That tailings dam in Brazil, page-32

You would think that given the ongoing tailings disaster at Ok Tedi, [where BHP's "immunity" has expired but the disastrous effects continue...see below] , this would not have happened. The Mining Industry globally, has had only 100 significant tailings dam failures since 1960, according to Barry Fitzgerald.   Only 100?

It is going to be very interesting to see who in the company is held accountable for this appalling situation.  To state the obvious this event should not be happening...Apart from the loss of earnings which will impact on SP, there will be reputational impact.

I wonder what happened to the "what if" scenario analysis, which must have been part of the tailings dam design process...What if the dam broke?  ...Why would a village/s be allowed to continue to exist in the wash zone from a dam break?  Very easy to model and monitor these things with todays accurate DTM models, and associated software.

SUBJECT:    Ok Tedi immunity gone, with implications beyond BHP October 23, 2013 12.28pm AEDT
Sara Bice
Author

1. Sara Bice
   Research Fellow, Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne

The reversal of ‘immunity laws’ surrounding Papua New Guinea’s Ok Tedi mine means former owner BHP could face claims on environmental damage. AAP
Remote Mount Fubilan, near the source of Papua New Guinea’s Tedi River, is once again the site of global controversy surrounding the Ok Tedi copper gold mine.
Since the late 1980s, Ok Tedi has symbolised the David and Goliath struggle between major multinational miners, remote developing communities and the environment.
Ok Tedi resumed the spotlight in recent weeks when the Papua New Guinean Parliament removed former mine operator BHP Billiton’s immunity from legal prosecution for environmental damages caused.
On 19 September, PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill led Parliamentary actions to pass a bill allowing the Papua New Guinean Government to take complete ownership of the Ok Tedi Mine. In a separate bill passed at the same time, new legislation removed BHP Billiton’s immunity from legal action for environmental damage caused by the mine’s operations.
BHP Billiton’s legal immunity arose through a 2001 agreement in which the company voluntarily divested its interests in Ok Tedi, placing its majority shareholding into a charitable trust, the PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP). The Program held 63.4% ownership of the mine, with the PNG Government holding the remainder. This recent legislation transfers full ownership to the PNG state and removes that agreed immunity.

More at

http://theconversation.com/ok-tedi-immunity-gone-with-implications-beyond-bhp-19188