The 13 August 2026 tailings storage facility failure at Dikwena Chrome in South Africa
A major tailings accident occurred last week in a Chrome mine at Dikwena near Brits. On 13 August 20926, a major failure occurred in a large tailings storage facility at the Dikwena facility, owned by Samancor Chrome in the Brits area of South Africa. There are news reports from IOL and the Daily Maverick about this […]
On 13 August 2026, a significant tailings storage facility (TSF) failure occurred at the Dikwena Chrome mine located near Brits in South Africa. The accident took place at a facility owned by Samancor Chrome, a prominent player in the industry.
The disaster was captured in a video by Iaan Myburgh, provided by The Daily Maverick. The video reveals the aftermath of the collapse, which appears to have originated from a failure in the dam wall of one of the TSFs at the site. The exact location of the breach can be pinpointed at coordinates 25.65236° S, 27.85177° E, as indicated on a Google Earth image from 15 July 2026.
Interestingly, the TSF did not seem to be operational in July 2026. Online platforms like LinkedIn have been buzzing with images and videos related to the aftermath, including contributions from Adam Thomas and Peter McGough. The Daily Maverick also features an insightful interview with tailings expert Alastair Bovim, who suggests that the original TSF was partially re-mined between 2019 and 2022, followed by the construction of a new facility in 2022, which commenced operations in 2024.
This incident raises several questions about the management and safety protocols of the facility, especially considering the timeline of construction and operation. As the investigation unfolds, the answers may shed light on the circumstances surrounding the tragic event at the Dikwena Chrome mine.
Written by urgent.news from Eos's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
