November 2004 (PDF 11.6 MB) - Barrick Gold Corporation

Cowal Gold Project – Noise Management PlanTable 5Summertime L A90 Background Ambient Noise LevelsMonday to Sunday (dBA)Property NameDaytime(7am - 10pm)Night-time(10pm - 7am)Coniston 27 26Lakeside 31 34Lake Cowal 30 25Gumbelah 31 32Source: Richard Heggie Associates, 1997L A10(15 minute) noise level design goals for the Project were developed based on the results of wintertimeand summertime background ambient noise levels in Table 4 and Table 5. These are reflected in theProject construction noise criteria presented in Table 1 (Section 3.1). The operations intrusive noisecriteria (Table 2) have been derived as described in Section 3.2 in accordance with the INP. Theoperations sleep disturbance criteria (Table 2) have been derived in accordance with DECrequirements as per Chapter 19 of the ENCM.5 NOISE IMPACTSSources of noise generation at the Project would include the processing plant (operation phase only),drills, trucks and mobile earthmoving equipment (Richard Heggie Associates, 1997).In order to determine the potential acoustical impact of the Project, a computer model (EnvironmentalNoise Model) was used to assess the relationship between significant proposed noise-emittingactivities, the surrounding terrain, nearby potentially affected residences and bird breeding areas.The major sources of noise were grouped into four distinct categories as follows:• noise emissions from mobile plant and equipment during the construction phase;• noise emissions from mining operations including fixed processing plant and mobile equipment;• ground vibration and air blast emissions resulting from blasting operations (addressed in theBlast Management Plan (BMP)); and• noise emissions from project associated traffic on public roads (addressed in the Traffic NoiseManagement Plan (TNMP)).The following sections will discuss the first two categories of noise sources, with blasting effectsaddressed in the BMP and traffic noise addressed in the TNMP.5.1 IMPACTS DURING CONSTRUCTION PHASEThe following construction works would be required before Project operations commence:• construction of a gravel road along the section of relocated travelling stock reserve;• establishment of the lake protection bund, which provides hydrologic protection to Lake Cowaland sound protection around the perimeter of the mine, waste dumps and process plant;• stripping of waste from the open pit;• commencement of dewatering of aquifers to be intersected by the open pit;• construction of the tailings storages;• construction of the water supply borefield and pipeline across Lake Cowal;HAL-02-07/1/NMP01-P/17/11/04 11 BARRICK