Failures and incidents are often the catalyst for change, and this is evident with tailings dam failures and the inherent increase in regulatory control. The public’s trust of the mining industry continues to degrade because of tailings dam failures, and, inherently, the regulatory environment continues to evolve with a corresponding increase in regulatory controls. This article provides an overview of notable historic tailings dam failures that resulted in a dramatic regulatory or social response, illustrating the trust-control relationship as it pertains to tailings management.
