November 2004 (PDF 11.6 MB) - Barrick Gold Corporation

7 Mitigating noise from industrial sources7.1 IntroductionThe processes described in Sections 2 to 6 establishthe project-specific noise levels and the predictednoise levels from the source. When the predictednoise level from the noise source exceeds the projectspecificnoise levels, mitigation measures that willreduce noise levels to meet the project-specific noiselevels need to be considered. The degree of noiseimpact quantifies the extent of mitigation required,and points to an appropriate mix of noise controlmeasures to be adopted as a mitigation strategy.This policy focuses on achieving the desired environmentaloutcomes—there is no prescribed managementor mitigation strategy to achieve theproject-specific noise levels. In this way, the noisesourcemanager is given maximum flexibility incontrolling noise.The sections below provide guidance on whatmitigation and management measures might beappropriate for particular types of developmentassociated with specific noise problems.Essentially, there are three main mitigation strategiesfor noise control:1. Controlling noise at the source.There are two approaches: Best ManagementPractice (BMP) and Best Available TechnologyEconomically Achievable (BATEA). Theseare described in Section 7.2.2. Controlling the transmission of noise.There are two approaches: the use of barriersand land-use controls—which attenuatenoise by increasing the distance betweensource and receiver. These are detailed inSection 7.3.3. Controlling noise at the receiver.These measures are detailed in Section 7.4.The overall approach to assessing appropriatestrategies is outlined in Section 7.5.The management of short-term exceedances forwhich mitigation is impractical is discussed inSection 7.6.A set of generic mitigation measures that may applyto industrial development in general, plus additionalmeasures for specific types of development,are set out in Section 7.7.7.2 Controlling noise at the sourceBest management practiceBest management practice (BMP) is the adoption ofparticular operational procedures that minimisenoise while retaining productive efficiency.When an appropriate mitigation strategy thatincorporates expensive engineering solutions isbeing considered, the extent to which cheaper, nonengineering-orientedBMP can contribute to therequired reduction of noise should be taken intoaccount.Application of BMP includes the following types ofpractice:• in open-cut mines: restricting movement oftrucks on ridgelines and exposed haul routeswhere their noise can propagate over a widearea, especially at night. This meansrestricting night-time movement of spoil toareas shielded by barriers or mounds, andreserving large-scale spoil movement fordaytime• scheduling the use of noisy equipment at theleast-sensitive time of day• siting noisy equipment behind structures thatact as barriers, or at the greatest distance fromthe noise-sensitive area; or orienting theequipment so that noise emissions aredirected away from any sensitive areas, toachieve the maximum attenuation of noise• where there are several noisy pieces ofequipment, scheduling operations so they areused separately rather than concurrently• keeping equipment well maintainedNSW industrial noise policy38