand, Senior Vice President of Sustainability, commented, 'This report outlines Fortuna's progress in aligning with leading industry practices, including Critical Risk Management, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM), and ISO 14001 and 45001 certifications. It also highlights our 2024 achievements, such as top-tier performance in health and safety, industry-leading greenhouse gas emissions intensity per ounce of gold produced, and no significant negative impacts on the environment or our host communities.' Mr. Baudrand concluded, 'Striving for sustainability excellence - by achieving zero harm, minimizing our environmental footprint, and meeting stakeholder expectations - strengthens our relationships with shareholders, lenders, local authorities, communities, and employees, while creating lasting value for Fortuna.' Key facts and figures from the 2024 Sustainability Report: Governance Workforce Health and Safety Community Relations Environment Human Capital, Human Rights, and Business Ethics The report also highlights the transformative projects that we are leading across our host countries in Latin America and West Africa, demonstrating how our initiatives create lasting social and environmental value that extends beyond financial performance. As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and stakeholder engagement, we have introduced a new companion resource: the Sustainability Data Booklet. This document is aligned with the 2023 SASB Metals & Mining Standard, TCFD recommendations, and GRI Standards 2021, including the newly released GRI 14: Mining Sector Standard (2024). It is complemented by our Interactive Analyst Center , which offers downloadable, site-specific ESG data for enhanced accessibility and insight. Fortuna's 2024 Sustainability Report is available on our website: We welcome questions and feedback at: sustainability@ About Fortuna Mining Corp. Fortuna Mining Corp. is a Canadian precious metals mining company with three operating mines and exploration activities in Argentina, Côte d'Ivoire, Mexico, and Peru, as well as the Diamba Sud Gold Project located in Senegal. Sustainability is integral to all our operations and relationships. We produce gold and silver and generate shared value over the long-term for our stakeholders through efficient production, environmental protection, and social responsibility. For more information, please visit ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Jorge A. Ganoza President, CEO, and Director Fortuna Mining Corp. Investor Relations: Carlos Baca | info@ | | X | LinkedIn | YouTube Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements which constitute 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, 'forward-looking statements'). All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the Company's sustainability plans, targets, strategies, and goals, such as working towards a zero harm workplace, implementing the Global Industry Standard for Tailings Management, and minimizing our environmental footprint. Often, but not always, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as 'believe', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'contemplate', 'target', 'plan', 'goal', 'budget', 'aim', 'intent', 'estimate', 'may', 'should', 'could', 'future' and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties, and factors include, among others, risks associated with climate change; risks associated with mining regime changes in the Company's operating jurisdictions, including those related to permitting and approvals, environmental and tailings management, labour, trade relations, and transportation, other factors including accidents, equipment breakdown, environmental risks; as well as those factors discussed under 'Description of the Business - Risk Factors' in the Company's Annual Information Form, a copy of which can be found on the Company's profile on the SEDAR+ website at . Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events, or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations, and opinions of management, including, but not limited to, continued availability of water and power resources at the Company's operations; financial and physical impacts of climate change and climate change initiatives on markets and the Company's operations; the availability and effectiveness of technologies needed to achieve the Company's sustainability goals and strategies; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral resource and reserve estimates; that the Company's activities will be in accordance with the Company's public statements and stated goals; and that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fortuna publishes its 2024 Sustainability Report
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortuna Mining Corp. (NYSE: FSM | TSX: FVI) is pleased to announce the publication of its seventh annual Sustainability Report, highlighting key developments in 2024 related to governance, corporate strategy, risk management, and performance. The report also outlines Fortuna's commitments and progress on the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors most material to our business and stakeholders. Jorge A. Ganoza, President, and CEO, stated, 'Sustainability is not just a responsibility - it is a strategic imperative that underpins our success as an efficient business and a trusted partner to our investors and stakeholders in the countries where we operate, now and in the future. We take pride in our 2024 performance, while acknowledging that continuous improvement is essential in the areas that matter most.' Mr. Ganoza added, 'Our leadership team is fully committed to embedding sustainability—particularly the prioritization of health and safety—into every aspect of our decision-making, from daily operations to long-term strategic planning.' Julien Baudrand, Senior Vice President of Sustainability, commented, 'This report outlines Fortuna's progress in aligning with leading industry practices, including Critical Risk Management, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM), and ISO 14001 and 45001 certifications. It also highlights our 2024 achievements, such as top-tier performance in health and safety, industry-leading greenhouse gas emissions intensity per ounce of gold produced, and no significant negative impacts on the environment or our host communities.' Mr. Baudrand concluded, 'Striving for sustainability excellence - by achieving zero harm, minimizing our environmental footprint, and meeting stakeholder expectations - strengthens our relationships with shareholders, lenders, local authorities, communities, and employees, while creating lasting value for Fortuna.' Key facts and figures from the 2024 Sustainability Report: Governance 63 percent of our directors possess expertise in safety, sustainability, and ESG 30 percent of executive short-term incentive compensation is tied to ESG performance Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) incorporates sustainability-related factors Workforce Health and Safety Zero fatal incidents Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR): 0.48 Total Recordable Incident Frequency Rate (TRIFR): 1.36 93 percent of employees received training in Critical Risk Management (CRM) Community Relations Zero significant community grievances US$103 million contributed in government payments US$9.2 million allocated to community development programs and funds 41 percent of employees are from local communities Environment Zero significant environmental spills Zero non-compliances associated with water quality permits, standards, or regulations Carbon intensity: 0.38 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted per gold equivalent ounce 14 percent of total energy consumption sourced from renewables Freshwater consumption intensity: 0.23 m3 per tonne of processed ore 58 percent of water is recycled or reused Human Capital, Human Rights, and Business Ethics Zero recorded cases of human rights violations Zero recorded incidents of corruption 5,099 full-time workers, including contractors 16 percent of the workforce are women The report also highlights the transformative projects that we are leading across our host countries in Latin America and West Africa, demonstrating how our initiatives create lasting social and environmental value that extends beyond financial performance. As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and stakeholder engagement, we have introduced a new companion resource: the Sustainability Data Booklet. This document is aligned with the 2023 SASB Metals & Mining Standard, TCFD recommendations, and GRI Standards 2021, including the newly released GRI 14: Mining Sector Standard (2024). It is complemented by our Interactive Analyst Center, which offers downloadable, site-specific ESG data for enhanced accessibility and insight. Fortuna's 2024 Sustainability Report is available on our website: welcome questions and feedback at: sustainability@ About Fortuna Mining Corp. Fortuna Mining Corp. is a Canadian precious metals mining company with three operating mines and exploration activities in Argentina, Côte d'Ivoire, Mexico, and Peru, as well as the Diamba Sud Gold Project located in Senegal. Sustainability is integral to all our operations and relationships. We produce gold and silver and generate shared value over the long-term for our stakeholders through efficient production, environmental protection, and social responsibility. For more information, please visit ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Jorge A. Ganoza President, CEO, and DirectorFortuna Mining Corp. Investor Relations: Carlos Baca | info@ | | X | LinkedIn | YouTubeThis news release contains forward-looking statements which constitute 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, 'forward-looking statements'). All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the Company's sustainability plans, targets, strategies, and goals, such as working towards a zero harm workplace, implementing the Global Industry Standard for Tailings Management, and minimizing our environmental footprint. Often, but not always, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as 'believe', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'contemplate', 'target', 'plan', 'goal', 'budget', 'aim', 'intent', 'estimate', 'may', 'should', 'could', 'future' and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties, and factors include, among others, risks associated with climate change; risks associated with mining regime changes in the Company's operating jurisdictions, including those related to permitting and approvals, environmental and tailings management, labour, trade relations, and transportation, other factors including accidents, equipment breakdown, environmental risks; as well as those factors discussed under 'Description of the Business - Risk Factors' in the Company's Annual Information Form, a copy of which can be found on the Company's profile on the SEDAR+ website at Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events, or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations, and opinions of management, including, but not limited to, continued availability of water and power resources at the Company's operations; financial and physical impacts of climate change and climate change initiatives on markets and the Company's operations; the availability and effectiveness of technologies needed to achieve the Company's sustainability goals and strategies; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral resource and reserve estimates; that the Company's activities will be in accordance with the Company's public statements and stated goals; and that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Zawya
05-05-2025
- General
- Zawya
Illegal mining: A key risk to tailings dams management and mine closure
Artisanal mining often occurs close to an operating mine, even to access the same deposit. In many parts of Africa, illegal artisanal miners mine tailings storage facilities (TSFs) and rock dumps, which pose a significant risk to the management of tailings dams. SRK Consulting considers the risk that illegal artisanal miners pose in the management of tailings dams in many parts of Africa The same TSF risks that face nearby communities could then apply to these miners. James Lake, partner and principal environmental scientist at SRK Consulting South Africa (SA), explains that TSFs, as part of a mine's lease area, are usually well protected by security infrastructure and services during the mine's operational years. However, the risks related to unauthorised access tend to escalate post-closure. 'In Tanzania, for instance, we have witnessed artisanal miners on a TSF, where the tailings were also being removed for use as construction material,' he says. In SRK's experience, mines often create 'attractive nuisances' after they close, such as pit gathering water that attracts wild animals. Similarly, a TSF still containing known minerals would attract illegal miners, who could put themselves at risk and perhaps endanger the structure. Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management This illegal mining is also a risk that needs attention in terms of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM). Based on her work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), SRK Consulting South Africa (SA) principal environmental engineer Roanne Sutcliffe explained some of the risks associated with managing TSFs after mine closure. 'In one site, it was clear that artisanal miners were walking over a tailings dam each day to reach discards which were still considered to have some mineral value,' says Sutcliffe. 'They would then wash the ore in the supernatant pond on the TSF; this sort of activity could have health and safety implications and could impact the stability of the TSF.' In another case, there was evidence of artisanal mining on a mineral seam which was not only adjacent to a TSF but which also ran under the TSF's foundation. Post-closure activity close to a tailings dam was itself a potential risk, while any mining underneath the structure would compromise its stability and pose life-threatening risks. 'The GISTM highlights that mitigating TSF risks is a responsibility that extends for tens or even hundreds of years after mines cease operations,' she says. 'This means finding sustainable solutions and post-closure uses that address the considerable risks posed by ongoing artisanal mining.'
