Tailings & waste

It is AngloGold Ashanti’s obligation to ensure our mine tailings are stable, non-polluting and contained.

Ensuring that tailings storage facilities are responsibly maintained is crucial to maintaining our licence to operate. Our tailings storage facilities are designed and built to a rigorous set of standards and carefully managed and monitored through a team of internal specialists and independent external experts.

As of 5 August 2020, all ICMM members, which we are, committed to implementing the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management. This standard, which is available at www.icmm.com, has been welcomed by AngloGold Ashanti.

At our Brazil operations, work is currently underway for accelerated decommissioning of existing TSFs and conversion thereof into dry stack facilities, to meet that country’s requirements.

Following the sale of our South African and Mali operations, AngloGold Ashanti manages 22 tailings facilities, with 15 active TSFs and 7 inactive (dormant).

For further information, refer to <SR>2021: Managing our tailings storage facilities

Policies and standards

Commitment to Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management English, pdf
Environmental Incident Classification Criteria English, pdf
Management standard: Chemical English, pdf
Management Standard: Environmental incident classification and reporting English, pdf
Management Standard: Waste English, pdf
Tailings Disclosure Report 2021 English, pdf

Tailings management at AngloGold Ashanti

Global industry standard on tailings management

Strengthening current practices in the mining industry by integrating social, environmental and technical considerations, the Standard covers the entire tailings facility lifecycle – from site selection, design and construction, through management and monitoring, to closure and post-closure.

With the ultimate goal of zero harm to people and the environment, the Standard sets a global benchmark for achieving strong social, environmental and technical outcomes. It elevates accountability to the highest organisational levels and adds new requirements for independent oversight. The Standard also establishes clear expectations around transparency and public disclosure, helping to improve understanding by interested stakeholders.

Comprising six Topic areas, 15 Principles and 77 auditable Requirements, the Standard provides a framework for safe tailings facility management while affording Operators flexibility as to how best to achieve this goal.

Source https://globaltailingsreview.org/global-industry-standard/

Tailings storage facilities by region

Africa

	Geita		Iduapriem				Obuasi			Siguiri
"Tailings Facility" Name/identifier	Geita TSF	Old TSF	I TSF	Block 1 Pit	Block 2 Pit	GTSF	Kokoteasua TSF	Pompora TSF	STSF	Siguiri TSF
Location	2° 50′ 52.84" S 32° 11′ 42.23" E	2° 51′ 56.30" S 32° 10′ 52.70" E	5° 14′ 46.97" N 2° 03′ 14.37" W	5° 14′ 36.31" N 2° 01′ 51.52" W	5° 14′ 46.97" N 2° 03′ 14.37" W	5° 14′ 46.97" N 2° 03′ 14.37" W	6° 13′ 16.16" N 1° 39′ 55.75" W	6° 13′ 18.00" N 1° 39′ 13.28" W	6° 11′ 39.95" N 1° 43′ 07.42" W	11° 31′ 06.69" N 9° 24′ 29.12" W
Ownership	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated
Status	Active	Inactive / Care and Maintenance*	Inactive / Care and Maintenance	Inactive / Care and Maintenance	Inactive / Care and Maintenance	Active	Inactive / Care and Maintenance	Inactive	Inactive / Care and Maintenance	Active
Date of initial operation	2000	1939	2010	1999	2000	2011	1989	1992	1992	2005
Is the Dam currently operated or closed as per currently approved design?	Yes	No*	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No*	Yes	Yes	Yes
Raising method	Upstream	Upstream	Upstream	N/A	N/A	Upstream	Upstream	Upstream	Upstream	Upstream & Downstream
Current Maximum Height	45.4	17	13	N/A	N/A	31.5m	30	65	60	61m
Current Tailings Storage Impoundment Volume	73 000 000	1 900 000	3 400 000	5 300 000	12 000 000	25 700 000	3 400 000	24 000 000	38 600 000	112 000 000
Planned Tailings Storage Impoundment Volume in 5 years time.	91 000 000	1 900 000	3 400 000	5 300 000	12 000 000	41 480 000	3 400 000	24 000 000	39 700 000	158 000 000
Most recent Independent Expert Review	Feb-19	Not Available	2011	2005	2005	Feb-18	Not Available	2014	Apr-15	Nov-15
Do you have full and complete relevant engineering records including design, construction, operation, maintenance, and/or closure?	Yes	No*	Yes	No*	No*	Yes	No*	Yes	Yes	Yes
What is your hazard categorisation of this facility, based on the consequence of failure?	High	High	High	N/A	N/A	High	High	High	High	High
What guideline do you follow for the classification system?	SANS 10286	SANS 10286	Ghana Minerals & Mining (Health, Safety & Technical Regulations 2012) MINCOM LI 1282	N/A	N/A	Ghana Minerals & Mining (Health, Safety & Technical Regulations 2012) MINCOM LI 1282	Ghana Minerals & Mining (Health, Safety & Technical Regulations 2012) MINCOM LI 1282	Ghana Minerals & Mining (Health, Safety & Technical Regulations 2012) MINCOM LI 1282	Ghana Minerals & Mining (Health, Safety & Technical Regulations 2012) MINCOM LI 1282	SANS 10286
Has this facility, at any point in its history, failed to be confirmed or certified as stable, or experienced notable stability concerns, as identified by an independent engineer (even if later certified as stable by the same or a different firm).	No	No	No	No	No	Yes*	No	No	No	No
Do you have internal/in house engineering specialist oversight of this facility? Or do you have external engineering support for this purpose?	Both	Yes – Internal	Yes – Internal	Yes – Internal	Yes – Internal	Yes – Internal	Both	Both	Both	Both
Has a formal analysis of the downstream impact on communities, ecosystems and critical infrastructure in the event of catastrophic failure been undertaken and to reflect final conditions? If so, when did this assessment take place?	Yes 2018	No	No	N/A	N/A	Yes 2011	No	Yes 2005	Yes 2009	Yes 2016
Is there a) a closure plan in place for this dam, and b) does it include long term monitoring?	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes
Have you, or do you plan to assess your tailings facilities against the impact of more regular extreme weather events as a result of climate change, e.g. over the next two years?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Any other relevant information and supporting documentation.		Q4: To be rehabilitated or re-mined. Q6: Study currently being carried out on potential closure options. Q11: Aquired post decommmisioning in 2006. Q12: No records of this facility available, but water is not retained on the facility and it is inspected at least annually to provide assurance of stability.		Q12: Pit that was backfilled with tailings.	Q12: Pit that was backfilled with tailings.	Q15: Stability concerns were observed in 2018 due to seepage at the liner interface – the TSF has been buttressed to address this concern.	Q12: This facility is inspected quarterly as per the AGA review process to provide assurance of facility stability

Americas

	Cerro Vanguardia	Corrego do Sitio		Cuiaba		Queiroz			Mina Serra Grande
"Tailings Facility" Name/identifier	CVSA TSF	CdS II TSF	CDS 1 TSF	Cuiaba TSF	Open Pit	Calcine TSF	Cocoruto TSF	Rapaunha TSF	MSG TSF
Location	48° 23′ 25.10" S 68° 14′ 12.97" W	19° 58′ 59.11" S 43° 28′ 19.53" W	20° 01′ 08.76" S 43° 29′ 37.89" W	19° 52′ 08.41" S 43° 43′ 36.10" W	19° 51′ 51.58" S 43° 44′ 49.18" W	19° 57′ 42.86" S 43° 50′ 22.43" W	19° 58′ 28.13" S 43° 49′ 52.35" W	19° 57′ 54.12" S 43° 50′ 36.06" W	14° 33′ 42.44" S 49° 57′ 28.59" W
Ownership	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated
Status	Active	Active	Active*	Active	Active	Active	Active*	Active*	Active
Date of initial operation	1998	1986	1987	2006	2008	1986	1983	1983	1990
Is the Dam currently operated or closed as per currently approved design?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Raising method	Downstream	Centre Line	Downstream	Downstream	Upstream	Downstream	Downstream	Downstream	Upstream
Current Maximum Height	34	13	84	97m	40	60	41	56	87
Current Tailings Storage Impoundment Volume	14 800 000	8 600 000	260 000	7 610 000	1 400 000	2 970 000	4 240 000	13 700 000	14 100 000
Planned Tailings Storage Impoundment Volume in 5 years time.	22 310 000	9 670 000	260 000	10 000 000	2 700 000	3 205 000	4 240 000	13 700 000	20 300 000
Most recent Independent Expert Review	Jul-17	Mar-19	Mar-19	Mar-19	Mar-19	Mar-19	Mar-19	Mar-19	Mar-19
Do you have full and complete relevant engineering records including design, construction, operation, maintenance, and/or closure?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
What is your hazard categorisation of this facility, based on the consequence of failure?	High / High C	High	High	High	High	High	High	High	High
What guideline do you follow for the classification system?	ANCOLD 2012	Mining Agency Legislation (Portaria 70389/20’7)	Mining Agency Legislation (Portaria 70389/20’7)	Mining Agency Legislation (Portaria 70389/20’7)	Mining Agency Legislation (Portaria 70389/20’7)	Mining Agency Legislation (Portaria 70389/20’7)	Mining Agency Legislation (Portaria 70389/20’7)	Mining Agency Legislation (Portaria 70389/20’7)	Mining Agency Legislation (Portaria 70389/20’7)
Has this facility, at any point in its history, failed to be confirmed or certified as stable, or experienced notable stability concerns, as identified by an independent engineer (even if later certified as stable by the same or a different firm).	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Do you have internal/in house engineering specialist oversight of this facility? Or do you have external engineering support for this purpose?	Both	Both	Both	Both	Both	Both	Both	Both	Both
Has a formal analysis of the downstream impact on communities, ecosystems and critical infrastructure in the event of catastrophic failure been undertaken and to reflect final conditions? If so, when did this assessment take place?	Yes 2009	Yes 2018	Yes 2018	Yes 2016	N/A	Yes 2018	Yes 2018	Yes 2018	Yes 2018
Is there a) a closure plan in place for this dam, and b) does it include long term monitoring?	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes
Have you, or do you plan to assess your tailings facilities against the impact of more regular extreme weather events as a result of climate change, e.g. over the next two years?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Any other relevant information and supporting documentation.			Q4: Used for control of run-off, no tailings deposition takes place.				Q4: Used for control of run-off, no tailings deposition takes place.	Q4: Used for control of run-off, no tailings deposition takes place.

Australia

	Sunrise Dam		Tropicana
"Tailings Facility" Name/identifier	CTD TSF	TSF 1	Tropicana
Location	29° 06′ 46.59" S 122° 27′ 29.58" E	29° 04′ 39.54" S 122° 26′ 47.68" E	29° 13′ 56.67" S 124° 33′ 09.50" E
Ownership	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated	Owned and Operated
Status	Active	Inactive / Care and Maintenance	Active
Date of initial operation	1999	1997	2013
Is the Dam currently operated or closed as per currently approved design?	Yes	Yes	Yes
Raising method	CTD	Downstream	Upstream
Current Maximum Height	33m	10m	23.6m
Current Tailings Storage Impoundment Volume	40 200 000	5 900 000	28 500 000
Planned Tailings Storage Impoundment Volume in 5 years time.	54 241 000	5 900 000	89 300 000
Most recent Independent Expert Review	Mar-19	Mar-19	Dec-18
Do you have full and complete relevant engineering records including design, construction, operation, maintenance, and/or closure?	Yes	Yes	Yes
What is your hazard categorisation of this facility, based on the consequence of failure?	ANCOLD – Low	ANCOLD – Low	ANCOLD – High C
What guideline do you follow for the classification system?	ANCOLD for Australian Operations	ANCOLD for Australian Operations	ANCOLD for Australian Operations
Has this facility, at any point in its history, failed to be confirmed or certified as stable, or experienced notable stability concerns, as identified by an independent engineer (even if later certified as stable by the same or a different firm).	No	No	No
Do you have internal/in house engineering specialist oversight of this facility? Or do you have external engineering support for this purpose?	Both	Both	Both
Has a formal analysis of the downstream impact on communities, ecosystems and critical infrastructure in the event of catastrophic failure been undertaken and to reflect final conditions? If so, when did this assessment take place?	Yes 2018	No	Yes 2016
Is there a) a closure plan in place for this dam, and b) does it include long term monitoring?	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes
Have you, or do you plan to assess your tailings facilities against the impact of more regular extreme weather events as a result of climate change, e.g. over the next two years?	Yes	Yes	Yes
Any other relevant information and supporting documentation.