The team at GRID-Arendal are working to establish an accessible public-interest, global database of mine sites and tailings storage facilities. The data is based on disclosures provided by mining companies following a request made by the Church of England Pensions Board and the Council of Ethics of the Swedish National Pension Funds. This request was made to 726 companies and aimed to confirm the location and nature of tailings dams by providing answers to 20 questions on each individual facility. GRID-Arendal is also working with the British Satellite company Catapult who are in the process of developing dam monitoring functionality for selected dams. Using data collected from synthetic aperture radar satellites the company hopes to be able to monitor movement in dam structure that could be used to provide an early warning of instability.
