Guide to departmental requirements for the management and closure of tailings storage facilities (TSFs)

This guide has been prepared by the Department of Mines and Petroleum of Western Australia (DMP) to provide information for the consistent preparation of reports for tailings storage facilities (TSFs) in Western Australia. It provides both the technical basis and administrative framework that meets the legislative requirements currently covering the mining industry in Western Australia. 

TSFs are an important part of most mining operations and should therefore be an integral part of the safety and environmental management systems of a mine. Effective tailings management requires development and implementation of these systems during: 

• design
• construction
• operation
• inspection and audit
• decommissioning and closure of the TSF.