Management of tailings storage facilities
Most mines produce waste material (tailing) that needs to be contained and managed within specially designed and engineered storage facilities. Rio Tinto is committed to precautionary management of all such facilities. Management is carried out in accordance with Rio Tinto's global environmental standards and associated risk management, guidance, support, and assurance systems.
All Group businesses conduct extensive independent external reviews of their tailing storage facilities. These reviews must be carried out in accordance with minimum defined terms of reference, by qualified engineering specialists, and be signed off by the operations most senior officer and reported to the corporate centre. It is mandatory that these reviews be carried out at least once every two years.
More on how Rio Tinto manages mineral wastes
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