Xstrata Copper North Queensland.pdf - Mount Isa Mines

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Environmental performance Energy In 2010, EHM’s total energy consumption increased to 2.6 petajoules (PJ) compared to 2.0 PJ in 2009. This was due to increased mining (up 29%) and processing activity (up 23%) during the year. Energy intensity increased by only 4% (from 0.25 to 0.26 GJ per tonne of ore processed) despite a 29% increase in total material moved. This was primarily due to a large reduction in the ratio of overburden to ore removed from the open pit. Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) Program Xstrata Holdings Pty Ltd, which incorporates the Xstrata Copper North Queensland Division, is a participant of the Australian Government’s EEO Program. Further information regarding this can be found on page 81 of this report. EEO activity at EHM was suspended in 2010 due to imminent mine closure in 2011. However, when the decision was made to Energy use by source (GJ) – EHM Consumption 2010 Direct Diesel 1,743,000 Other sources (other energy 41,000 sources such as LPG, petrol, and oils and greases) Indirect Electricity 774,000 Total 2,558,000 Energy use – EHM ‘000s GJ 4,500 3,750 3,000 2,250 2,600 2,400 2,200 2,000 2,600 “Our main focus in 2010 was further improving water use efficiency and the management of stormwater on site.” extend the mine life to 2024 by developing an underground operation, the EEO program was reinstated in late 2010, with an EEO workshop. A number of energy savings ideas were canvassed and a cost benefit analysis of these ideas will be completed in 2011. Those rated as delivering the most cost effective energy reductions will be implemented at an appropriate time. Water management Ernest Henry Mining’s primary water sources are groundwater pumped from the open pit, DWB05, and Lake Julius. A key focus for EHM is to minimise the use of Lake Julius water and maximise the use/reuse of ground, storm and process water. Improvements in site water management processes not only reduces the consumption of water but also minimises any potential impacts from stormwater runoff from mine impacted areas. Lake Julius water use In 2009, the consumption of Lake Julius water averaged 458 litres per tonne of ore milled. In 2010 EHM set an ambitious target to reduce this consumption by 10% to less than 410 litres per tonne of ore milled. Despite the mechanical failure of the dewatering bore DWB05 in August 2010 which impacted EHM’s ability to reach this target, we still managed to exceed this Energy intensity – EHM GJ per tonne ore processed 0.450 0.375 0.300 0.225 0.24 0.21 0.19 0.25 0.26 0.20 target by 9% with an average of 373 litres per tonne of ore milled. This was a 19% reduction on 2009 consumption. In 2010, EHM consumed 3,687 megalitres (ML) of water from Lake Julius, which was only 56% of our 6,500 ML allocation. Stormwater management After the extreme rainfall events of 2009, a number of stormwater management improvements were made including the construction of large sediment dams, the installation of pumping infrastructure and changes to on-site water management strategies. Improvements completed in 2010 include: ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ Redesign of the tailings evaporation dam to increase its stormwater retention capacity from being able to contain a one in 10 year 60 day rainfall event plus process flows, to a one in 100 year 60 day rainfall event plus process flows Alterations and maintenance of site drainage systems to improve the separation of clean and potentially mine impacted stormwater Development of a Storm Trigger Action Response Plan to provide guidance to site personnel in high rainfall/storm events Changes to water use priorities to further increase stormwater retention capacity and to reduce the potential mineral content of stormwater on site Installation of laser guidance systems on equipment used for progressive rehabilitation of waste rock dumps, to improve surface drainage and reduce the potential for percolation of rainfall into the dumps. These improvements resulted in the successful capture and containment of 100% of stormwater on site in 2010 despite receiving 850mm of rain during the year against a region average of 485mm. Whilst EHM is authorised under its Environmental Authority to release stormwater from site, subject to compliance with strict quality criteria, full containment of all stormwater on site is considered a better risk management strategy for reducing potential impacts on the environment. Groundwater management 1,500 750 0.150 0.075 EHM continued to pump groundwater via dewatering bore 05 (DWB-05) from the eastern rim of the EHM pit. This dewatering process is necessary to ensure dry mining conditions and to maintain pit wall stability. 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011* *Target 98 XSTRATA COPPER NORTH QUEENSLAND
Environmental performance In August 2010, due to a mechanical malfunction, this pump ceased operation. Dewatering has recommenced via sump pumps at various locations inside the pit. DWB-05 will be recommissioned in 2011. An Environmental Impact Study (EIS) conducted in 1996 identified that dewatering activities were likely to have an impact on the surrounding environment. As a result, EHM developed a groundwater model and implemented a monitoring program to routinely measure water levels and quality in up to 64 bores surrounding the mine. The monitoring data is used to identify any changes that are occurring, or to predict any future potential changes to regional groundwater resources. In 2009, a bore census commenced of all regional pastoralist bores that had the potential to be impacted by EHM’s dewatering activities. The data gathered from this census is used to improve the EHM groundwater model’s predictive capability to identify any potential longterm impacts. In 2010, improvements were made to the census process to obtain more detailed data and the census area was also extended to include pastoralist properties located further from the mine site. The groundwater model will be updated as new data becomes available. The information obtained from the model will be provided to local landholders and used for developing mine closure strategies in consultation with local stakeholders. Pat Windsor – Environmental Advisor, and Jess Naylor – Graduate Environmental Advisor, inspect vegetation on Ernest Henry Mining’s rehabilitated south waste rock dump Total Lake Julius water use – EHM* GL 6 5 4 3 2 4.6 4.8 4.9 3.9 3.7 Lake Julius water use – EHM Litres per tonne ore milled 750 625 500 375 250 543 436 428 457 373 Reuse of groundwater Groundwater pumped from the EHM pit is used during the ore concentrating processes and also for dust suppression around site. The mechanical failure of DWB05 restricted our ability to reuse groundwater during 2010, and while we didn’t achieve our target of 80% groundwater reuse we still used 49% of the volume pumped. Tailings densities Automation of the tailings underflow pumps continued to provide consistency to tailings underflow densities in 2010. Increased tailings underflow densities results in less water consumed in processing and less contained within the mine’s tailings, which is eventually lost to evaporation. During 2010, tailings underflow densities in the concentrator were maintained at an average, solids to water percentage of 71%, which exceeded the 2010 target of 70%. 1 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 *Previouslyreportedasfreshwateruse. Groundwater reused – EHM % groundwater reused 100 80 60 40 20 61 64 78 78 49 125 0 100 80 40 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Tailings underflow densities – EHM % solids 60 20 64 65 69 68 71 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Sustainability Report 2010 99
Page 1 and 2:
Xstrata Copper North Queensland Sus
Page 3 and 4:
Xstrata Copper North Queensland Xst
Page 5 and 6:
Chief Executive’s message Environ
Page 7 and 8:
Chief Operating Officer’s message
Page 9 and 10:
Targets and scorecard We strive for
Page 11 and 12:
Targets and scorecard Our People Mo
Page 13 and 14:
Targets and scorecard Environment X
Page 15 and 16:
Scope of report This report provide
Page 17 and 18:
Our Sustainable Development Strateg
Page 19 and 20:
Strategy and governance Left: Loadi
Page 21 and 22:
Corporate governance Public policy
Page 23 and 24:
Our operations and economic perform
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Workplace health and safety We aim
Page 33 and 34:
Workplace health and safety Workpla
Page 35 and 36:
Workplace health and safety Monitor
Page 37 and 38:
Workplace health and safety Workpla
Page 39 and 40:
Workplace health and safety case st
Page 41 and 42:
Workplace health and safety Trini M
Page 43 and 44:
Workplace health and safety Case st
Page 45 and 46:
Our people We maintain a safe worki
Page 47 and 48:
Our people Labour relations In 2010
Page 49 and 50: Our people Mount Isa Mines copper o
Page 51 and 52: Our people Employing locally EHM is
Page 53 and 54: Our people case study Transitioning
Page 55 and 56: Our people Our people Townsville op
Page 57 and 58: Case study Job Role Criteria greatl
Page 59 and 60: Sustainable communities We contribu
Page 61 and 62: Sustainable communities Case study
Page 63 and 64: Sustainable communities The Xstrata
Page 65 and 66: Sustainable communities National In
Page 67 and 68: Sustainable communities Health Proj
Page 71 and 72: Sustainable communities Karen Elphi
Page 75 and 76: Sustainable communities Clockwise f
Page 77 and 78: Sustainable communities Total CSI e
Page 81 and 82: Environmental performance We aim to
Page 83 and 84: Environmental performance Recycled
Page 85 and 86: Environmental performance Above: Wi
Page 87 and 88: Environmental performance Case stud
Page 89 and 90: Environmental performance Sulphur d
Page 91 and 92: Environmental performance Energy In
Page 93 and 94: Environmental performance The NPI d
Page 99: Environmental performance Environme
Page 103 and 104: Environmental performance centre of
Page 105 and 106: Environmental performance case stud
Page 107 and 108: Environmental performance The secon
Page 109 and 110: Environmental performance Elizabeth
Page 113 and 114: GRI index This table indicates wher
Page 115 and 116: Glossary ALABC Australia-Latin Amer
show all

Xstrata Copper North Queensland.pdf - Mount Isa Mines

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?