Tailings Storage Facility Construction
Frasers Tailings Storage Facility
A new tailings storage facility (TSF) is currently being developed in stages within the Frasers Open Pit and is called the Frasers TSF (FTSF).
FTSF Stage 1 was consented in 2024 and started receiving tailings in March 2025. FTSF Stage 2 was consented in 2025. Currently consented tailings storage capacity in FTSF is 35 million tonnes.
The MP4 project includes the construction of FTSF Stage 3 to accommodate an additional 88 Mt of tailings storage to provide for the full MP4 Life of Mine Plan (LOMP) including receipt of tailings relocated from SP10/11 and MTI. This will bring the total tailings storage capacity of FTSF to 123 Mt of tailings. As per FTSF Stage 2, Stage 3 involves increasing the height of the existing waste rock backfill embankment between the Frasers and the Innes Mills pits. Constructing FTSF Stage 3 includes increasing the height of the embankment from 480 metres Relative Level (mRL) (elevation) to 520 mRL.
The Stage 3 FTSF will be wholly contained within the existing disturbance area of the open pits.
The table below identifies the consented and proposed storage capacity for each stage of the FTSF. At closure the FTSF is planned to be dry capped and rehabilitated.
|
Stage of development |
Proposed max height of embankment (mRL) |
Proposed additional storage capacity (Mt) |
Total storage capacity (Mt) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Stage 1 |
450 |
6 |
6 |
|
Stage 2 |
480 |
29 |
35 |
|
Stage 3 |
520 |
88 |
123 |