Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
to shoulder the associated costs for transportation, accommodation, and presentation.
often, the mine proponent provides logistical assistance to the review panel to facilitate
the review process. Fear of perceived corruption (and corporate rules) can limit the propo-
nent's ability to provide such assistance that may include: (1) organizing and i nancing study
tours to existing mines where proposed mining and mineral processing technologies are
applied; (2) providing logistic and i nancial assistance in arranging workshops and EIA pres-
entations; and (3) inviting recognized industry experts to provide seminars on selected topics.
There is a common misperception that environmental permitting by means of the EIA
process is the sole environmental permit that is required to commence mine construction
and operation. Bureaucratic reality differs. Operating a large mine may require obtaining
and maintaining several hundred operating permits, some at local, others at central gov-
ernment level, with quite a few directly related to the larger aspects of environment (see
Chapter Four for an example of environmental permit requirements for a relatively small
underground gold mine in Indonesia).
Fear of perceived corruption
(and corporate rules) can limit
the proponent's ability to provide
such assistance.
Operating a large mine may
require obtaining and maintaining
several hundred operating
permits.
2.9 THE COSTS OF DELAY
Delays in EIA approval are common. Among other reasons, they may be caused by issues
raised by anti-mining activists. However, there are many other contributing factors. The
mining company may have yet to decide on i nal mine planning. Review and approval
may be delayed to accommodate different points of view within or among government
agencies ( Case 2.8 ). The host government may assign its best civil servants who are most
likely overloaded with a variety of duties, and hence will be slow in their study review. In
developing countries, a delay in EIA approval may also occur due to the simple fact that
the distribution of EIA documents to review panel members proves to be too time and
cost intensive for the review panel. Members of the review panel are likely to ask for study
clarii cation, even when the issues are well covered in the report. They may do so simply
because they have not read the EIA reports.
There is also the issue of corruption. Underpaid or venal bureaucrats who have the power
to prevent, delay or halt the approval or construction process know that time is money for
Underpaid or venal bureaucrats
who have the power to prevent,
delay or halt the approval or
construction process know
that time is money for mine
developers.
CASE 2.8
Getting Trapped in the Red Tape
in the middle of the night in a lather - agonising about
when we will ever get the … Project up and running.
The Forestry bastards beat me in the end but the com-
pany will prevail!
Thanks to all of you in making life more bearable up
in …. I will miss my trips up there (but you might not
have seen the last of me yet). I will retire until I have
written my memoirs and a few papers or get bored shit-
less (maybe 1-2 weeks) but hope to be doing a bit of
consulting for … and whomever else.
Kindest regards and best wishes'
Although the mine proponent received offi cial govern-
ment approval for the environmental impact assessment,
the decision was subsequently challenged by the Ministry
of Forestry. Ironically, representatives of the Ministry of
Forestry were members of the inter-departmental EIA
approval commission. As of 2007, the issue is still unre-
solved causing a delay of mine development of more than
two years, and the early retirement of the Senior Project
Manager. His retirement notice says it all:
'Dear All
Please note that I am retiring from fulltime work for
the … group as of today in order to stop waking up
 
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