Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Key Elements of an Environmental Monitoring Programme
A good environmental monitoring programme is based on a sound understanding of
the 'what, where, when, how, who, and why' of monitoring. It also contains a mecha-
nism to feed monitoring results back to decision-makers, including government authori-
ties. References should be made to relevant legislation and standards of the host country.
Monitoring methods should conform to relevant guidelines of the host country concerning
monitoring techniques and equipment, and if possible and practical, certii ed laboratories
should be used for critical tests. On more than one occasion, government authorities have
rejected monitoring results from established and well-recognized international laborato-
ries because they lacked certii cation by the host country (
Case 10.2
).
Considerable resources may be deployed in monitoring, so it is important to have a clear
perspective on the purpose of the programme and what the results will be used for. When
drawing up a monitoring programme, it is therefore critical to specify:
●
It is important to have a clear
perspective on the purpose of
the programme.
why monitoring is being undertaken and what methods will be used;
●
who is responsible for carrying out the monitoring and who should receive the results;
●
what the follow-up should be (i.e. who will check and interpret the results); and
●
what will happen if the monitoring indicates non-compliance with commitments.
What Should Be Measured?
The parameters to be monitored for any particular project should be selected based on the
following:
●
regulatory requirements;
●
the chemical composition of the ore and process reagents;
●
the results of baseline surveys; and
●
specii c concerns of local communities.
Regulatory requirements apply to a wide range of projects and therefore do not necessar-
ily meet the needs of particular projects. This particularly applies in the case of metals. For
example there is no requirement by the Indonesian government to monitor Silver (Ag
)
in surface water discharges. However, due to its potential toxicity to aquatic organisms
and its high concentration in and relatively low recovery from many gold ores, this is a
parameter that should be monitored on such projects.
On the other hand, the Indonesian government requires that both mercury and cyanide
concentrations be monitored, regardless of whether or not mercury occurs in the ore or
cyanide is used in the process. As a result, considerable money may be wasted in measur-
ing parameters that are not present in signii cant concentrations.
Considerable money may be
wasted in measuring parameters
that are not present in signifi cant
concentrations.
CASE 10.2
What, Where, When, How, Why, and by Whom?
As part of the environmental approval process for the
Dairi Lead and Zinc Mine in North Sumatra, Indonesia,
ore processing technologies were tested in Australia,
with subsequent leachate tests of produced tailings
by an Australian based laboratory. Test results were
rejected by local government authorities since the
laboratory used was not offi cially registered with the
Indonesian government authorities.
Graphic: Registered ISO 14000 Certifi cation
Trademark in Australia.
Quality
Endorsed
Company
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