The Baseline - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 365

TABLE 8.5
(Continued)

Environmental Parameter Use in Planning & Design

Existing road networks - capacities, traffi c characteristics etc ● Need for new roads and/or upgrades;

● Management of project-related traffi c

Local agricultural and fi sheries production

● Potential to supply project food requirements,
● Policy to encourage local purchases
● Input to land acquisition and compensation approach.

Local business enterprises ● Ability to supply goods and services,

● Policy to encourage local purchases

Local customs - religious, cultural etc.

● Working hours, rosters, holidays,
● Scheduling of blasting to avoid interference with religious observances.

management may benei t from further studies during mine development. A common
example is in rehabilitation. Baseline surveys may identify candidate plant species for use
in rehabilitation. However, frequently, there will be a lack of available information con-
cerning the most effective means of germination, propagation, and cultivation. Research,
including i eld trials, will typically commence prior to or during project construction and
continue into the operations stage.

Creating a Climate of Care

Health and safety is a black and white affair. Fieldwork is either safe, or it is not. Fieldwork
is a professional activity and should be conducted in a climate of care in which safety of

Fieldwork is either safe, or it is
not.

CASE 8.3
Environmental Due Diligence to Establish the Legacy
of Past Mining Activities

Chromite mining has been undertaken in the Co Dinh
Chromite Placer area, Vietnam, in varying capacities, since
the early 1900s. A variety of mining methods have been
used, to a varying degree of success. In addition to mining
chromite ore, there was a period of bichromate processing
in the late 1990s; this was stopped however due to envi-
ronmental and health issues. There is no available informa-
tion on this process, other than the
fact that both hazardous liquid and solid waste were
generated as a result of the process and dumped on-site.
Faced with the environmental degradation and
uncontrolled export of chromite ore to China, in 2005 the
Thanh Hoa People' Committee withdrew all mining licences
in this area. However, illegal mining continues to occur.

At present, various international mining companies
have expressed interest in developing the chromite
deposit. Clearly any investor is well advised to establish
a comprehensive environmental baseline to document the
current state of the environment. The baseline is probably

the best safeguard against any potential future
allegation of environmental pollution due to new
mining activity.

Photo Credit: Toby Whincup