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Engineer of Record and GISTM services for tailings facilities
We act as Engineer of Record for tailings storage facilities, carry out independent reviews, and help operators prepare for conformance with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).
Our engineers have carried out statutory inspections of tailings dams and rock dumps on the Copperbelt and in the Kafubu emerald fields since 2009. They have designed a new tailings dam, analysed the stability of existing embankments, and installed and read piezometers on large dams.
Lee Mudenda's research covers the metal and sulphur content of active and legacy tailings storage facilities and their effect on nearby water and land.
What we do
Engineer of Record
A named engineer who confirms that the facility is designed, built, operated and monitored in line with its design intent, the applicable standards and the GISTM.
- Custody of the design basis, drawings and construction records
- Review of construction quality and as-built conformance
- Review of instrumentation, trigger action response plans and performance monitoring
- Annual facility performance reports and sign-off of design changes
- Support to the Responsible Tailings Facility Engineer and the Accountable Executive
- A documented handover when the appointment changes
Senior Independent Technical Reviewer
Independent review of the facility over its life, for operators whose facilities do not need a full Independent Tailings Review Board, or who need a specialist member on one.
- Review of design, construction, operation, closure and the tailings management system
- Dam safety reviews and stability and seepage audits
- Review of the consequence classification and design criteria
- Membership of Independent Tailings Review Boards as the geotechnical or hydrogeological member
- Written findings and recommendations, tracked until they are closed
GISTM conformance support
Preparing a facility and its records for an independent conformance audit against the 77 requirements of the standard.
- Gap assessments against every requirement
- Mapping of evidence and document control
- Corrective action plans with owners and dates
- Support during the formal conformance audit
Statutory inspections
Inspection and stability assessment of tailings dams and rock dumps under Zambia's mining regulations, alongside the GISTM work or on their own.
The GISTM in brief
The standard asks an operator to appoint an Engineer of Record, to have the facility reviewed independently, and to be able to show conformance to an outside auditor. Lenders and insurers often expect the same of operators that are not ICMM members.
| Published | August 2020, co-convened by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), the UN Environment Programme and the Principles for Responsible Investment |
|---|---|
| Structure | 6 topics, 15 principles and 77 requirements, from affected communities and the knowledge base to design, operation, governance, emergency response and public disclosure |
| Key roles | Accountable Executive, Responsible Tailings Facility Engineer, Engineer of Record and independent reviewers |
| ICMM member deadlines | Facilities with extreme or very high consequence classifications by August 2023; all other facilities by August 2025 |
Who reviews what
| Role | Covers | Independence | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer of Record | Design intent, construction quality, operation and performance of the facility | Appointed by the operator; may be external | Continuous, with regular inspections and an annual performance review |
| Senior Independent Technical Reviewer or review board | Design, construction, operation, closure and the tailings management system | Independent of the operator and the Engineer of Record | Periodic, set by the consequence classification |
| Dam safety review | All aspects of dam safety against current standards | Independent senior engineer | Periodic, set by the consequence classification |
| GISTM conformance audit | Conformance with the 77 requirements, and public disclosure of the result | Independent auditor | As set by the conformance protocol |
| Statutory inspection | Inspection and stability assessment of tailings dams and rock dumps | Engineer acceptable to the mines regulator | As required by the regulator |
Frequencies are indicative. The operator's tailings management system may set shorter intervals.
How an appointment starts
Records and classification
We collect and review the design basis, construction records, consequence classification, operating manual and monitoring history.
Site inspection
We inspect the embankment, decant and spillway, review piezometer, survey and seepage data, and talk to the operating team.
Gap assessment
We report findings against the GISTM and national regulations, ranked by consequence, with a costed corrective action plan.
Appointment
Written terms of reference, reporting lines to the Accountable Executive, and a review schedule for the life of the facility.
Selected projects
| 2021 | Detailed engineering design of a tailings dam for Kampoko Resources, Chiengi, Luapula Province |
| 2021 | Statutory geotechnical audit of the waste dump at Astro Quarries and Handyman's Lime |
| 2021 | Installation of vibrating wire piezometers at Kariba North Bank |
| 2017 | Statutory inspection of tailings and rock dumps, Kagem Mining, Kafubu |
| 2015 | Stability assessment and numerical analysis of an existing tailings dam, Luanshya |
| 2014 | Statutory inspection of tailings and rock dumps at Sino Metals |
| 2010 | Statutory inspection of tailings and rock dumps at Sino Metals |
| 2009 | Statutory inspection of tailings and rock dumps at NFCA |
Projects before 2023 were carried out by our engineers before Rockface was formed. All projects