Minmetals Resources Limited 2011 Sustainability Report (PDF)

CASE STUDY: Business and Biodiversity Offset Project (BBOP)A BBOP will protect and enrich plant and animalspecies beyond where the mine operates.Miners are usually interested in rock samples. However,over the last year, Sepon has also been collecting samplesof something rather different: animal dung. Elephants,gibbons and other important species can be found ineastern Savannakhet province, where the mine is located.Collecting dung samples is just one of the methods used toestimate animal populations and assess habitats aroundthe mine.In partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society(WCS), a BBOP is being developed. BBOP compensatesfor the likely impacts on biodiversity from mining withinitiatives to protect and manage species and habitatsbeyond the places where the mine operates.Developing the project involved identifying species ofanimals in the area, mapping their habitats, evaluatingthreats to them and deciding an appropriate offsetmeasure (usually investment into the enhancementof biodiversity in another vulnerable location).Around 30 species of animals were identified aspotential candidates for conservation, including anumber of International Union for Conservation ofNature (IUCN) Red List endangered species. Theirpresence was confirmed through a review of previousassessments, recorded sightings by camera trap andconversations with local hunters.Siamese crocodile enhancement projectSepon’s Siamese crocodile conservation work withthe Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is highlysignificant as only 100 of the species are believedto be left in the wild in Laos.Since 2008, Sepon has been working with the WCSto promote the conservation and enhancement of theSiamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), which is anIUCN Red List species. While not found inside the minearea, crocodiles are found in the western portion of theSavannakhet Province, and elsewhere in Laos. Year 2011was the third year of the project, which has includedhabitat mapping, location of animals and nests, habitatenhancement and community education. In May 2011,a Siamese crocodile nest was discovered containing 20eggs, which was highly significant as only 100 suchcrocodiles are believed to be left in the wild in Laos.In late August 2011, the eggs were taken to VientianeZoo to raise the juveniles in captivity for 18 to 24months. They will be released into the wild when theyare large enough to fend off predators.Sepon elephant population updateThe size and genetic diversity of the Seponelephant population is of national significance.Sepon has also been researching Asian elephant (Elephasmaximus) populations in the immediate region aroundthe mine to develop a better understanding of thepopulation and habitat requirements. This is oneof a handful of such scientifically rigorous populationassessments conducted in Laos. Two areas of the minesite are considered to be “hot spots”, with elephantsfrequently sighted by Sepon employees and localfarmers. The research uses DNA techniques to analysedung samples and identify individual animals. Onehundred and forty-two dung samples were analysed,and a statistical test was carried out to estimate thepopulation size of 51 animals.A juvenille Siamese crocodile.© Liz Leyden/iStockphotoThe Asian elephant.60