A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining

Water Management (LP Water)
This handbook addresses sustainable priorities within the mining sector for water
management. Water is integral to virtually all mining activities and typically the
prime medium that can carry pollutant into the wider environment. It can also
be a major source of community concern relating to its usage, particularly in
areas with established reliance on agricultural or other water intensive industries.
Consequently, sound water management is fundamental for all mining operations.
Water must be managed at all stages of the life cycle of minerals operations. A key
principle to sound water management is the recognition of water as an asset with
social, cultural, environmental, and economic value.
Working with Indigenous Communities (LP Indigenous)
This handbook acknowledges the traditional and historical connection that
Aboriginal people have to the land, and the effects of colonisation and development,
including mining. It will also address cross cultural issues and how mine operations
impact on neighbouring Indigenous communities. Issues to do with the recognition
of land rights and native title are discussed as well as how relationships are
developed and fostered between mining companies and Indigenous communities
through agreement making. Recognition of differences in culture, language, law and
custom are an important part of these processes, and some principles of community
engagement are discussed.
This reference guide consolidates the information in the handbooks into a single
reference guide, organised in such a way to reflect the life cycle of a mining
operation. Reflecting their importance in highlighting the key messages, selected
case studies have been retained. The handbooks have proven to be extremely
popular internationally and therefore in this reference book, a number of
international case studies have been used to emphasise the global applicability of the
key messages. These case studies were not in the LP handbooks.
Chapter 1 provides the background and context and attempts to define the concept of
sustainable development and mining. Chapters 2 to 5 reflect the life cycle of a mining
operation, commencing with pre-development (mineral exploration and feasibility),
development (construction and infrastructure), operations (mining and processing)
and post-development (rehabilitation and closure). The Chapters are in turn arranged
in the key areas of sustainable development reflected by the 14 themes listed above.
The structure is designed to enable a reader to quickly access a key area of
sustainability throughout the life cycle of a mine. For example a mine manager may
be interested in leading practices in water course diversion during the development
phase of a mine. The key points and a case study highlighting the points are provided
in Chapter 3, development and construction, water management.
Although this guide was primarily the work of a single author, there were numerous
contributors to it, principally through their work in the original Handbook
compilation. Individual contributors are listed at the end of this guide. It is stressed
that this guide is a consolidation of the Handbooks and where relevant, selected
sections are re-emphasised in this publication.
A GUIDE TO LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN MINING 5