Technical session 7 – From Liability to Asset: Navigating the New Era of Tailings Management in Kazakhstan
Format: Presentations and panel discussion
Kazakhstan’s mining sector is currently navigating a “perfect storm” regarding Tailings Management Facilities (TMFs). With billions of tons of industrial waste accumulated, the industry faces dual pressure: aggressive government mandates to repurpose Technogenic Mineral Formations (TMFs) into economic assets, and a tightening global insurance market that views tailings as high-risk liabilities. This session explores the intersection of Kazakhstan’s 2026–2028 Mining Roadmap and global safety standards (GISTM). Discussion points include fiscal incentives, such as the zero-rate Mineral Extraction Tax for low-profitability deposits, alongside the critical shift toward “active management” technologies. A live demonstration will showcase the real-time monitoring systems required to secure insurance capacity and meet international safety standards.
Moderator
Sergei Sabanov
Associate Professor
Nazarbayev University
Presentations:
How is Kazakhstan responding to global developments in tailings governance?
Sandugash Abdizhalelova
Senior Sustainability Consultant
SRK Consulting
Sonic Drilling for Tailings Dam Investigations: Unlocking Reliable Sample Recovery in Kazakhstan
Sue-Anya Khelawan
Senior Consultant (Tailings)
SRK Consulting
TMF as a Factor of Resource Security and Sustainable Growth
Yerbol Zakariyanov
Deputy Executive Director
Republican Association of Mining and Metallurgical Enterprises
Active tailings management with 24/7 monitoring to ensure Complaince with global standards and better insurance outcomes
Iain Pickard
co-Founder and Managing Partner
Strategia Worldwide
Practical Application of GISTM
Martha Needs
Senior Geotechnical Engineer
Knight Piésold
Practical International Experience in Retreatment of Tailings to Produce Commercial Metal
Alexey Ragulin
Managing Director: Kazakhstan
Paterson & Cooke
AI + Geostatistics for the Analysis of Mine Tailings Storage Facilities
Sergei Sabanov
Associate Professor
Nazarbayev University
