080121-08MN006-Sabina Hackett River Project Proposal ... - NIRB

Identification of Potential EnvironmentalEffects and Proposed MitigationIn order to minimize the potential for fugitive concentrate in the form of dust or spills,concentrate will be stored in a completely enclosed building, and vehicle handling of theconcentrate will also occur within an enclosed area. Concentrate will only be transported bycovered truck. Concentrate will be transported onto ships via an enclosed ship loader. Dustcollectors will be used along an enclosed conveyor system at transfer points to further minimizefugitive dust caused by ore concentrate. Additional mitigation measures may include suspensionof concentrate transfer to ships under extremely windy conditions, and the washing of trucksdelivering concentrate prior to returning to the mine for additional loads.For vehicle fuel handling, the same mitigation measures used at the mine site will be used at theport site.For potential accidental spills from ships (fuel or concentrate), a Spill Response Plan will be inplace for ship activities. The required materials needed to respond to and contain a fuel spill willbe on site. Spills would be isolated and contained as per the Spill Response Plan.To prevent the effects of ship ballast water on marine water quality, the discharge of ballastwater will not occur while ships are at port.7.3.3.4 Marine Sediment QualityPotential EffectsPotential project-related impacts to marine sediment quality include:• Dust-generating activities (e.g., construction, road use) (TSS)• Runoff or fugitive dust from concentrate storage area (high metals)• Fugitive dust from transferring concentrate to ship (high metals)• Fuel transport and handling (hydrocarbons)• Accidents and malfunctions-concentrate or fuel spillsDust generating activities have the potential to affect marine sediment quality by the depositionof particulate material and settling onto marine sediments. However, the higher energy physicalprocesses occurring in the marine environment (tides, estuarine circulation, waves) compared tofreshwater lakes and streams will result in less direct deposition to marine sediments, asparticulate material will remain within the water column for longer periods of time (compared tolakes and streams).Fugitive dust that could be generated during concentrate loading to ships could potentially settleonto marine sediments and cause elevated metal concentrations.Fuel transport and handling could potentially introduce hydrocarbons to shoreline marinesediments.January 2008 Hackett River Project – Project Proposal Sabina Silver CorporationReport Version B.1 7–29 Rescan Environmental Services Ltd. (Proj. #833-2)