The previous version of the Tailings Management Protocol (the Protocol), dated November 2017, included requirements for emergency preparedness as part of Indicator 5 and referred to Developing an Operation, Maintenance, and Surveillance Manual for Tailings and Water Management Facilities (the OMS Guide). Guidance on emergency preparedness has been moved to A Guide to the Management of Tailings Facilities (the Tailings Guide, Version 3.1, dated February 2019).
To reflect this change in the guidance, Protocol requirements for emergency preparedness have been moved to Indicator 2 and now refer to the Tailings Guide. This is the only material change in the February 2019 version of the Protocol.
Other changes in the February 2019 version include:
- Clearer descriptions of performance criteria for the Indicators described in the Protocol. These revisions do not impact what is required to obtain Level A or better for each Indicator.
- A new section that clarifies that it is at the discretion of the company to determine how best to organize various documents described in the Tailings Guide and OMS Guide.
- An expanded glossary of terms.
