Environmental information systems for tailings management

Two mining companies and a university affiliate undertook the implementation of a Regional Environmental Information Management System to manage the environmental programs for the decommissioned Uranium mine sites and tailings management facilities near Elliot Lake, Canada. The region’s 8 tailings management facilities contain 150 million tonnes of potentially acid-generating tailings. Regulatory licensing and permitting requirements for the environmental monitoring programs are captured by the system and used to drive data collection and to promote consistency in environmental protocols and procedures. Environmental managers use the system to manage regulatory compliance issues. Production of regular reports for regulators and management has been streamlined. The system is based on a commercially available environmental information management system that has been configured to meet the specific requirements of the environmental programs in the Elliot Lake region.