Call for Abstracts

Submit an Abstract

Please consider that no extension in these deadlines is foreseen.

We welcome you to submit your expression of interest to present at the ANCOLD Tailings Dam Operators 2026 Forum!

All authors who have their submission accepted for presentation must register and pay for their attendance, at a minimum, for the day of the Forum on which they are presenting. Accepted presenters will be given access to the early bird discounted registration rates.

Oral Presentation

Oral presentations will be allocated 12 minutes, which includes time for questions and answers to be held at the conclusion of each presentation or at the end of the session.

Themes

  1. Evolution of the Tailings Operator Role – Where to Next?
    – How the operator/RTFE role has evolved over time
    – Changing accountability, skills, and expectations
    – Career pathways, professional development, and future challenges
    – Proposed format: Operator or RTFE keynote followed by facilitated panel discussion
  2. Dam Safety and Performance – Operator-Focused “101”
    – Foundational dam safety concepts through an operator lens
    – Stability, seepage, surveillance, and performance fundamentals
    – Practical implications of day-to-day operational decisions
    – Proposed format: Technical keynote (operator-friendly) with Q&A or short case examples
  3. Tailings Deposition and Water Management
    – Operational challenges associated with deposition strategies
    – Integration of deposition planning with water management constraints
    – Sharing practical site-based experiences and lessons learned
    – Proposed format: Panel discussion and/or short operational case presentations
  4. TARPs – From Trigger to Response
    – Understanding TARPs in practice, not just documentation
    – Operator training, communication, and decision-making under real conditions
    – Variability in TARP maturity across sites
    – Proposed format: Interactive session (panel, workshop-style or scenario-based exercise) 

Submit your expression of interest

  • Log in to the Presentation Portal via the ‘Submit an Abstract’ button. You will need to create an online account first – enter your email address and password.
  • You will be taken to a screen from which the submission process starts. Please read the instructions on this screen carefully. You will need to update your details before you can submit your abstract.
  • Submitting an abstract is a multi-step process. Each step asks several questions. Some questions are marked “required”, and you will not be able to complete your submission until these questions have been answered.
  • If you stop part way through the process, your submission will be held in temporary storage until you return and complete all the questions. When you log in again you can click on your incomplete expression of interest and resume submission.

Make sure that you submit your abstract by agreeing to the Terms and Conditions before pressing the “submit” button, any submissions left in ‘draft’ mode will not be submitted for review. You will receive a confirmation email for each successful submission. If you do not receive an email, log in again to check your abstracts in “Edit Submission/s”. Please note once you have submitted your expression of interest you cannot edit it again. However, you can leave your submission in “draft” mode and make changes up until the time you submit it.

Amending a Submission in “draft” mode

You may wish to change your answers to some of the questions on the submission form, or even change the presentation overview itself.

  • Log in to the presentation portal, and click on the “Edit Submisison/s” tab.
  • You will see a list of the submissions that you have in draft mode or have submitted. Click on the “Edit” button next to the draft you wish to change and submit.
  • Amending an abstract is just the same as for the original submission process, except that the online form will be automatically completed with the answers that you provided previously. You don’t have to change an answer if you do not wish.
  • When you reach the final ‘Submit’ step, click on the button stating that you “Agree to the Terms and Conditions” and click “Submit”. If this button is not available, look at the steps on the left-hand table and address the missing information that does not have a tick.

Terms and conditions for presenters

Presenter registration

All presenters must register and pay for at least the day of the Forum on which they are presenting. Presenters are entitled to register at the discounted early bird rate. Presenters must register before the early bird close deadline. After that date, sessions by unregistered presenters will be removed from the program.

Equity, diversity and accessibility

Presenters are responsible for ensuring their sessions acknowledge the diversity of the sector and provide equitable access for all participants.

Copyright and re-use of presentations

Presenters are responsible for obtaining appropriate copyright permissions for all presentation materials, including data, fonts, images etc. Citations and image credits must be included where appropriate.

Filming and photography

An ANCOLD representative may take photos or record video while a session is in progress. 

Prior to the Conference

  • All presenters must be registered.
  • Prepare your PowerPoint presentation in 16:9 aspect ratio.
  • Save your presentation to a USB for upload in the Speaker Preparation Room onsite.
  • Please do not send your presentation to Leishman Associates prior to the Forum.

At the Conference

  • Collect your name badge from the Registration Desk upon arrival.
  • Check-in to the Speaker Preparation Room, prior to your scheduled session to ensure your presentation is uploaded and all presenter requirements have been satisfied. Your presentation must be uploaded at least 2-3 hours before your scheduled presentation time; this may mean the day before your presentation.
  • If you have audio and/or video in your presentation, please ensure you have the files saved separately as embedding the media does not always include them in the PowerPoint file. This will allow the Technical Team to re-embed and/or change the format of the video onsite if needed.
  • If you are using custom fonts not found in the standard system fonts, please use the “Embed fonts in file” feature found in Save As/tools/save options. This will ensure that your fonts travel with the PowerPoint file when saved.
  • Please ensure the contents of your presentation including photos, data, graphs etc. are generated by yourself, referenced or the appropriate owner has granted you permission to include their work for educational purposes.
  • It’s important to note that presentations cannot be uploaded in the plenary room. It is your responsibility to check that your presentation has been loaded and is displayed correctly prior to the commencement of your session.
Each room will be equipped with the following:
  • Data projector
  • Screen
  • Microphone
  • Lectern
  • Laser pointer
  • Laptop (presenter view)
  • Wi-Fi access

If you require anything additional to the above, please email your request to conference@leishman-associates.com.au, and we will endeavour to meet your request.

During your session

  • Arrive in the session room 10 minutes before the start of your session to introduce yourself to the session chair.
  • The Session Chair will introduce you and your presentation title, so there is no need for you to repeat this.
  • The Session Chair will keep time and will signal to you when you have 5 minute & 1 minute left.
  • Each session room is equipped with a windows-based PC, data projection facility and speaker monitor. Be sure to test your presentation in the Speaker Preparation Room.

After the Conference

Your PowerPoint slides (PDF Format) will be posted on the Forum website post-conference. You are required to give your permission for your presentation to be uploaded to the website.

Please be aware that this event may be video recorded and the footage may be posted online for promotional or archival purposes. Your participation implies consent to potentially being filmed and your image or likeness being used in such materials. If you have any concerns or objections to being recorded, please notify the organisers in advance.