The purpose of the assessment protocol is to provide guidance to facilities in completing their evaluation of tailings management performance against TSM indicators. The assessment protocol sets out the general expectations for tailings management as part of the TSM initiative.
As with any assessment of a management system, professional judgment is required in assessing the degree of implementation of a system indicator and the quality of management processes and intervention. Application of this protocol will, therefore, require a level of expertise in auditing and systems assessment and knowledge of and experience in the practice of tailings management. This assessment protocol provides an indicator of the level of implementation of proactive tailings management practices as part of the TSM initiative. It is not, of itself, a guarantee of the effectiveness of tailings management activities.
