Anglo American Platinum has today published on its website the details of its nine mineral residue facilities, comprising six managed tailings storage facilities (TSF) and three slag stockpiles. Details of an additional eight TSFs at non-managed JV operations in which it has an ownership interest are also disclosed. This disclosure is in response to a request by the Church of England Pensions Board and the Swedish Council on Ethics for the AP Funds, representing 96 institutional investors.

Chris Griffith, CEO of Anglo American Platinum, stated: “As part of the global efforts to improve the transparency around tailings storage facilities, we are providing detailed information on each of our facilities in response to a request from a number of global institutional investors. We have confidence in the integrity of Anglo American Platinum’s managed TSFs which are subject to the highest global safety and stewardship standards. Anglo American’s mandatory Mineral Residue Facilities and Water Management Structures standard was completely revised and updated in early 2014 and goes beyond regulatory and other industry requirements in all host jurisdictions, including in South Africa. We have also received assurances from the operators of non-managed joint venture facilities in which Anglo American Platinum has an interest relating to the safety of TSFs at those operations.”

Anglo American Platinum manages six active TSFs, five of which are located in the Limpopo province of South Africa and one located in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe. The company also manages three slag dumps, two located in the Limpopo province of South Africa, and one in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe. In addition, at the non-managed joint venture operations, there are eight TSFs (two of which are currently on care and maintenance), which are located in the North West and Limpopo provinces of South Africa.

All of Anglo American Platinum’s managed tailings dams have been constructed using the upstream method, except the Blinkwater dam at Mogalakwena mine in the Limpopo province of South Africa, which uses a downstream method of construction, and Dam 1 at Unki mine, which uses a hybrid downstream and upstream method. Upstream tailings dams are generally considered to be an appropriate design for facilities in dry and seismically stable regions with flat topography, including the locations of Anglo American Platinum’s TSFs in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Anglo American’s Group Technical Standard, which applies to all TSFs managed by Anglo American Platinum, sets minimum requirements for design criteria, monitoring, inspection and surveillance, and was peer-reviewed by international specialists. In line with that standard, all TSFs managed by Anglo American Platinum have a Competent Person in charge and have appointed an external Engineer of Record, providing continuous technical management from initial design and construction, to monitoring and support. A dedicated team of engineering specialists at Anglo American provides strategic direction and technical assurance.

Anglo American’s Group Technical Standard and other materials relating to TSFs are available at www.angloamericanplatinum.com/tsf.