Environment
The Company is committed to building relationships through well-targeted social, safety and environmental programmes. Resolute aims to support the local communities by assisting with programmes and projects that deliver lasting benefits. Resolute is committed to achieving the best balance between protection of the environment and economic development. Resolute’s Environmental Policy provides the objectives for the environmental management programmes to be achieved by its operations, as:
- comply with and, where appropriate, exceed the requirements of applicable legislation, regulations and other policies, codes and standards to which we subscribe
- progressively develop, implement and maintain environmental management systems that are consistent with internationally recognised standards
- integrate environmental processes throughout all aspects of our activities
- identify and assess the potential environmental effects of our activities and manage environmental risk continually improve and regularly monitor, audit and review our environmental performance, including the reduction and prevention of impacts and more efficient use of resources
- promote environmental awareness among our personnel and contractors to increase understanding of their roles and responsibilities in environmental management
- develop our people and provide resources to meet our environmental objectives
- promote our environmental progress and performance through liaison with and public reporting to the Government and community
Golden Pride Mine – Tanzania
Environmental performance at Golden Pride continues to improve and highlights include: the continued development of departmental staff with two internal promotions this year an invitation from the National Environment Management Council to present a number of papers at the Third Scientific Conference on Environmental Sustainability in Tanzania: Mining and Environment external auditing of and improvement in the water monitoring programme, and the submission of the Draft Statutory Mine Closure Plan to Government with full stakeholder consultation starting for this plan
Support for community endeavors with improvements to the wider environment continued through donations of seedlings to local groups. We were also involved with further development of a community tree nursery. We continue to help develop the Kilimi apiary project which produced its first batch of honey this year.
Less area was available for rehabilitation compared with previous years due to operational requirements over the mine footprint. However, on sections of the perimeter slope to the tailings storage facility nearly 6,300 tree seedlings were planted. These plant species grow naturally in the area. Progressive rehabilitation of waste-rock dumps will continue in the next reporting period. This will reduce the sediment load in storm water runoff.
Water Management
Surface and groundwater monitoring continued on a monthly basis. This year, based on audit findings, methods for sampling and sample storage and preservation were changed to improve confidence in results for the groundwater sampled.
Emissions
Dust monitoring continued and showed that dust from the mine site is not harming surrounding properties.
Tailings
The annual audit of tailings storage facilities showed these were being operated efficiently and there were no major issues with structural stability or adherence to procedures. In the third quarter of the financial year a minor fault in construction was identified by a low-volume expression of decant water at the interface between the decant structure and facility wall. The expressed water was redirected to the engineered-containment facility and remedial earthworks were promptly completed.
Compliance
The annual audit as required by the Environmental Management Act, 2004 was completed in June this year. The report is to be submitted to the relevant authority early in the coming financial year.
Three non-compliance issues were carried over from the 2007-2008 financial year, of which the two following issues were closed out in the 2008-2009 financial year:
- Potential for poor water quality off site from the lack of stormwater drainage controls at the mine contractors yard. A “Constructed Wetland” was built and established this year to capture run off and this facility has successfully captured and treated all surface-water runoff from the yard over this year’s wet season. This issue is now resolved.
- Environmental awareness training for site personnel not fully implemented. The issue is now resolved with a number of environmental training modules developed and rolled out this year on issues such as hydrocarbon spill management and waste separation. These have been included in the relevant training matrices for personnel on site.
The third issue of compliance which carried over into the 2008-2009 reporting period relates to total suspended solids and total iron levels in surface waters at the Ibole River monitoring site on the mine boundary.
In the reporting period 2008-2009 there were other excursions in levels of total suspended solids, Total iron measurements as well as slightly alkaline pH at this surface water monitoring in the Ibole River.
The Ibole River flows across the mining concession. Total suspended solids and total iron measurements in river water flowing onto the mining concession are often much higher than the statutory levels prescribed for these water quality parameters, as much of the regional landscape is disturbed by agriculture and clearing. Interestingly the pH of some surface waters around site are naturally at slightly alkaline levels.
Similar excursions in these water quality parameters were measured in samples from groundwater monitor bores. Elsewhere, at two locations, low pH of groundwater (about 5.5) may be an artifact of natural conditions and the trend will be reviewed in the next reporting period.
Some of these measurements may be due in part to sampling with the changes in pump type, pumping depth and progressive-skill development of the field team. The integrity of the bores is being improved as protection at the surface of some bores has been damaged.
It is somewhat equivocal to define these measurements as excursions or non-compliances and it is a matter to be engaged with the Government when the site in due course moves into the closure phase. This has started with the training support offered to the Government Chemist. Additionally the progressive rehabilitation of waste rock dumps planned for 2009-2010 will continue to improve the quality of storm water runoff from site.
Syama Mine – Mali
During this reporting period Syama Mine was in a commissioning phase at the processing plant. This allowed the main environmental activities for the year to focus on the installation of a monitoring system for air quality and emissions as well as further development of environmental monitoring systems.
Rehabilitation
A study of the opportunities and risks for land rehabilitation at Syama Mine was undertaken in March 2009 so that the landform shape, rock and soil types could be determined. Construction of a plant nursery for rehabilitation is near completion. An annual production of 20,000 seedlings native to the mine area is forecast.
Water Management
Monitoring of surface and groundwater quality continues to show that it is generally within acceptable values. There are however high dissolved salt levels in seepage water near the Syama tailings storage facility. These water quality issues pre-date Resolute management of Syama. It is planned that the seepage will be contained by the construction of an engineered facility downstream of this tailings storage facility. Cyanide analysis is now being undertaken on site down to environmental detection limits. All samples taken at environmental monitoring points have returned levels below the relevant compliance limit.
Emissions
Emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxides to the air from the roaster for gold concentrate will be measured with new analysers installed during the reporting period. When fully operational these will enable real-time measurements for the protection of air quality at Fourou village, which is the major population centre nearest to Syama Mine.
A specialist to monitor air quality has been recruited into the Environmental department to ensure data integrity and provide continuous improvement of the monitoring system. Training and awareness for site staff are ongoing.
Compliance
During 2009 an infringement notice was issued to Somisy for unauthorised vegetation clearance within the Kambergue Nature Conservation Area. This area is within an existing exploration lease. Discussions are ongoing with the Malian Department of Environment in order to clarify the land use classification of this area.
Ravenswood Mine – Queensland
The Ravenswood Gold Mine continued to place due importance on environmental management. Work continues at site on maintaining and improving the Safety, Health and Environment Management System. A key area of focus in the year was to improve the internal reporting of monitoring data across the site to ensure all key stakeholders are informed of results.
Rehabilitation
Progressive rehabilitation on the Sarsfield waste rock dump and the decommissioning of the general waste dump were important field programmes in the reporting period. About 25ha were completely rehabilitated and an additional 20ha of earthworks were commissioned during the year.
The monitoring of rehabilitated and natural or analogue sites using “Ecological Functional Analysis” showed further stabilisation of soil by plant growth. Liaison with the State EPA continued on the final acceptance criteria for rehabilitation effectiveness for full or partial relinquishment of mining leases in the future.
Weed Management
The 2009 weed management programme centred on the eradication of “Chinee Apple”, “Rubber Vine”, “Parthenium” and “Lantana”. The programme covered about 300ha with initial knock down of weeds carried out in several areas. Mechanical removal of Chinee Apple was trialled and promises to be more effective and to reduce greatly the use of chemical spray.
Waste Management
Waste management programmes are being improved for recycling, reuse and disposal. The trialing of a contract waste removal company started at the Mt Wright site. It has proven to be successful to date by eliminating the disposal of waste on site.
Water Management
Emphasis was placed on ensuring full compliance with all water extraction permits. This involved additional monitoring of the Burdekin River which is used as the main water source for Ravenswood. All monitoring was conducted as requested by the Department of Natural Resources and Water. Monitoring indicated that Ravenswood Mine did not adversely impact on the environmental flows of the Burdekin River.
Emissions
During the reporting period Resolute continued as a signatory to the Federal Government programme, Greenhouse Challenge Plus, whereby greenhouse gas emissions are determined, investigated and emission abatement measures are made. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions occurred through the completion of mining in the Sarsfield Pit and the shift to the processing of low grade stockpiles. This greatly reduced diesel use for “load and haul of rock” without reducing ore feed to the mill. During the year Resolute also became a signatory to the Federal Government schemes, “National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting” and “Energy Efficiency Opportunities.” There were no large increases in emissions calculated for the National Pollution Inventory.
Blast Overpressure Limits
The regulatory blasting limits for Ravenswood Gold Mine were met during the year. With the closure of the Sarsfield Pit, blasting in the proximity of the Ravenswood community ceased, eliminating this risk from the operation.
Dust
Throughout the year dust management has focused on the Mt Wright haul road. This has included the use of polymers applied to the road surface to reduce dust, road noise and maintenance. A higher watering rate was used on parts of the haul road where the dust-binding polymers were not as effective to ensure dust emissions in these sections are at a minimum.
Tailings
The In-pit tailings storage facility was commissioned with tailings now being discharged to the Sarsfield Pit after mining ceased.
Compliance
The main compliance issues for the site during the reporting period related to water quality in seepage as follows:
- sulphate concentrations in seepage related groundwater near the above-ground tailings storage facility. (A report with recommendations was submitted to the EPA for review).
- cadmium and sulphate concentrations in water from a natural spring below the Buck Reef Waste Dump (Access was prevented for live stock to this small and localised impact in co-operation with the grazier for the area).
- copper levels in pit water discharge. (A Transitional Environmental Programme to discharge pit water off site was approved by the EPA for accumulation of extreme wet season rainfall. The discharge stopped with coincident measurements for copper content and the need for future discharge stopped along with mining from that pit).
- cadmium levels in an ephemeral stream near an historic mine (Options for this historic site are being considered).
Audits and Reviews
Monitoring programmes and data recorded for “Acid Rock Drainage” were reviewed during the year providing valuable information for rehabilitation methods for some waste rock types.
Eastern Goldfields – Western Australia
Financial closure obligations were significantly reduced during the year as a result of a large area of rehabilitation earthworks being completed at Bullabulling. Seeding of these areas in the next reporting period will largely complete the obligations at this site.
A review of rehabilitation obligations at Hopes Hill (closed mine site) is planned, whereas the nomination of this site to the EPA during the reporting period as suspected contaminated site is statutory and precautionary obligation for many mine sites in the absence of historical information about past impacts.
