Nkamouna Project Environmental & Social Assessment Executive ...

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The ESAP assigns a significant amount of responsibility to the HSSE Manager. GeoCam will support thisresponsibility by budgeting for sufficient staff to administer the health, safety, social, and environmentaland community development program implementation. This staff includes a Community Liaison Officer(CLO) who will be a key player in the success of public consultation and community developmentprograms.GeoCam employees will periodically receive general health, safety, environmental, and social awarenesstraining that emphasizes each employee’s responsibility for complying with the environmental and sociallaws, regulations, commitments, and policies and guidelines. In addition, GeoCam employees willreceive safety training in programs such as hazard recognition, first aid and cardiopulmonaryresuscitation (CPR), emergency response procedures, job-specific health hazards, environmental, andlegal and regulatory requirements applicable to the Project.3.2 MitigationGeoCam has integrated preventative engineering and mitigation strategies with respect to potentialenvironmental and social impacts into Project development plans since inception of the explorationprogram. Mining and production related facilities will be designed using proven technologies and withdue consideration of best practice methods to reduce potential environmental effects. A range ofalternatives have already been considered and analyzed in order to optimize health, safety,environmental, social, and economic performance of the Nkamouna project. The ESIA has identifiedseveral potential environmental and social impacts that may result from mining operations and themitigation needed to reduce the impacts to acceptable levels. Mitigation measures discussed in theESAP may be broadly categorized as reclamation, biodiversity conservation, water supply assurance,and sustainable community development.3.2.1 ReclamationDevelopment of the Project will impact between approximately ten and 12 km 2 of forest over a 24-yearmine life. Natural forest resources in the mine area will not be available to the local populations duringoperations. However, as presented in the MRCP, GeoCam plans to concurrently rehabilitate disturbedareas to forest/wildlife habitat, thereby limiting total annual land disturbance to approximately 720 ha andnew annual land disturbance to approximately 60 ha.The concepts presented in the MRCP are designed to reclaim site disturbances to forest/wildlife habitat toenhance sources of high value timber forest products. The details of these programs will be furtherdeveloped as mining starts, reclamation programs are established, and on-the-ground techniques aredemonstrated. Public consultation and stakeholder inputs will also be important for establishing final landuse plans.The MRCP is based on the following general objectives:• Limit the area of land disturbance.• Progressively reclaim disturbed land when no longer needed to support the Project.• Optimize project activities to minimize the necessity for post-closure maintenance and monitoring.• After mine closure- salvage buildings, equipment, or materials for which an end use has been identifiedand remove those without value.• Consult with local stakeholders to identify reclamation options which present opportunities for improvednatural resource values or agricultural purposes.• Restore disturbed land to conditions of similar or acceptable natural resource values as existed beforeproject development.Executive Summary, Rev 03-2
• Develop sustainable community and income diversification programs during operations to mitigate thepotential social and economic effects of the mine closure.The current reclamation plan is to revegetate mined out areas proactively and tailings repositories withhigh-value native species, both in terms of non-timber forest products (NTFP) used by local residents andnutritional value to wildlife. Should it be necessary, soil amendments and fertilizers will be used toprovide a productive plant growth medium. Species selection will be accomplished in consultation withlocal residents and Cameroon-based companies and organizations with prior experience in revegetation.The MRCP is based on the current level of biophysical information, mine planning, and developmentdetail. It also relies on stakeholder inputs in the post-mining land use decision-making process. As theProject advances, the plan will be revisited and refined to reflect changes in mine development, operatingplans, environmental conditions, and public inputs. It is the responsibility of the HSSE Manager tooversee the effective implementation of reclamation programs, to evaluate the performance of the variousreclamation initiatives, to improve reclamation procedures over time with an aim toward increasedproductivity and optimum end-use, and to provide the required updates to the MRCP.It is the responsibility of the HSSE Manager to oversee the effective implementation of reclamationprograms, to evaluate the performance of the various reclamation initiatives, to improve reclamationprocedures over time with an aim toward increased productivity, and to provide the required updates tothe MRCP.3.2.2 Biodiversity ConservationThe cumulative impacts of mining by GeoCam will be mitigated by reclamation. However, as it will not bepossible to reconstitute the forest as it presently exists, GeoCam will implement additional measuresaimed at mitigating habitat degradation and potential loss of biodiversity. GeoCam will strongly supportprotection and management of reclaimed areas and the forests adjacent to the Nkamouna site throughpartnerships with stakeholders in these domains. GeoCam developed a BMP that guides thedevelopment and management of biodiversity conservation initiatives.GeoCam will also contribute to biodiversity conservation by supporting government agencies andappropriate NGOs to participate in the planning, design, implementation, and long-term management andmonitoring of conservation areas as well as the management and improvement of critical habitat forgorillas and other important fauna species.The reclamation area management program, including coordination, preparation, administration, andliaison with stakeholders, will be the responsibility of the HSSE Manager.3.2.3 Water Supply AssuranceMany of the local villages in the mine area extract their drinking water supplies from shallow groundwatersources. The Project will extract supply water from the Edjé River, and the PUG TSF will allow storage ofwater for use in the process to reduce the need to withdraw water from the Edjé River during prolongeddry periods.Process water and tailings decant water is due to be recycled during operations. The CCD TSFs areprovided with a synthetic liner and underdrainage collection system and will be covered with a syntheticliner at closure. In addition, CCD tailings storage pond water will be treated prior to discharge to theenvironment.Owing to the distance separating Nkamouna from the nearest communities, the mitigated potential forimpacts on water quality and supply is considered to be low. However, surface water and groundwaterwill be monitored, as well as local drinking water supplies, on a regular basis and additional mitigationmeasures will be implemented if necessary.Executive Summary, Rev 03-3
Page 1 and 2: Geovic Cameroon PLCNkamouna Project
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