14-16 April 2026 Astana, Kazakhstan

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.

Presentations:
14:00 - How is Kazakhstan responding to global developments in tailings governance?

Sandugash Abdizhalelova
Senior Sustainability Consultant
SRK Consulting
14:15 - TMF as a Factor of Resource Security and Sustainable Growth

Yerbol Zakariyanov
Deputy Executive Director
Republican Association of Mining and Metallurgical Enterprises
14:30 - 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
14:45 - Practical Application of GISTM

Martha Needs
Senior Geotechnical Engineer
Knight Piésold
15:00 - Sonic Drilling for Tailings Dam Investigations: Unlocking Reliable Sample Recovery in Kazakhstan

Sue-Anya Khelawan
Senior Consultant (Tailings)
SRK Consulting
15:15 - Practical International Experience in Retreatment of Tailings to Produce Commercial Metal

Alexey Ragulin
Managing Director: Kazakhstan
Paterson & Cooke
15:30 - AI + Geostatistics for the Analysis of Mine Tailings Storage Facilities

Sergei Sabanov
Associate Professor
Nazarbayev University