A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining

The audit outcomes also highlight to the Executive Committee and Board any
material deficiencies or risks that could impact significantly on the reputation or
financial strength of the business from a social and environmental responsibility
perspective. Importantly, this type of audit also integrates the areas of health, safety,
environment and community into mainstream business processes and decision
making (see LP Monitoring p.96).
In situations where a number of mining operations are present, including closed
or abandoned mines where no company has ongoing management responsibility,
monitoring in conjunction with regulators may be required. An excellent example of
monitoring by a regulator is in the Northern Territory of Australia. The Department
of Regional Development, Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources undertakes
an environmental water quality check monitoring program to track and regulate
the environmental performance of selected mine sites identified as carrying high
environmental risk in relation to water management. This is especially important
given the intensity of the wet–dry monsoonal climate in the Top End, and the relative
isolation of operations in Central Australia.
The check monitoring program includes the collection of ground and surface water
and, in some instances, sediment and biological samples (macroinvertebrates and
fish), and the installation of automatic loggers. In addition, selected programs are
designed to provide a broader assessment of potential impacts on larger catchments
from multiple mining operation point sources. The program serves as a comparative
tool to independently evaluate monitoring data provided by the operators and assess
how they are tracking in relation to their commitments under the Northern Territory
Mining Management Act 2001.
To ensure high-quality sampling, the Northern Territory Government has invested in
a custom-built 4WD mounted module locally known as the ‘Lab Truck’, the functions
of which provide considerable advantage over monitoring conducted in open air. The
module provides a controlled environment that significantly reduces contamination
of water samples with airborne matter and prevents oxidation of the sample by
preventing exposure to air. This is particularly important in measuring operations
where contamination limits may be close to background levels, for example, within
Kakadu National Park.
The department has found that regular interaction with mine operators is beneficial
in ensuring that environmental monitoring is effectively linked to management
strategies within the operator’s environmental management system. Additionally,
this cooperative and iterative approach provides assurance to the community that
environmental concerns are being adequately and independently managed
(see LP Monitoring p.23).
106 LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY