November 2004 (PDF 11.6 MB) - Barrick Gold Corporation

Cowal Gold Project – Noise Management Plan15 INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION PROCESSIn accordance with Consent Condition 8.4(a)(iii), Barrick will arrange independent noise investigationsas provided in Consent Condition 11.1. Consent Condition 11.1(a) outlines the independentinvestigation process in the event that a landowner considers noise levels are in excess of relevantDEC criteria at their dwelling. In accordance with DEC requirements, consideration will be given tothe general principles of Chapter 11 of the INP (Appendix A) during the independent investigationprocess. The consent condition is reproduced below. Consent Conditions 11.1(b) to (e) arereproduced in Section 16.11.1 Area of Affectation - Land Acquisition (including resolution of disputes)Note: In Condition 11.1 (a)-(e) "land" means the whole of a lot in a current plan registered at the Land TitlesOffice as at the date of this consent.(a) (i) In the event that landowners consider that noise and/or dust from the Cowal Gold mining operationsat their dwelling(s) is in excess of the criteria set out in this consent or the relevant EPA amenitycriteria for noise and/or dust levels, and the Director-General, in consultation with the EPA, issatisfied that an investigation is required, the Applicant shall upon receipt of a written request:• appoint a qualified independent person to undertake direct discussions with the landownersaffected to ascertain their concerns and to plan and implement an investigation to quantify theimpact and determine the sources of the effect, and• bear the cost of the independent investigation and make available plans, programmes andother information necessary for the independent person to form an appreciation of the past,present and future mining operations and their effects on noise and/or dust emissions.(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)The investigation is to be carried out by a qualified independent person in accordance with adocumented Plan. The Plan shall be designed and implemented to measure and/or compute (withappropriate calibration by measurement) the relevant noise and/or dust levels at the complainant’sdwelling emitted by the current normal mining operations.The independent person, the Plan and the timing of its implementation shall be approved by theDirector-General, in consultation with BSC, the EPA, the affected landowner and the Applicant. Areport of the investigation shall be provided to the Director-General, the EPA, the Applicant and theaffected landowner.The results of the investigation shall be assessed and reported by the independent person in thelight of the mine’s current operations and proposed short, medium and long term developmentplans.If the independent noise and/or dust investigation finds that the relevant criteria are being exceededby noise and/or dust emission from normal mining operations, the Applicant shall:• modify those areas of the mining operation which are causing the exceedances; or• undertake other measures, as agreed with the affected landowner, to ameliorate the effects ofthe impact, within three (3) months or as otherwise directed by the EPA.(vi)(vii)Within two (2) months after the expiry of the three (3) month period in sub-clause (v) above, andupon written request from the landowner, the Applicant shall arrange for a further independentnoise and/or dust investigation to be completed.If the investigation in sub-clause (vi) above finds that the relevant noise and/or dust emission levelsfrom normal mine operations exceed relevant amenity criteria, the Applicant shall purchase theproperty within six months of receipt of a written request from the owner of the affected property.HAL-02-07/1/NMP01-P/17/11/04 35 BARRICK