Kumba Iron Ore Limited – Details on tailings storage facilities
07 June, 2019
Kumba has today published on its website the details of the four tailings storage facilities (TSFs) that it manages, as requested by the Church of England Pensions Board and the Swedish Council on Ethics for the AP Funds, representing 96 institutional investors.
Themba Mkwanazi, Chief Executive of Kumba, said: “We have confidence in the integrity of the four tailings storage facilities that Kumba manages in South Africa’s Northern Cape province which are subject to the highest global safety and stewardship standards and are operated in accordance with the South African Mandatory Code of Practice on Mine Residue deposits as stipulated by the Department of Mineral Resources. These tailings storage facilities are also subject to Anglo American’s Mineral Residue Facilities and Water Management Structures standard. Anglo American’s mandatory Group Technical Standard was completely revised and updated in early 2014 and continues to be reviewed regularly. This standard goes beyond regulatory and other industry requirements in all host jurisdictions. As an industry, there is a clear ethical and moral imperative to do everything possible to ensure that tailings facilities are managed to the highest standards of safety, using appropriate advanced technologies, and to work together to build greater levels of trust with all our stakeholders.”
The four TSFs that Kumba manages are located at its two operating mines in the province of the Northern Cape, South Africa. Of the four TSFs, one is an active facility, constructed as a water retaining structure, at Kolomela Mine, while three are located at Sishen Mine using the upstream method of construction, of which only one is active. Upstream tailings dams are generally considered to be an appropriate design for facilities in dry and seismically stable regions with flat topography, including the locations of the TSFs managed by Kumba in South Africa. Kumba does not have an ownership interest in any other TSFs.
Anglo American’s Group Technical Standard, which applies to all TSFs managed by Kumba, sets minimum requirements for design criteria, monitoring, inspection and surveillance, and was peer-reviewed by international specialists. In line with that standard, all TSFs managed by Kumba have a Competent Person in charge and an externally appointed Engineer of Record, providing continuous technical management from initial design and construction, to monitoring and support. A dedicated team of engineering specialists at Anglo American provides strategic direction and technical assurance.
Anglo American’s Group Technical Standard and other materials relating to TSFs are available at www.kumba.co.za/tsf.
Centurion
7 June 2019