A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining

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poor erosion controls during construction can result in increased sediment loads. to water courses during rainfall events. proper storage and handling of fuels and lubricants, and sound workshop. management can reduce long-term contamination from spillages. proper identification and handling of topsoils and other growth media, and. control of dusting from these stockpiles, can assist immediate and long-term. environmental management. Risk Management Given the long-term implications of decisions made at the project development phase, it is vital that risk assessment workshops are held at key stages—usually at pre-feasibility, feasibility and project execution stages. The outcomes of these risk workshops should drive decisions on the future direction of the project. The nature of mining can often present a range of uncertainties—on the extent of environmental impacts, social benefits, economic outcomes, geologic conditions and even political risks. Stakeholders will have different perceptions of uncertainty and the various aspects of mining. As noted in Enduring Value, implementing sustainable development principles requires mining professionals to consider the complexity of stakeholder relationships that may exist over the long term and at great distances. Uncertainty arises due to the complex inter-relationships between economic, environmental and social risks. This situation is illustrated in the case study: Risk Management of the Ok Tedi Project, Papua New Guinea. This one mine has probably been responsible for more anti-mining words, films and other media and legal action than any other mine in recent history. It has galvanised a generation against mining, particularly in developing countries, it has given impetus and momentum (and funding) to NGOs and environmental activists opposed to the mining industry and, built the reputation of one Australian law firm. The Ok Tedi copper-gold deposit was discovered in the 1960s and subsequently developed by an international consortium led by BHP Ltd in the mid-1980s. The project is located in the Star Mountains of Western Papua New Guinea (PNG). The remote region has intense rainfall, steep and rugged mountains, is prone to landslides and is also within a seismically active area. The engineering challenges for mine waste and environmental management in this context are significant. There are a multitude of risks which need to be considered with a project such as Ok Tedi. The extent and nature of environmental impacts present numerous and varied risks—during operation as well as during closure, and following rehabilitation. The social risks are difficult to assess—who receives benefits versus negative impacts, and are further complicated by the varying perceptions of the nature of social risks (within PNG and externally in the developed world). Initially the economic impacts and risks of the project may appear to be easy to ascertain and assess but the costs and externalities derived from environmental and social impacts can be very significant and impact on project economics. A GUIDE TO LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN MINING 79
Operating major mining projects presents an array of governance and government risks. For example, when governments are minority investors in projects (the receivers of royalties and taxes) as well as regulators, the perceived conflict of interest and need for transparency presents major challenges. The Ok Tedi project and the dilemmas it raises are not unique in the world—the multi-faceted and interconnected nature of risk is at the heart of the sustainability debate. The mining industry can contribute to sustainable development by striving to understand the complex relationships between social, environmental, economic and governance risks. The Ok Tedi case has helped to lift the awareness of these issues in the mining industry as well as the public realm along with the need to implement sound risk management for such large and complex projects and improve the global mining industry’s approach to risks and sustainability (see LP Risk p.7). Figure 3.4 – The Ok Tedi mine in Papua New Guinea Stewardship Stewardship involves the care and management of a commodity through its life cycle. The idea of a life cycle can cover the exploration, mining, processing, refining, fabricating, use, recovery, recycling and disposal of a mineral product. Stewardship needs to be an integrated program of actions aimed at ensuring that all materials, processes, goods and services are managed throughout the life cycle in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Stewardship is an evolving concept within the mining industry aimed at building partnerships throughout the life cycle of materials to ensure the sustainability of their production, use and disposal. While participants in each sector have a 80 LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY
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LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELO
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Disclaimer This publication has bee
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3.0 DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION 61
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Leading Practi
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viii LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE D
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1.0 INTRODUCTION The Purpose and La
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Airborne Contaminants, Noise and Vi
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Water Management (LP Water) This ha
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Site water team Corporate managemen
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Sustainable Mining There is no one
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Mining the resource efficiently. Th
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Efficiency SUSTAINABLE MINING PRACT
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LOCATION: Vilabouly District, Savan
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Leading Practice The handbooks in t
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2.0 PRE-DEVELOPMENT: MINERAL EXPLOR
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The application of high standard en
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The Business Case for Sustainabilit
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The information obtained from these
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conditions are appropriate. In NSW,
Page 40 and 41: Such richness also brings challenge
Page 42 and 43: The dunefields of Shelburne Bay had
Page 44 and 45: Community Engagement in the Early S
Page 46 and 47: Baseline studies and social impact
Page 48 and 49: Upon completion of the study, resea
Page 50 and 51: The scenarios envisaged for the Wat
Page 52 and 53: 2. Reflections on the significance
Page 54 and 55: Engaging with Indigenous communitie
Page 56 and 57: Figure 2.9 - A New Township under C
Page 58 and 59: Geochemical assessment aims to iden
Page 60 and 61: Regardless of the project phase (ex
Page 62 and 63: Evaluating Performance: Monitoring
Page 64 and 65: For these reasons, it is important
Page 66 and 67: Risk Management and Exploration Exp
Page 68 and 69: Post-mining & closure Resource deve
Page 70: level of family diversity was maint
Page 73 and 74: Introduction The development and co
Page 75 and 76: MINE: Mt Todd LOCATION: Near Kather
Page 77 and 78: Airborne Contaminants, Noise and Vi
Page 79 and 80: Biodiversity Management During Deve
Page 81 and 82: Rather than taking a generic approa
Page 83 and 84: Step 2: Working in collaboration On
Page 85 and 86: course was designed to train and pr
Page 87 and 88: Adjustments for changes in the mine
Page 89: indicators of high importance durin
Page 93 and 94: the earliest stage of development,
Page 95 and 96: Watercourse diversions In order to
Page 97 and 98: Figure 3.7 - Morwell River after di
Page 99 and 100: tailings disposal techniques contin
Page 101 and 102: Figure 4.2 - Predicted blast overpr
Page 103 and 104: Responsible management of biodivers
Page 105 and 106: Leading practice management of wate
Page 107 and 108: MINE: Pierina Mine LOCATION: Distri
Page 109 and 110: Weipa - a sustainable approach to t
Page 111 and 112: Adopting the International Cyanide
Page 113 and 114: Box 1: Major recent incidents invol
Page 115 and 116: MINE: Chatree gold mine LOCATION: P
Page 117 and 118: The audit outcomes also highlight t
Page 119 and 120: Mercury for gold recovery in small/
Page 121 and 122: Figure 4.9 - Geological control to
Page 123 and 124: highest rating group for the whole
Page 125 and 126: Figure 4.13 - Beverley uranium mine
Page 127 and 128: from 2.5 - 3.0 tonnes/man-shift to
Page 129 and 130: Figure 4.17 - Sunrise Dam TSF Taili
Page 131 and 132: Dry stacking bauxite residue is now
Page 133 and 134: Once the water is used underground
Page 135 and 136: The Rio Tinto “Excellence in Wate
Page 137 and 138: Background Image: Sourced from GOOG
Page 139 and 140: Company policies and government reg
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5.0 MINE REHABILITATION AND CLOSURE
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Closure involves the implementation
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Biodiversity and Closure Introducti
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e better than the high standard bei
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Figure 5.7 - Pasture and shelter tr
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The Argyle Diamonds case study (see
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support and on site accommodation a
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Having the right information to mak
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Figure 5.13 - Misima after rehabili
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In January 2011, the PNG government
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MINE: Former lignite mines LOCATION
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Fig 5.16: Former Minister Stein Coa
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Figure 5.19 - Rehabilitated mine si
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Figure 5.21 - Pit water treatment p
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Final Rehabilitation Rehabilitation
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Figure 5.23: Aerial view of Area 4
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Landform construction In general, e
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The Hsin-Chen Shan quarry terrain i
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Figure 5.29 - Spreading topsoil at
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Risk Management Risk at closure and
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During the 1980s and 1990s, a numbe
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An example of direct vegetation is
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Water Management Central to a mine
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Department of Resources, Energy and
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GLOSSARY AND ACRONYMS Abandoned min
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Biodiversity offsets Conservation a
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Cultural heritage Cultural heritage
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Engagement At its simplest, engagem
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High rate thickener A thickener thr
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NAPP Net Acid Producing Potential,
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Product stewardship This is perhaps
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Risk management process The risk ma
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Sustainable development Sustainable
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A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining

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