CEEC Medal for Technical Research Awarded to Anglo American Innovation Team for Advances in Tailings Management
CEEC International is pleased to announce the 2024 CEEC Medal for Technical Research has been awarded to Phil Newman, Andrea López, Mark Bruton and Auel Kulmagambetova for their paper “Hydraulic Dewatered Stacking – delivering desaturated tailings management without the capital cost of filtration.”
Presented at the Tailings 2024 Conference, the paper introduces Hydraulic Dewatered Stacking (HDS), an engineered tailings management system developed by Anglo American. HDS creates a desaturated tailings facility using drainage channels constructed from fines-free sand derived from the tailings themselves. This approach enhances water recovery, improves safety, reduces long-term closure liabilities, and offers a cost-effective alternative to filtration — particularly relevant for large-scale copper operations in water-scarce regions such as Chile and Peru.
“We are thrilled and honoured to have been recognised by CEEC for our work on this paper, having made significant technical progress on HDS in the past three years. Our research provides a valuable foundation for assessing solutions that are economically sustainable, while delivering reduced impact at reduced cost. Modelling solutions in this way allows us to see the size of the prize and can help direct our research and piloting in the right direction,” said Phil Newman, Principal Author and Vice-President of Tailings Innovation at Anglo American.
The team’s research demonstrates that HDS can recover up to 0.2m³ of water per tonne of ore processed, while lowering both capital and operating costs compared to filtered stacking. Beyond water benefits, HDS offers important safety advantages by reducing the risk of liquefaction and allows progressive closure that can significantly reduce environmental and social legacy costs.
Grant Ballantyne, Chair of CEEC’s Technical Advisory Committee, congratulated the winners, noting the importance of their work:
“This paper exemplifies the spirit of the CEEC Medal; showcasing practical innovation that delivers measurable benefits in water, tailings and sustainability. By advancing Hydraulic Dewatered Stacking, the authors provide the industry with a viable pathway to safer, more cost-effective and environmentally responsible tailings management. CEEC is proud to recognise this contribution, which will help drive eco-efficient practices across global mining operations.”
CEEC International extends its congratulations to Phil Newman, Andrea López, Mark Bruton, and Auel Kulmagambetova, and acknowledges Anglo American’s leadership in developing solutions that reduce water use, enhance safety, and improve long-term outcomes for the mining sector.
The CEEC Medal celebrates outstanding contributions in research and operations that deliver improvements in energy, water and tailings management. Submissions are now open for the 2025 round. Researchers, operators and innovators are encouraged to put forward their papers and case studies for consideration. Full details, including nomination criteria and deadlines, can be found on the CEEC website.