Category: TSF FAQs

Oyu Tolgoi has been communicating and consulting with the relevant stakeholders, including the local community representatives, government agencies, the lender, and independent auditors transparently and openly, including site visits. The most recent Tailing Storage Facility Progress Report on the Remedial Action Plan can be found here.

The results of the inspection confirmed that the seepage had not had any adverse effects on the quality of livestock wells and other water supplies. Click here for more information.

Oyu Tolgoi identified seepage within the mine lease and in one bore 60m outside of the mine lease. It was recorded as an environmental incident following Oyu Tolgoi policies and subsequent investigation involving internal and external experts in 2021. In accordance with the company’s policies and procedures, detailed inspections and procedures were conducted with internal…

The Concentrator Plant at Oyu Tolgoi uses 10 different reagents in its Flotation process as well as to protect transmission pipelines. These reagents are not only used in very low doses but also pass multiple stages to reach the TSF. The reagents do not disseminate in the air and have no properties that accumulate in…

In 2021, the world’s major mining industry representatives and investors set a comprehensive standard to reduce the risk of TSF failure and to improve controls known as GISTM /Global Industry Standard Tailings Management/. Oyu Tolgoi is preparing to comply with this standard from 2025. The standard is primarily aimed at monitoring the stability of the…

Since 2012, the company adhered to Rio Tinto’s D5 standard, “Management of Tailings and Water Storage Facilities”, which is rooted from the ANCOLD standard. The standard is complied with in all of Rio Tinto’s mines in Australia, Canada, America, etc. Per the D5 standard, the construction blueprint, construction progress to operations is audited by subject…

There are risks associated with structural failure, seepage and dust. The biggest risk is structural failure, which may arise from various factors such as intense rainfall, seismic activity, inadequate engineering calculations, and insufficient monitoring. The structural failure process begins if the TSF filter cracks. At Oyu Tolgoi, engineers and technicians monitor the TSF every day…

When the tailings cell approaches its capacity, the construction of the next cell begins. Similar to this practice, the Oyu Tolgoi mine closed Tailings Cell#1 in 2023, which had been in use since 2013. The mine is prepared to use Tailings Cell #2 and plans to operate it until 2034.

Only 2% of the transported ore reaching the concentrator turns into copper concentrate, while the remaining 98% is turned into tailings which is then transported to the TSF. The tailings constitute 60% of solid material and is transported to the Tailings cell, 5 kms away from the concentrator through a special pipe.

In addition to mining, this type of facility is used by hydropower plants and reservoirs for water storage, thermal and power plants for waste ash storage, and sewage treatment plants for sludge storage.