TSF Risk Documentation

Underwriter-grade visual and geospatial intelligence for tailings risk documentation.

A built-to-suit Aerial Intelligence system for Tailings Storage Facilities, designed to create a reliable visual record, support technical review, and preserve evidence over time.

Executive Summary

A cleaner evidence system for high-stakes tailings risk.

Tailings Storage Facilities are among the most critical risk assets in mining. Insurers, reinsurers, mine operators, engineers, brokers, and boards need more than static reports or fragmented site images. They need a reliable, repeatable, and auditable visual record.

33Visual creates that record through a built-to-suit Aerial Intelligence system. At the start of the engagement, we produce a Zero-Day Catalog: a high-resolution, time-stamped baseline of the facility that becomes the reference point for future monitoring and comparison.

From there, we support repeatable documentation of visible conditions such as the dam crest, toe, pond location, beach area, access roads, spillways, drainage conditions, erosion, seepage indicators, vegetation patterns, and downstream context.

33Visual does not replace the Engineer of Record, geotechnical consultant, licensed surveyor, or actuarial modeler. We provide the visual, spatial, and temporal evidence layer that helps those stakeholders make better-informed decisions.

Core Solution

The 33Visual TSF Evidence System

A controlled environment for capturing, organizing, preserving, and presenting TSF visual and geospatial documentation. The solution can operate as a managed 33Visual environment, connect with client systems, or be deployed privately when data governance and security requirements demand it.

Zero-Day Catalog

A baseline evidence package captured at policy inception, renewal, technical review, or program kickoff.

Repeatable Monitoring

Consistent field acquisition and processing workflows designed to compare visible change over time.

Evidence Platform

A secure review environment for operators, engineers, brokers, insurers, reinsurers, and board stakeholders.

What We Document

Designed around the way TSF risk is reviewed.

The system organizes visual and geospatial evidence by facility zones, visible conditions, and stakeholder review needs.

  • Dam crest and toe condition
  • Beach area and pond location
  • Spillways, drainage, and access routes
  • Erosion, cracking, surface water, and visible seepage indicators
  • Vegetation patterns and downstream context
  • Visual comparison across monitoring cycles
  • Executive and technical documentation packages
  • Secure evidence archive and version history
Step One

Baseline and platform setup in one practical first stage.

The first implementation combines the Zero-Day Catalog, repeatable workflow design, and the evidence environment required for review.

01

Align stakeholders and objectives

Define the TSF, review needs, site constraints, data governance requirements, user access, and reporting expectations.

02

Design the capture workflow

Establish zones, flight logic, control strategy, safety planning, access requirements, and repeatability standards.

03

Acquire and process the data

Capture drone-based visual and geospatial data, then process it into organized documentation outputs for review.

04

Deliver the evidence system

Provide the Zero-Day Catalog, finding register, executive summary, technical appendix, and secure review environment.

Scope Boundary

Data acquisition and evidence management — not certified survey or engineering opinions.

Our work supports technical review by qualified professionals. Certified survey deliverables, stamped engineering conclusions, legal boundary data, hydrological modeling, and actuarial pricing decisions must be provided or validated by the appropriate licensed professionals.

33Visual Provides

  • Drone-based visual and geospatial data acquisition
  • RTK/GCP-supported photogrammetric documentation
  • Orthomosaics, 3D models, and visual archives
  • Structured finding registers and evidence portals
  • Executive and technical documentation packages

33Visual Does Not Replace

  • Licensed surveyors
  • Engineer of Record
  • Geotechnical certification
  • Hydrological or breach modeling
  • Actuarial pricing or insurance premium decisions
The goal is not another drone platform. The goal is a controlled evidence system for TSF risk documentation.
From Standards to Field Evidence

Turning TSF governance requirements into verifiable visual documentation.

33Visual helps operators, EoRs, RTFE teams, insurers, reinsurers, and governance boards connect GISTM, OMS, and internal risk requirements to time-stamped, version-controlled visual evidence.

GISTM Topic II

Integrated Knowledge Base Support

The requirement: GISTM requires operators to develop and maintain an interdisciplinary knowledge base that supports safe tailings management throughout the facility lifecycle, including closure.

How 33Visual can help address it: The Zero-Day Catalog establishes a high-resolution visual and geospatial baseline of the facility and its surrounding context. As conditions change, repeatable drone-based documentation helps keep the evidence layer current, reviewable, and auditable.

OMS / TARP

Operation, Maintenance, and Surveillance Support

The requirement: OMS manuals define the critical controls, surveillance routines, performance indicators, and reporting logic required to manage TSF risk. TARPs connect trigger levels to predefined management actions.

How 33Visual can help address it: 33Visual supports OMS execution by documenting visible field conditions through repeatable aerial capture, including pond location, beach conditions, erosion, seepage indicators, spillway condition, access routes, and other observable changes.

EoR / RTFE / ITRB

Technical Review Support

The requirement: EoRs, RTFEs, and independent reviewers need reliable evidence to review monitoring, construction records, OMS execution, performance, design intent, and change documentation.

How 33Visual can help address it: 33Visual does not replace the EoR, RTFE, ITRB, or licensed surveyors. We provide a structured visual and geospatial evidence layer that helps those stakeholders review conditions remotely, compare change over time, and reference a reliable archive during performance reviews.

Construction Records

Construction Records Report Support

The requirement: GISTM identifies the Construction Records Report as a key document that may include survey data and drawings, field reports, QC/QA reports, CDIV reports, monitoring data, field procedures, equipment documentation, and photographic records.

How 33Visual can help address it: 33Visual supports the visual and geospatial evidence layer of these records through orthomosaics, 3D documentation, field imagery, time-stamped visual records, version-controlled archives, and structured evidence packages.

GISTM Principle 15

Disclosure and Stakeholder Communication

The requirement: GISTM calls for relevant TSF information to be disclosed and updated to support accountability, including governance, monitoring, consequence classification, risk assessment summaries, EPRP summaries, and independent review dates.

How 33Visual can help address it: 33Visual helps translate technical evidence into controlled visual communication. Depending on the client’s disclosure strategy, the same evidence system can support board review, insurer/reinsurer access, regulator-facing documentation, or carefully selected public-facing summaries.

Heap Leach

Adaptable to Heap Leach Facilities

The extension: Many of the same documentation principles apply to Heap Leach Facilities, especially where containment, drainage, liner systems, solution ponds, leak detection, access roads, and operational changes need repeatable documentation.

How 33Visual can help address it: The 33Visual Evidence System can be adapted to Heap Leach Facilities by documenting visible conditions, containment areas, pond systems, drainage infrastructure, access routes, construction progress, and change over time.

33Visual does not certify GISTM or MAC OMS compliance. Our role is to provide the supporting visual and geospatial evidence layer for review by qualified professionals.
Visual Evidence Library

See how TSF documentation becomes easier to review.

Explore examples of how 33Visual documents tailings facilities, closure areas, and immersive site context through 3D models and 360° environments.

TSF 3D Evidence Model

Interactive 3D documentation for remote visual review of a tailings facility and surrounding terrain.

Open full model

Pit Closure Documentation

3D documentation for closure environments, supporting long-term visual records and condition review.

Open full model

360° Immersive Site Context

Immersive environments help non-technical stakeholders understand the physical context behind technical documentation.

Open 360° tour

Additional 360° Site Tour

Additional immersive context for stakeholder understanding and site communication.

Open 360° tour
Recommended Pilot

Start with one TSF and prove the evidence system.

A focused pilot allows the operator, insurer, reinsurer, broker, and technical teams to validate the methodology before scaling across a portfolio.

01

Establish the Zero-Day Catalog methodology.

02

Define TSF zones and review priorities.

03

Validate the capture and processing workflow.

04

Deliver the initial evidence platform.

05

Confirm stakeholder access and reporting needs.

06

Recommend the monitoring cadence.

Next Step

Build the baseline. Control the evidence. Support better decisions.

33Visual helps high-stakes mining stakeholders move from fragmented documentation to a controlled, underwriter-grade visual and geospatial evidence system.

Discuss a Pilot Program Visit 33visual.com
Glossary Key TSF, GISTM, and evidence-system terminology.

A quick reference for executives, insurers, reinsurers, engineers, and stakeholders reviewing TSF risk documentation.

Tailings Facility and Risk Terms

TSF

Tailings Storage Facility. A facility designed and managed to contain tailings produced by mining operations.

Tailings

Processed rock or soil left after separating valuable commodities from mined material.

Consequence Classification

A classification based on potential downstream consequences of a failure scenario, including people, environment, infrastructure, and economic impact.

Breach Analysis

A technical analysis that estimates the potential physical impact area of a tailings facility failure. 33Visual can support the visual and terrain evidence layer but does not perform breach modeling.

Credible Failure Mode

A technically feasible failure mechanism based on facility conditions, materials, drainage, surface water control, and site context.

ALARP

As Low As Reasonably Practicable. A principle requiring reasonable measures to reduce risk further unless the cost or impact is grossly disproportionate to the benefit.

Governance, Engineering, and Review Roles

EoR

Engineer of Record. The qualified engineering role responsible for confirming that the facility is designed, constructed, and managed with appropriate concern for integrity.

RTFE

Responsible Tailings Facility Engineer. A site-specific engineer accountable for the integrity of the tailings facility and for liaising with the EoR and internal teams.

ITRB

Independent Tailings Review Board. A board that provides independent technical review of design, construction, operation, closure, and management.

Accountable Executive

An executive directly answerable to the CEO and accountable for tailings facility safety and for minimizing social and environmental consequences of a potential failure.

DSR

Dam Safety Review. An independent technical review of tailings facility safety, including technical, operational, and governance aspects.

Senior Independent Technical Reviewer

An experienced independent professional who reviews specific technical areas such as tailings design, operations, closure, or environmental and social aspects.

Operations, Monitoring, and Documentation

OMS

Operations, Maintenance, and Surveillance. The operating framework that defines controls, procedures, monitoring, and reporting logic for safe facility operation.

TARP

Trigger Action Response Plan. A tool that links defined trigger levels to predetermined management actions when performance moves outside the expected range.

TMS

Tailings Management System. The site-specific system that manages design, operation, monitoring, review, controls, governance, OMS, and emergency preparedness.

CDIV

Construction versus Design Intent Verification. A process intended to confirm that construction and site conditions align with design intent.

Construction Records Report

A key document that may include survey data, field reports, QC/QA, CDIV reports, monitoring data, procedures, equipment records, and photographic records.

Annual Performance Review

A periodic review that typically includes visual inspection, instrumentation monitoring, performance assessment, and review of construction and operation practices.

33Visual Evidence System Terms

Zero-Day Catalog

33Visual’s baseline visual and geospatial evidence package captured at policy inception, renewal, technical review, or program kickoff.

Time-Stamped Visual Record

A documented visual capture tied to a specific date and site condition, supporting review, comparison, and evidence preservation.

Version-Controlled Archive

An organized record of visual and geospatial outputs over time, allowing stakeholders to compare facility conditions across monitoring cycles.

Orthomosaic

A geometrically corrected aerial image map created from multiple drone images, useful for visual review and spatial context.

3D Model / Point Cloud

A spatial representation of the facility and surrounding terrain that can support remote review, visual comparison, and technical communication.

RTK/GCP-Supported Documentation

Drone-based data acquisition supported by RTK and/or ground control points. This supports consistency but is not a certified land survey unless validated by a licensed surveyor.

Reference Links
Global Industry Standard on Tailings ManagementPrimary GISTM reference. MAC OMS GuideOperations, Maintenance, and Surveillance guidance. BHP Tailings Storage Facility ManagementPublic example of operator-level TSF governance communication. Engineer of Record ReferenceTechnical reference on the EoR role for tailings storage facilities.
This glossary is provided for orientation only. 33Visual does not provide legal, engineering, actuarial, or certified survey interpretation. Technical conclusions should be prepared or validated by qualified professionals.

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