NorSand calibration using similarity-based optimisation – a pilot study

January 7, 2026

This paper, with special reference to Air Upas and Sandai Mines in west Kalimantan in Indonesia, describes the problems facing smaller mining operations in remote parts of the globe in acquiescing to the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM). The GISTM, as published by Global Tailings Review (GTR) (2020), references six topic areas namely Communities, Integrated Knowledge Base, Design Construction and Operation, Management and Governance, Emergency Response, and Disclosure. Each of these encompass 15 principles in turn incorporating 77 requirements and 219 criteria. Tailings storage facilities (TSF) are audited against these and though well-meaning and a very necessary requirement, are often difficult to adhere to in remote areas where flight access is arduous or impossible, road access is over long distances often along muddy tracks with deep rutting, satellite communications at times non-existent, specialised equipment necessary for geotechnical field testing unavailable or only accessed through difficult and costly establishment, senior geotechnical staff unwilling to locate to remote sites: these to mention but a few of the problems faced. The paper describes where adherence is possible as measured against the main GISTM topic requirements and principles, and perhaps more importantly – where not. These issues of compliance and non-compliance are integrated and presented in tabular format. The paper makes recommendations on how the most difficult adherence requirements can be overcome and concludes with suggestions of how GISTM audit requirements and processes can be softened in a ‘GISTM-light’ process where smaller remote operations can be audited against more appropriate and equitable targets.

Shen, H., Kirsten, L. and Brandao, H. 2025 " NorSand calibration using similarity-based optimisation – a pilot study,” in Proceedings of the LOM-MWT Conference 2025, July 29 – 30, 2025. Brisbane, Australia: Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM)