January 2006 (PDF 2.9 MB) - Barrick Gold Corporation

1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 PURPOSE OF THE PLAN
Cowal Gold Project – Cyanide Management Plan
The Cowal Gold Project (the Project) is located approximately 38 kilometres (km) north-east of West
Wyalong, New South Wales (NSW) (Figure 1). The Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning granted
development consent for the Cowal Gold Project, subject to conditions, on 26 February 1999
(Consent). The Project is owned by Barrick Australia Limited (Barrick).
Consent Condition 5.3(b) for the mine requires the preparation of the enclosed Cyanide Management
Plan (CMP). In addition, Consent Condition 8.2(b) requires the preparation of a cyanide monitoring
programme. The consent conditions and the corresponding sections of this Plan that address the
conditions are outlined below.
Consent Condition Section
5.3 Management of Retained Water – Cyanide Management
(b) Cyanide management
The Applicant shall prepare a cyanide management plan for the monitoring and reporting
of cyanide use on the site, in consultation with DMR, EPA, and DLWC, and to the
satisfaction of the Director-General, prior to any use of cyanide on the site. The plan
shall make provision for, but is not limited to:
(i) containing cyanide contaminated waters entirely within the mine site; 4
(ii) maintaining weak acid dissociable (WAD) cyanide levels at the discharge point to
the tailings dams to the levels stated in condition 5.3(a);
(iii) contingency measures for cyanide reduction. 7
(Refer condition 8.2(b) for cyanide monitoring details). 6
8.2 Surface and Ground Water and Cyanide
(b) Cyanide monitoring
The Applicant shall prior to any tailings disposal prepare a cyanide monitoring
programme in consultation with the EPA and DMR, and to the satisfaction of the Director-
General. The plan shall include, but not be limited to, provision for:
(i) monitoring of CNWAD levels of the aqueous component of the tailings slurry stream
at the discharge point to the tailings dams twice daily or as otherwise directed by
the Director-General, with any increases above 20mg CNWAD/L to be assessed
daily to ensure compliance and reported monthly to the DMR and EPA, unless
otherwise agreed by the Director-General. If the CNWAD levels of 30mg/L are
exceeded in the liquid at any time, discharge to the tailings dams shall cease until
CNWAD levels can be achieved below the levels stated in condition 5.3(a) and such
exceedance shall be reported to the EPA within 24 hours;
(ii) monitoring CNWAD levels in the decant water of the tailings dams twice daily or as
otherwise directed by the Director-General;
(iii) an on site laboratory for quickly establishing CNWAD levels in the liquid at the
discharge point to tailings dams and in the decant ponds for monitoring purposes;
HAL-02-07/1/25/CMP-01-Q.DOC 1 BARRICK
4
6.2 and 7.2
(iv) on-line monitoring of CN(FREE) at locations where employees are operating; 6.3
(v) establishing a monitoring regime for detection of cyanide movement beneath and
adjacent to the tailings impoundments.
A summary of the cyanide monitoring results shall be provided to the Director-General, EPA and
DMR on a three monthly basis, unless otherwise agreed by the Director-General. All results shall
be included in the AEMR.
6.2
6.2
6.4
6.1 and 9