VISUAL INSPECTION AND SAFETY EVALUATION RESULTS OF THE DASTAKERT TAILING MANAGEMENT FACILITY (TMF) BASED ON THE METHODOLOGY OF TMF SAFETY

Abstract

Mining sector is one of the leading branches of industry in Armenia. Therefore, effective government regulation of the sector based on a sound legal basis is a necessity. The UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents provides a legal basis for the countries in their efforts to prevent industrial accidents. It also promotes enhancing of international cooperation among the neighboring countries in case of emergencies. The UNECE Safety Guidelines and Good Practices for TMFs (2008) were elaborated under the auspices of the German Environmental Agency (UBA). The TMF safety methodology developed on this basis (with questionnaires of visual and documentation checking) is an efficient tool for quick assessment of the technical condition of TMFs. The successful experience of the application of the TMF methodology in Armenia (within the framework of the project on “Assistance in safety improvement of tailings management facilities in Armenia and Georgia”), allowed improving this methodology and making it as the more effective working tool for a quick and efficient visual inspection of TMFs and for a thorough inspection of relevant documentations. In this article, the results of applying the TMF methodology at Dastakert TMF in Armenia, which was applied to the abandoned TMF for the first time.