X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a synchrotron-only technique used to determine chemical speciation, providing a powerful alternative to most traditional wet chemistry' and lab-based speciation methods. XAS is an element specific method that can be used to address a variety of systems, ranging from heterogeneous to homogeneous, polycrystalline to amorphous, and solid to liquid. The strength of XAS in identifying and managing chemical species in tailings and mine waste is demonstrated, with the presentation of highly relevant studies into lead, uranium, chromium and arsenic speciation. In each example, waste samples are compared with known standards, allowing an assessment to be made of the quantity of particular chemical species in each.CITATION:Spiers, K M, Collins, R N and Kappen, P, 2015. Forget the wet chemistry' - how the Australian Synchrotron can help with tailings and mine waste management, in Proceedings Tailings and Mine Waste Management for the 21st Century , pp 145-148 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).