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An Approach to Undertaking a Tailings-related Human Rights Impact Assessment in Ghana

Tailings and Mine Waste Conference (2023 : Vancouver, B.C.); University of British Columbia. Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering

Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs) have the potential to impact Human Rights in several ways. The risks associated with TSFs include the potential for catastrophic failure, which can result in the loss of life, destruction of property, and irreversible harm to people, society, and the environment. In addition, the uncontrolled release of substances from TSFs can contaminate water sources, soils, and air, posing significant risks to human health and ecosystems. This can impact fundamental Human Rights such as the right to health, water, and a clean environment. In some cases, the rights of local communities to participate in decision-making processes, including the right to consultation and the right to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), are neglected in the TSF planning and design process. Furthermore, the construction and operation of TSFs can result in the displacement of communities and the loss of traditional lands and livelihoods, impacting the rights to property, culture, and an adequate standard of living. It is therefore essential to confirm that TSFs are planned, designed, constructed, operated, closed, and reclaimed in a manner that protects Human Rights, and also to conduct Human Rights impact assessments (HRIA) to identify and mitigate potential impacts. This paper aims to present the approach taken by Gold Fields to update the existing knowledge base and prepare a dedicated tailings HRIA, aligned to the GISTM, for the Tarkwa Gold Mine (TGM) in Ghana.

Text

2023-12-08

Attribution-NonCommercialNoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/86814

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/