UWA PLUS
Tailings Operations
This micro-credential has been designed for professionals working in the field of tailings management. It is best suited to practicing engineers, geoscientists or individuals with responsibility for planning tailings deposition schedules to ensure operational safety and efficiency of the tailings storage facility. It is the first of three micro-credentials in Tailings Operations and Water Management.
Participants will learn about the importance of developing, documenting and implementing a Tailings Management Plan that caters for short term tailings capacity requirements, while also implementing strategies to cater for life-of-mine requirements. The key role of aspects such as deposition strategies, layer thickness, maintaining freeboard, decant systems and how to incorporate these aspects into a Tailings Management Plan are covered.
Upon successful completion of this micro-credential, you'll receive:
- Two PD Points - stackable for academic credit towards the Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management
- A Certificate of Achievement
- A UWA Plus Professional Development Transcript, listing all successfully completed micro-credentials
*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.
- Delivery mode
- Online
- Start date
- 2 October, 2023
- Applications close
- 29 September, 2023
- Effort
- 50 hours (including online learning, personal study time and assessments)
- Academic lead
- Professor Andy Fourie
- Cost
- $1,100 inc. GST
- Critical information summary
- MINEM521 Tailings Operations [PDF 245KB]
What you'll learn
You will learn about the importance of developing, documenting and implementing a Tailings Management Plan that caters for short term tailings capacity requirements, while also implementing strategies to cater for life-of-mine requirements. The key role of aspects such as deposition strategies, layer thickness, maintaining freeboard, decant systems and how to incorporate these aspects into a Tailings Management Plan are covered.
Participants will be able to:
Evaluate the impact of beach slope on storage capacity and freeboard
Analyse the effect of changing layer thickness on achievable in-situ density
Incorporate daily operational practice into a long term management plan
Demonstrate the link between daily operations and geotechnical stability of a tailings storage facility
Why study this course?
As a result of the recent Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, there is increasing demand for tailings professionals at the same time as the industry is experiencing a shortage of personnel with appropriate training. The Standard will bring rapid change to the way the industry manages tailings and waste. This micro-credential and the additional eleven micro-credentials that can lead to the Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management will allow you to keep up with standards, technologies and guidelines dealing with tailings management.
In order to apply for the Graduate Certificate award you must have a Bachelor of Engineering degree or a degree in a related field and have met UWA's English language competency requirements. Please refer to the Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management for further information.
Who should study this course?
This micro-credential has been designed for professionals working in the field of tailings management. It is best suited to practicing engineers, geoscientists or individuals with responsibility for planning tailings deposition schedules to ensure operational safety and efficiency of the tailings storage facility.
Participants will learn about the importance of developing, documenting and implementing a Tailings Management Plan that caters for short term tailings capacity requirements, while also implementing strategies to cater for life-of-mine requirements.
Recommended prior knowledge
It is best suited to practising engineers, geoscientists or people with significant experience in tailings in an oversight capacity and those wanting to gain knowledge on tailings management strategies. This micro-credential will require engineering numerical skills.
What's next after this course?
The micro-credential is one of a series of twelve micro-credentials that are stackable towards the Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management. This micro-credential is one of three on the topic of Tailings Operations and Water Management. The other two on this topic are:
- Water Balance; and
- Tailings Dewatering Technologies
Topics covered by the other micro-credentials include an Introduction to Tailings Management, Tailings Risk Evaluation and Tailings Governance.
In order to apply for the Graduate Certificate award you must have a Bachelor of Engineering degree or a degree in a related field and have met UWA's English language competency requirements. Please refer to the Graduate Certificate in Tailings Management.
Apply
Applications are open.
- If you are not an employee of BHP or Rio Tinto, please click here to register and pay for this micro-credential
- If you are an employee of BHP or Rio Tinto and this is your 1st-3rd Tailings Management micro, your fee is covered by your employer. Please click here to register
- If you are an employee of BHP or Rio Tinto and this is your 4th-12th Tailings Management micro, please click here to register and pay for this micro-credential