A closure practitioner's perspective on paste, thickened and filtered tailings
|
Authors: Finucane, SJ Open access courtesy of:
|
DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2655_46
Cite As:
Finucane, SJ 2026, 'A closure practitioner's perspective on paste, thickened and filtered tailings', in AB Fourie, M Horta, M Oliveira & S Wilson (eds), Paste 2026: Proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Paste, Thickened and Filtered Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 1-18, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2655_46
Abstract:
Tailings storage facilities are typically the largest features to remain at a mine following cessation of operations. As they will likely become part of the post-mining landscape in perpetuity, they need to be safe, stable, non-polluting and able to support the next land use agreed for these facilities. If these structures underperform post-closure, there is potential for significant social, environmental and economic risk. However, there is also opportunity to optimise closure outcomes as part of a sustainable and positive legacy. Closure planning is a fundamental requirement for all existing and planned mines and is at its best when conducted in a collaborative and integrated manner, commencing in the early stages of project planning. With the average lead time for mines continuing to rise, and with the average resource life for existing mines in some commodities stretching to beyond 100 years, a closure plan is the primary instrument for capturing and communicating closure data, closure designs and other information relevant to closure of tailings facilities as part of a mine site. One of the challenges facing closure planners is how to use often highly technical information to frame both closure risks and opportunities, and to solve complex multi-factor problems, and then to communicate these to both technical and non-technical audiences. This paper begins by outlining the role of a closure planner before reviewing some key closure terminology. It then outlines key tailings closure challenges and discusses how closure planning is addressed during all phases of the life cycle of a tailings facility. With reference to international case studies, this paper also provides practical suggestions on how the mining industry can do better in developing innovative and long-term solutions, sustainable outcomes and positive legacies when closing tailings facilities.
Keywords: tailings closure risks, tailings closure planning, stakeholder engagement, closure outcomes, collaboration, integrated closure planning
References:
Altun, M 2023, ‘The power of language: exploring its significance in shaping perceptions, beliefs, and relationships’, International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 362–366,
Amoah, N 2024, ‘The place for filtered tailings and stacking in the search for safe and sustainable tailings management’, in AB Fourie & D Reid (eds), Paste 2024: Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Paste, Thickened and Filtered Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 3–24,
Ayres, BK 2023, ‘Lessons learned from 20+ years post-closure care of BHP’s legacy mine sites in North America’, in B Abbasi, J Parshley, A Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2023: Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth,
Baker, E, Davies, M, Fourie, A, Mudd, G & Thygesen, K 2020, ‘Chapter II. Mine tailings facilities: overview and industry trends’, in B Oberle, D Brereton & A Mihaylova (eds), Towards Zero Harm – A Compendium of Papers Prepared for the Global Tailings Review, Global Tailings Review, St Gallen, pp. 14–24.
Bainton, N & Holcombe, S 2018, ‘A critical review of the social aspects of mine closure’, Resources Policy, vol. 59, pp. 468–478,
Beckett, K & D’Urso, J 2024, ‘Envisioning the future: Does imagery help or hinder?’, in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & G Boggs (eds), Mine Closure 2024: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 121–130,
Beecher, N, Harrison, E, Goldstein, N, McDaniel, M, Field, P & Susskind, L 2005, ‘Risk perception, risk communication and stakeholder involvement for biosolids management and research’, Journal of Environmental Quality, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 122–128,
Bennett, KE & Lacy, HWB 2012, ‘Closure planning and decommissioning of tailings storage facilities’, in AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2012: Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 139–148,
Bocking, KA, Kam, SN, Welch, DE & Williams, DA 2009, ‘Management of mine sites after closure’, in AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2009: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 245–252,
Burden, R & Wilson, GW 2023, ‘Evaluating the dry stacking performance of commingled waste rock and filtered tailings’, in GW Wilson, NA Beier, DC Sego, AB Fourie & D Reid (eds), Paste 2023: Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Paste, Thickened and Filtered Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 686–692,
ACG_repo/2355_53
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 2023, Enabling Mine Closure and Transition: Opportunities for Australian Industry, Canberra.
Davies, M 2011, ‘Filtered dry stacked tailings - the fundamentals’, Proceedings Tailings and Mine Waste 2011, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver,
de Graaf, PJH, Beale, G, Carter, TG & Dixon, J 2021, ‘Geotechnical Guidelines for Open Pit Closure – a new publication by the Large Open Pit (LOP) project’, in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & A Sharkuu (eds), Mine Closure 2021: Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Mine Closure, QMC Group, Ulaanbaatar,
Dela Azumah, A, Piggott-McKellar, AE & Vella, K 2026, ‘Digging deeper: evaluating post-mining recovery policies in Ghana and Australia through the lens of sustainable livelihoods’, Resources Policy, vol. 114, pp. 1–16,
j.resourpol.2026.105857
Finucane, SJ 2024, ‘Case study: the role of human health and ecological risk assessments in selecting post mining land uses’, paper presented at Australasian Land and Groundwater Association’s Perth Regional Contaminated Land and Groundwater Conference, Perth, 17 May 2024.
Finucane, SJ & Beckett, K 2024, ‘Environmental, social and governance influences on closure cost provisioning and why we need a global standard for reporting closure financial liability’, in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & G Boggs (eds), Mine Closure 2024: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 107–120,
Ferguson, K 2025, ‘Good practice in mine closure - easy to say, hard to do’, paper presented at Peru 2025 Mine Closure Congress, Lima, 11 April 2025.
Gagen, E, Nicholls, J, Innis, S, Rowntree, A, Tang-Lee, D & Martin, D 2024, ‘Social, economic and environmental resilience through mine closures: why collaboration and partnership are key’, in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & G Boggs (eds), Mine Closure 2024: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth,
Gardiner, N & Scrase, A 2025, ‘MLRA vocabulary – aligning on communication in mine closure’, paper presented at Life of Mine and Mine Waste & Tailings Conference, Brisbane, 30 July 2025.
Geoscience Australia 2025, Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources 2024. Summary of Reserve and Resource Life, viewed 14 September 2025,
Gerwing, TG, Hawkes, VC, Gann, GD & Murphy, SD 2022, ‘Restoration, reclamation and rehabilitation: on the need for, and positing a definition of, ecological restoration’, Restoration Ecology, vol. 30, no. 7,
Gräpel, C 2025, ‘Recent case histories for dam decommissioning in Alberta’, in S Knutsson, AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2025: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth,
Hogg, CS 2010, ‘Filtered tailings in Western Australian iron ore projects — comparison of filtered tailings with other tailings disposal methods’, in R Jewell & AB Fourie (eds), Mine Waste 2010: Proceedings of the First International Seminar on the
Reduction of Risk in the Management of Tailings and Mine Waste, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth,
Holley, EA, Fahle, L, Malone, A, Zaronikola, N, Nelson, PP & Spiller, DE 2025, ‘U.S. industry practices and attitudes towards reprocessing mine tailings for metal recovery’, Resources Policy, vol. 107, pp. 1–17,
.2025.105643
tailings-management
ISO 2020, Mine Closure and Reclamation - Vocabulary (ISO 20305:2020), Geneva.
Jones, H & Watkins, R 2015, ‘Closure considerations’, in RJ Jewell & AB Fourie (eds.), Paste and Thickened Tailings - A Guide, 3rd edn, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 259–279.
Kemp, A & Chapman, P 2024, ‘Tailings dam closure and declassification: closure optimisation with limited rehabilitation resources’, in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & G Boggs (eds), Mine Closure 2024: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 873–878,
KCB 2017, Mine Environment Neutral Drainage (MEND) Project. Study of Tailings Management Technologies,
Latham, C 2025, So, you Think you’re Ready? An Overview of Rio Tinto’s Closure Readiness Approach, webinar presented for the Closure Planning Practitioners Association, Perth, 25 June 2025.
Mackenzie, S & Smedley, E 2024, ‘Building durable legacies: a holistic approach to closure design for mining landforms’, in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & G Boggs (eds), Mine Closure 2024: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 71–84,
Martín Duque, JF & Lacy, HWB 2025, ‘Mine landform design, conventional to geomorphic: the evolution of nature-based design for mine landform rehabilitation and closure’, in S Knutsson, AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2025: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth,
ACG_repo/2515_77
Maus, V, Gilijum, S, da Silva, DM, Gutschlhofer, J, da Rosa, RP, Luckeneder, S, Gass, SLB, Lieber, M & McCallum, I 2022, ‘An update on global mining use’, Scientific Data, vol. 9, no. 433, pp. 1–11,
McKenna, G & Van Zyl, D 2020, ‘Chapter VIII. Closure and reclamation’, in B Oberle, D Brereton & A Mihaylova (eds.), Towards Zero Harm - A Compendium of Papers for the Global Tailings Review, Global Tailings Review, St Gallen, pp. 109–125.
Measham, T, Walker, J, Haslam McKenzie, F, Kirby, J, Williams, C, D’Urso, J, Littleboy, A, Samper, A, Rey, R, Maybee, B, Brereton, D & Boggs, G 2024, ‘Beyond closure: a literature review and research agenda for post-mining transitions’, Resources Policy, vol. 90, pp. 1–10,
New South Wales Resources Regulator 2020, Leading Practice Tailings Management for Successful Closure. Questions and Answers, New South Wales Government, Sydney.
O'Kane, M 2025, ‘A quarter century as a mine closure practitioner: landform design lessons to inform the future’, in S Knutsson, AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2025: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth,
Poulton, DW & Maron, M 2025, ‘Distinguishing among remediation, reclamation and offsetting in the pursuit of no net loss’, Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 391, pp. 1–5,
Pribati, A 2020, 100% Reclamation and Post-Mining are a Must for IUP and IUPK, Kementerian ESDM, Central Jakarta,
Rio Tinto 2025b, Case study. Saving a Species. How a Former Gold Nine Became a Refuge for the Endangered Sumatran Rhino,
Sanchez, B, Sutta, M, Soto, J & Benites, I 2023, ‘Dry stacked filtered tailings: seepage behaviour during the construction process’, in GW Wilson, NA Beier, DC Sego, AB Fourie & D Reid (eds), Paste 2023: Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Paste, Thickened and Filtered Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 620–628,
ACG_repo/2355_47
Schafer, HL, Beier, NA & Macciotta, R 2019, ‘Closure and the long-term behaviour of tailings dams: using industry experience to fill in the gaps’, Under Land & Sea: Proceedings of the 72nd Canadian Geotechnical Conference, Canadian Geotechnical Society,
Schafer, HL, Macciotta, R & Beier, NA 2020, ‘Tailings dam closure scenarios, risk communication, monitoring and surveillance in Alberta, CIM Journal, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 80–90,
Schafer, HL, Beier, NA & Macciotta, R 2022, ‘Applying a generalized FMEA framework to an oil sands tailings dam closure plan in Alberta, Canada’, Minerals, vol. 12, no. 293, pp. 1–52,
Simpson, GB, Ferguson, K, Slingerland, N, Jewitt, JPW, Alekseenko, AV, Simpson, ZZ, Ennis-John, J, Hattingh, R & Stock, K 2025, ‘Integrating the sustainable development goals into postmining land use selection’, Scientific Reports, vol. 15, no. 1,
Standing Committee on State Development 2025, Beneficial and Productive Post-mining Land Use, New South Wales Parliament Report 53, viewed 17 April 2025,
Susanti, D 2025, The Obligation of Post-Mining Reclamation Guarantee: Regulations, Sanctions, and Implementation in Indonesia, viewed 20 October 2025,
Responsible-Mine-Closure-and-Reclamation.pdf
Thompson, N & Moreno, P 2017, ‘Thickened tailings deposition for closure’, in A Wu & R Jewell (eds), Paste 2017: Proceedings of the 20th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing,
United Nations Environment Programme 2024, Global Resources Outlook 2024. Bend the Trend. Pathways to a Liveable Planet as Resource Use Spikes.
van Coller, AA, Shaw, VA & Trusler, GE 2024, ‘Water management and treatment in the closure phase: case studies and the associated challenges’, in B Kleinmann, J Skousen & C Wolkesdorfer (eds), Proceedings of the West Virginia Mine Drainage Task Force Symposium & 15th International Mine Water Association Congress, International Mine Water Association, Morgantown, pp. 213–218,
van der Linden, S & Lewandowsky, S 2015, ‘How to combat distrust of science. The surprising power of the psychology of consensus’, Scientific American,
Vietti, AJ 2021, ‘Revaluing paste and thickened tailings for large tonnage applications’, in AB Fourie & D Reid (eds), Paste 2021: Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Paste, Thickened and Filtered Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 239–250,
Walls, J 2024, ‘Don't let the tail(ings) wag the mine: guiding tailings storage facility closure designs for compliance’, in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & G Boggs (eds), Mine Closure 2024: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 815–828,
Walls, J 2025, ‘Looking forward: closure considerations accounting for long-term uncertainties in climate, closure materials and tailings consolidation’, paper presented at ACG Tailings Seminar, Perth, 19 March 2025,
publications/navigating-tailings-storage-facility-closure-accounting-for-long-term-uncertainties
Whitbread-Abrutat, P & Lowe, R 2024, ‘106 agribusiness development, South Africa’, 102 Things to Do with a Hole in the Ground, Eden Project Books, Cornwall, pp. 246–247.
Williams, DJ, McGhie, A & Short, T 2022, 'Repurposing of the Genex Kidston mine site in Queensland, Australia', in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & G Boggs (eds), Mine Closure 2022: Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 789–802,
Williams, MPA, Osborne, TR, Seddon, KD & Fitton, TG 2008, ‘The application of Australian experience with surface disposal of paste and thickened tailings to the oil sands industry’, paper presented at First International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Edmonton.
© Copyright 2026, Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG), The University of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
View copyright/legal information
Please direct any queries or error reports to repository-acg@uwa.edu.au
View copyright/legal information
Please direct any queries or error reports to repository-acg@uwa.edu.au