Training and courses

Training for operators

Although tailings storage facility operators are often trained on the job, many onsite personnel responsible for the day-to-day activities on tailings sites do not have formally accredited and acknowledged training. Developed and delivered by senior engineers with extensive tailings experience and knowledge, this course upskills personnel responsible for day-to-day activities on a tailings site, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to safely and effectively manage tailings, reducing risk to operations.

Delivery mode

Onsite (Currently available in Australia) 

Start date

Available to book from mid-May 2021

Duration

16 hours, typically delivered over a two-day block. Schedule of training can be tailored to the specific mine site.

Award

Certificate of Achievement

The course covers

• Principles of tailings management
• Examples of what can go wrong
• Dam safety monitoring
• Emergency response plans
• Onsite water management

This training will ensure compliance with permit requirements. It is an ideal introduction to tailings management for new personnel on your site, experienced operators, and anyone who could benefit from keeping up to date in the latest compliance, safety and technological developments in tailings management.

The training typically runs for two days and can be delivered onsite for groups of up to 20. We can work with you to deliver program content, timing and a format to suit the needs of your site and team. Talk to us today.

For more information email [email protected]

Micro-credentials and postgraduate qualifications

With the current acute shortage of suitably trained and qualified tailings management engineers and personnel, a formally recognised qualification in tailings management will improve your employability and future career outcomes. Future Tails is delivering the Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management comprised of 12 two-point micro-credentials. Students may apply for the Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management* after successfully completing six micro-credentials and associated assessments.

 Each micro-credential is offered online over an 8 or 9 week period.

 These micro-credentials are short professional qualifications in different aspects of tailings management that demonstrate your skills, knowledge and experience in the field. You can complete one or two to enhance your knowledge and skills in a specific area of tailings, or stack them towards the Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management*.

Whether you’re looking to break into the emerging field with a new employer, progress your career, gain PD points or just keep up to date with technology advances and Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, these courses can enhance your existing experience with the latest knowledge and skills.

You can study and upskill in the tailings lifecycle, managing a TSF water balance, case study reviews, geotech reports and data interpretation, and/or appropriate monitoring technologies. The short, affordable modules are online, so you can easily fit them in to your schedule.

For more information on the next micro-credentials on offer, please refer to the UWA Plus page.

*In order to apply for the Graduate Certificate award you must have a Bachelor of Engineering degree or a degree in a related field. Please refer to the Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management. 

Short courses for engineers

If you’re seeking to keep up to date with emerging and new technologies and standards in tailings management, gain PD hours and build your knowledge to reduce risk and improve safety compliance.

Future Tails short courses can equip you with in-depth knowledge in:

• new in-situ testing techniques
• pitfalls of numerical modelling
• geosynthetics in TSF design, construction and operation
• site data analytics
• static liquefaction

These one or two-day training courses specifically cater to the knowledge requirements of Engineers of Record (as specified in the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management) and are suitable for any senior engineering personnel working for mining companies or consulting engineering companies looking to build expertise and qualifications in tailings management.

These short courses will focus on technology developments in tailings management, and provide Professional Development hours and opportunities to network with established experts in the field.

Awareness presentation for senior executives

This non-technical overview covers key aspects of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management including challenges and risks of tailings processes, alternative and emerging tech solutions, what you need to know and questions you need to ask as an Accountable Executive.

Delivery mode

Pre-recorded online videos (consisting of four ten to twenty minute videos) or in person presentations.

Start date

Videos and in person presentations will be available from October 2023.

Duration

Each video is between ten and twenty minutes.

Recent high-profile failures of tailings ponds in Canada and Brazil underline the vital importance of understanding and implementing best practices in this field.

These online videos or in person presentations for accountable executives, senior leaders and board members of mining companies enables informed decision making based on risk reduction and compliance with international standards. We cover current best practices across the industry, emerging technologies and opportunities to reduce risk, specifically:

• building and operating tailings storage facilities
• operational practice, risk and project governance
• preventing future failures: the roles and responsibilities of key personnel, such as the Accountable Executive, Engineer of Record and the Responsible Tailings Facility Engineer
• management options and decision making
• emerging technologies and opportunities to reduce risk

The in person presentations can be tailored in length and content. In addition to aligning all senior executives on risks, challenges, standards, compliance and innovation, the presentation can provide continuity for your organisation as the presentation can be provided on demand in video format, for example, when new people are appointed.

For more information email [email protected].