Rio Tinto details on tailings facilities
(Posted on 17/06/19)
Rio Tinto has disclosed additional information in relation to its global tailings facilities at www.riotinto.com/tailings. The latest disclosure builds on the detailed information provided on each of the company's global tailings facilities on 20 February 2019, when Rio Tinto also published its Group Procedure and its Standard for 'Management of tailings and water storage facilities', which was introduced in August 2015.
In line with the company's commitment to disclose further detail over time, Rio Tinto has now provided additional information about the construction, management and monitoring of facilities, including independent reviews.
All Rio Tinto managed facilities are subject to three levels of governance and assurance:
- First level of assurance takes place at the asset itself with the main tenets being effective facility design, comprehensive operational controls and regular reviews. Independent reviews of the operations must be conducted at least every two years
- Second level is assurance to the Rio Tinto Standard through periodic Business Conformance Audits and Technical Reviews, supported by Rio Tinto's Surface Mining Centre of Excellence
- Third level of assurance is independent of site management and normally conducted by third parties
All Rio Tinto managed facilities, whether active or inactive, have an external engineer of record or design engineer.
In order to align with guidance from the International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) some of the information previously disclosed has been updated. This includes limiting the status classifications of facilities to 'active', 'inactive' or 'closed', and ensuring the construction method specified describes the most recent type of embankment raise on the facility. In addition, following a comprehensive review of Rio Tinto's global operations by the company's technical teams, some facilities have been reclassified resulting in some tailings facilities being added to the list and others being removed.
All facilities have been given a hazard classification in accordance with the regulatory or industry body that oversees tailings in each region or jurisdiction.
Hazard classifications are not a judgment on the condition of a facility or the likelihood of failure but on the potential consequence if there were to be a failure.
Full details of all Rio Tinto tailings and water storage facilities are available at https://www.riotinto.com/tailings.
Latest News
Pilbara production record as Rio Tinto releases Q2 results
(Posted on 16/07/26)Rio Tinto has driven performance to achieve 3% YoY CuEq1 growth in the first half of 2026.Chief Executive... Read more
Record iron ore production helps strengthen BHP growth pipeline
(Posted on 16/07/26)BHP have released its Operational Review for the year ended 30 June 2026.Chief Executive Officer, Brandon... Read more
Stranded sulphur cargoes in Gulf face mounting corrosion risk, warns Brookes Bell
(Posted on 07/07/26)Bulk carriers carrying elemental sulphur cargoes in the Strait of Hormuz are at significant risk of... Read more
BHP and Faraday Copper sign definitive San Manuel agreement
(Posted on 06/07/26)Further to BHP’s announcement in February, BHP, through a wholly owned subsidiary, has executed... Read more
Urea price dive hits Australian grain suppliers
(Posted on 03/07/26)Australia’s Federal Government's fertiliser support package has come under scrutiny as global... Read more
SSAB pauses work at construction site in Luleå
(Posted on 30/06/26)SSAB has once again paused work at the construction site for its new steel mill in Luleå, Sweden... Read more
Trafigura issues USD500 million senior bond
(Posted on 29/06/26)Trafigura Group Pte Ltd. has announced the issuance of a USD500 million senior Reg S bond with a five... Read more
NGFA welcomes Senate Farm Bill proposal
(Posted on 29/06/26)The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) in the USA has welcomed the release of Senate Agriculture... Read more
Agreement paves way to deliver 2.7 million tonnes of additional copper production
(Posted on 25/06/26)Anglo American plc, through its 50.1%-owned subsidiary, Anglo American Sur S.A., and Codelco, have announced... Read more
SSAB and partners launch closed loop steel recycling initiative in US
(Posted on 24/06/26)SSAB Americas, The Greenbrier Companies and Alter Trading are partnering on a circular economy project... Read more
