❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the independent evaluation of stability risks of tailings storage facilities (TSF) in Western Australia, prompted by concerns raised in media reports following international tailings dam failures. The Minister confirms evaluations are conducted but not compiled into an overarching report.
AnsweredQoN 607Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF MINES,
INDUSTRY REGULATION AND SAFETY —TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITIES
607. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the minister representing the
Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to newspaper articles in The
Sydney Morning Herald , headed ''BHP reveals four Australian
tailings dams pose extreme risks'' and ''Rio Tinto's
Australian tailings dams revealed in wake of Brazil disaster''; an
article in The Australian , headed ''Glencore unearths tailings
dam risks''; and the report to the Minister for Mines, ''Conservation
and Rehabilitation in the Gold Mining Industry'', dated April 1996.
(1) Has the
department done any independent evaluation of the stability risks of tailings
facilities—dams—or their collapse risk in WA?
(2) If yes to (1), will the minister
table that report?
(3) If no to (1), why not?
(4) If no to (1),
will the minister institute a full review of the stability and safety of the
450-plus tailings structures in Western Australia?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
INDUSTRY REGULATION AND SAFETY —TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITIES
607. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the minister representing the
Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to newspaper articles in The
Sydney Morning Herald , headed ''BHP reveals four Australian
tailings dams pose extreme risks'' and ''Rio Tinto's
Australian tailings dams revealed in wake of Brazil disaster''; an
article in The Australian , headed ''Glencore unearths tailings
dam risks''; and the report to the Minister for Mines, ''Conservation
and Rehabilitation in the Gold Mining Industry'', dated April 1996.
(1) Has the
department done any independent evaluation of the stability risks of tailings
facilities—dams—or their collapse risk in WA?
(2) If yes to (1), will the minister
table that report?
(3) If no to (1), why not?
(4) If no to (1),
will the minister institute a full review of the stability and safety of the
450-plus tailings structures in Western Australia?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
the question. The following information has been provided to me by the Minister
for Mines and Petroleum.
(1) Yes.
(2) There is no
overarching report. Evaluations of all tailings storage facilities submissions
are collated as separate records for each TSF, with anomalies identified by the
Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety addressed with the mining
company and additional conditions imposed where required.
(3)–(5) Not applicable.
the question. The following information has been provided to me by the Minister
for Mines and Petroleum.
(1) Yes.
(2) There is no
overarching report. Evaluations of all tailings storage facilities submissions
are collated as separate records for each TSF, with anomalies identified by the
Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety addressed with the mining
company and additional conditions imposed where required.
(3)–(5) Not applicable.
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