Jagersfontein: how to avoid another tragedy

Mine tailings dams need stringent management based on international best practice procedures and underpinned by a strong legal framework with clearly defined responsibilities, says Charles MacRobert, a senior lecturer at Stellenbosch University.

- Charles MacRobert

FAST FACTS

There are more than 200 active facilities dealing with mining residue or tailings in South Africa.

Tailings dams require maintenance and monitoring throughout their life cycle, particularly when they are reaching final capacity.

Management responsibilities need to be clearly defined to prevent tragic accidents.

Jagersfontein, a small town near Bloemfontein in the Free State with more than a century of mining history, awoke to a tragic failure of responsibility on 11 September 2022 when torrents of muddy water cascaded over the embankments that were meant to hold it back. The flood killed one person and destroyed many homes.

The muddy water was the residue left over from the extraction of diamonds. The Jagersfontein mine traces its origins to a 50-carat diamond discovery in 1870. Mining began in earnest shortly after that and continued until 1971.

All mining operations produce residue or tailings. Consequently, there are more than 200 active tailings facilities in South Africa. While initial extraction removes most of the sought-after minerals, tailings facilities can become resources once again as extraction technologies improve. As mine grades decline, mining companies are increasingly looking to retreat-mining operations. Retreat operations nevertheless result in tailings dams of their own.

While retreat operations can be carried out under existing mining licenses, it can be uncertain how historic dumps, such as at Jagersfontein, can be exploited. In such instances, where a mine has officially closed, mining licenses lapse, and the legal standing of residue dumps becomes unclear.