7th Jun 2019 10:05
LONDON (Alliance News) - Anglo American PLC on Friday published details of its managed tailings storage facilities and said it was working on technologies to reduce the volume of waste materials produced.
The blue-chip miner has 91 managed tailings storage facilities and an additional 62 facilities at its joint venture operations in which it has an interest. Of the 91 tailings storage facilities managed by Anglo American, 40 are in active use, 33 are inactive or in care and maintenance, and 18 are closed or rehabilitated.
Anglo American said it does "everything possible" to ensure that tailings storage facilities are managed to the highest standards of safety.
Mark Cutifani, chief executive of Anglo American, said: "We have confidence in the integrity of Anglo American's managed tailings storage facilities which are subject to the highest global safety and stewardship standards, using appropriate advanced technologies such as satellite monitoring, fibre optics and micro-seismic sensors."
Anglo American completely revised and updated its technical standard for tailings storage facilities safety management in early 2014.
Looking forward, the company said it is working on a number of technologies that is expected to "significantly" reduce the volume of waste material it produces through its activities. The technology is also expected to be used to remove water from that waste material and store it in drier form - improving its stability and further reducing associated risks.
"A number of these technologies also offer major energy and fresh water usage reductions for every ounce or tonne of metal or mineral we produce," added Cutifani.
Anglo American shares were trading 0.7% higher on Friday in London at 1,952.81 pence each, while in Johannesburg, shares were up 2.3% at ZAR375.83 each.
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