CIM Distinguished Lecturers
Dirk van Zyl is professor and chair of Mining and the Environment at the University of British Columbia. He has more than 40 years’ experience in research, teaching and consulting in tailings and mine rock structures. In the past decade much of his attention has focused on mining and sustainable development.
Distinguished Lecturer 2016-17
Lecture Abstract
Tailings Risk Management
The Mount Polley and Samarco tailings failures have eroded the confidence in the mining industry’s ability to protect people and the environment. This lecture will focus on risk management of tailings facilities, briefly reflecting on these two recent tailings failures. Dirk will discuss the range of risks that must be identified and managed, as well as their risk management approaches. He will demonstrate that much progress is being made in many of these areas but that there are other areas that are not fully embraced and integrated. The challenges that remain will be highlighted.
