Environmental Impacts at the Exploration Stage - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 570

Appendix 13.2
Environmental Impacts
at the Exploration Stage

Exploration activities can result in social and physical disturbance, which depend on the
type of activity and at what stage it is undertaken in the exploration programme. The
potential impacts of exploration activities range from low to high as illustrated in Table 1 .
Today environmental and social considerations are integral to the planning of explora-
tion programmes. Adequate planning commonly embraces the following philosophy:
●

consultation with relevant authorities, landowners and interested parties on environ-
mental issues both prior to and during any i eld activities;

●

identii cation and documentation of potential impacts on the environment at each
exploration stage;

●

adoption of design and operating strategies which avoid or mitigate adverse impacts;

●

to the extent practicable, restoration of all areas disturbed by exploration to an accept-
able state to facilitate re-vegetation (or if appropriate, landowner sanctioned alternate,
benei cial land use, e.g. market gardening);

●

monitoring and auditing of environmental performance at all stages of the exploration
programmes; and i nally

●

regular communication with and feedback to landholders and public authorities.

TABLE 1
Categorization of Exploration Activities According to Environmental Impact Potential - With the
possible exception of 3D seismic exploration surveys or bulk sampling, exploration activities normally do not require the preparation of
a full Hedged environmental impact assessment study; generally, good environmental management practices are suffi cient

Stage Example Activities Impact Severity

Preliminary reconnaissance

● Air photo and land analysis
● Airborne geophysical survey
● Geological mapping (no clearing/
trenching required)
● Stream sediment sampling (e.g.
walk-in, hoisted-in)
● Rock sampling (no clearing)

● Usually very low

Exploration and limited ground
surveys

● Grid soil sampling; surveying
● Line clearing for geophysical survey

● Usually low

Resource defi nition and evaluation

● Site clearing for helicopter pads, drill
sites, camp sites
● Operation of camp sites
● Drilling
● Trenching; adit development
● Bulk sampling

● Low to moderate, depending on
areal extent