Barrick Gold reaches ‘safe closure’ of 13 tailings sites, aims to close five more soon
NYSE- and TSX-listed gold miner Barrick Mining Corporation has fulfilled its commitment to provide disclosure on its tailings facilities, in accordance with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).
The group released site-level disclosures for its tailings storage facilities (TSFs), reflecting the company’s commitment to transparency.
Barrick itself played an active role in developing the GISTM and is, therefore, already aligned with comprehensive tailings management standards.
Of the 65 TSFs that Barrick owns, operates or has in design phase, only five are classified as ‘extreme’ risk and 12 as ‘very high’ risk, conforming nonetheless with the requirements of the GISTM.
Notably, 13 TSFs are classified as being in ‘safe closure’ state and are, therefore, not subject to the disclosure requirements of the GISTM, while one TSF is operated by a joint venture partner and is not subject to Barrick’s GISTM disclosures.
Barrick says it could not disclose conformance to the GISTM in respect of the Loulo-Gounkotu TSF, in Mali, owing to a dispute being ongoing with the country’s government on the Loulo-Gounkoto mine.
The Mali government has placed the operation under provisional administration, with Barrick having lost access to the mine and the TSF.
Barrick president and CE Mark Bristow says the group is always focused on ensuring that TSFs are operated and closed responsibly. Particularly, Barrick continuously works toward bringing inactive TSFs into ‘safe closure’ status.
Achieving safe closure requires long-term risks to human health and the environment to be thoroughly assessed and mitigated. Barrick targets to have five more TSFs classified as safely closed next year.
“The safe closure of these facilities requires stakeholders to be engaged, key biodiversity features to be conserved, and cultural values be protected,” Bristow concludes.
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