Environmental Impact Assessment - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 108

however, is not always shared by all technical personnel in charge of preparing the mine
feasibility study and obtaining mine approval. They may see environmental assessment as
an environmental permitting exercise. As a result, efforts are kept to a minimum, and the
opportunity to elevate management of environmental and social aspects of mine operation
from the very beginning to a level of importance equivalent to technical mine manage-
ment is lost. Similarly, compilers of the EIA often lack the experience or the interest to
view an environmental impact assessment study as anything more than an academic exer-
cise to support a permitting effort.

Not an Afterthought . Considering the many challenges involved in developing a mine
prospect to the bankable feasibility stage, initiation of environmental assessment is fre-
quently postponed as long as possible without jeopardizing overall mine development.
Again the importance of environmental planning at an early stage and its benei ts for
future mine operation are poorly understood.

In emerging countries, where
mining companies are challenged
to include local communities and
experts as much as possible in
mine planning and operation, the
appointment of local universities
to prepare the EIA is a
convenient tool to accommodate
nationalistic pressures.

Not a Scientii c or Academic Exercise . Environmental assessment studies are often con-
sidered to be the domain of scientii c institutions and universities. In emerging countries,
where mining companies are challenged to include local communities and experts as much
as possible in mine planning and operation, the appointment of local universities to pre-
pare the EIA is a convenient tool to accommodate nationalistic pressures. To a large extent
the preparation of EIA documents follow boilerplate formats, and environmental action
plans in particular often rel ect the lack of practical experience. A practical compromise in
merging international mining experience and local expertise is to appoint an international
consultancy as the lead in preparing the EIA with a strong mandate to include local exper-
tise as much as practical and feasible.

Not Concerned with a Single Resource . Environmental assessment is a truly multi-
disciplinary undertaking that must consider a wide range of environmental, social,
and economic issues all of which may be important. Most EIAs fall short of realizing
their full potential. More often than not the focus of environmental assessment is on the
physical, chemical, and biological environment. Social aspects are addressed only to
a limited degree. This is particularly the case in the USA, where, although included in
NEPA requirements, social impacts have typically received only superi cial attention
(Projects on Indian Reservations are exceptions). A consequence of this is that US-based
i rms venturing outside the US for the i rst time are unprepared for the social issues
that need to be addressed and the breadth and depth of studies required. Local and regional
economic impacts of the mine development are rarely adequately studied or understood.

Not a Top-down Management Exercise . The social dimension of mine development com-
mands a participatory approach to environmental assessment. Affected people and other
stakeholders need to develop ownership in the identii cation and assessment of impacts,
and even more, in development of the management and monitoring plans that will affect
their lives in a fundamental way. Environmental assessment provides a unique opportu-
nity for mine management to begin building productive human and social resource capital.
To be sustainable, a bottom-up management approach is needed, contrary to the conven-
tional and much more convenient top-down management style that is usually applied.
Environmental assessment requires taking a collaborative approach to address community
concerns. It is about getting useful public participation to develop a shared responsibility
to improve environmental decision-making.

Environmental assessment
requires taking a collaborative
approach to address community
concerns.