A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining

For a medium-term monitoring plan, it is important that the link is made to
medium-term construction/production plans so that any change in production
or infrastructure enables adjustments to be made to the monitoring programs.
For example, if the annual production rate is to increase, then pre-clearing
monitoring may be required over much larger areas than previously planned.
There is also a need to review the findings of annual monitoring programs
to determine whether there is any need to change management practices.
Life-of-mine plans for monitoring need to be reviewed at frequencies which
reflect the rate of change of the operation. In the early stages, when the
rate of change may be greatest, there may be a need for an annual review
of the monitoring program in the context of life-of-mine/closure planning.
When the project accelerates or decelerates, there is a need to review
monitoring programs frequently. For example, toward the end of a resource
there is a risk that closure or handover to another operator (change
of ownership) may cause a shift in the focus which means that certain
information (for example, completion criteria, community impacts due to
closure, socioeconomic studies of local business impacts) is needed sooner.
For abandoned mines or mines that have suspended operations and
may be in a care and maintenance phase for an extended period of time,
having a record (no matter how old) of past monitoring plans, data and
maps showing monitoring sites is invaluable. Such information provides a
sound basis for risk assessment focused on developing a closure plan.
In summary, the key element is to ensure monitoring programs are aligned to
production/construction aspects of operational planning. While many monitoring
components may be defined through the ESIA process and formalised through
regulatory documents (such as licences and authorities), there are other components
which are internally driven to develop site-specific methods and datasets for other
purposes (for example, using water and energy more efficiently). Documentation
of overall monitoring plans is essential if continuity is to be maintained between
generations, as some mines have very long lives. Such plans are also helpful when
there is a change of ownership to maintain the momentum of monitoring programs
and minimise data gaps at critical stages.
Monitoring for social performance over project stages
As indicated in the Leading Practice Monitoring handbook (sections 3.2 and 3.3) and
other handbooks in this series, planning and development for an effective monitoring
framework should occur as early as possible in a project’s life cycle. The earlier an
operation is able to establish the regional socioeconomic starting point or baseline,
the more that operation will be able to clearly delineate, track and understand the
changes that take place in a community as a result of the project.
It may be necessary over the course of a project to adjust a monitoring framework
and enable indicators to take into account shifts in operational circumstances.
Examples of these can include major transitions from construction to operations;
expansion programs; changes in workforce delivery mechanisms, such as the
introduction of fly-in-fly-out; or unplanned contraction. For projects with a long life,
say 25 years or more, or operations established in a greenfields environment, the
A GUIDE TO LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN MINING 77