The Baseline - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 364

TABLE 8.5
Environmental Data used in Project Planning and Design

Environmental Parameter Use in Planning & Design

Climatic data - wind speed and direction

● Siting of air emissions facilities in relation to local communities,
● Design of elevated structures,
● Planning of blasting operations.

Climatic data - temperature and relative humidity

● Selection of appropriate air conditioning systems.

Landscape analysis - visibility ● Location of facilities and infrastructure,

● Need for screening of facilities.

Geological data - seismicity, earthquake risk, potential loadings, etc.

● Incorporated in mine design to minimize the risk of slope failure or collapse;
● Earthquake resistant design of buildings, embankments, and other structures.

Geological data - slope stability, landslide hazard ● Siting of facilities including roads, waste rock dumps and tailings storages.

Geological data - surfi cial deposits

● Design of leach fi elds from septic tank systems.

Groundwater levels, aquifer characteristics ● Design of mine dewatering systems,

● Water balance as input to project water supply decisions.

Surface water fl ows, including seasonal and extreme variations

● Water balance as input to project water supply decisions,
● Need to supplement downstream users,
● Design of culverts and water storage structures.

Groundwater and surface water quality ● Suitability for process water requirements, or

● Treatment required to ensure suitability for process water requirements.

Wetland habitats, presence of water birds

● Presence of nearby wetlands with large water-bird populations may be important in
siting of an airstrip,
● Lack of nearby wetlands may mean that a tailings storage proves attractive to
bird-life,
● Migratory birds may provide vectors for diseases such as malaria, requiring control
programmes.

Vegetation ● Risk of wildfi res, design of fi re protection and fi re control systems,

● Invasive aquatic plants can occupy water storages, clogging intakes etc.

Demographics

● Availability of labour,
● Requirement for project accommodation facilities.

Education and skill levels ● Availability of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labour,

● Recruitment policies,
● Design of training programmes.

Existing community services, law enforcement, health and
educational facilities and staffi ng

● Need for project to supply its own services or augment existing services.

Community attitudes ● Selection among workforce accommodation options,

● Siting of facilities,
● Also relevant to many other components of project design, operation and
closure.

Land tenure, land use, resources usage, value etc.

● Approach to land acquisition, compensation etc.

(Continued)