Environment
Golden Grove has a dedicated team and a system in place for managing and monitoring the environment surrounding Golden Grove operations.
The established Environmental Management System (EMS) in place at Golden Grove is used to identify, control, monitor, mitigate and audit environmental impacts. The Golden Grove EMS is made up of two integrated components, including:
- Certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management System; and
- MMG Sustainability Standards which provide individual specific standards for environment, safety, health and community.
The MMG Sustainability Standards system are designed to facilitate continuous improvement across all facets of the operation and provide specific guidance to areas of environment, safety and community beyond routine compliance and regulation.
Golden Grove regularly provides input into regulatory reports for environment, which include:
Annual Environment Report
The Annual Environment Report (AER) is a compliance report for the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) on Golden Grove’s Mining Licence. It provides an overview of past and proposed environmental management, rehabilitation and mining activities.
This assists Golden Grove to monitor environmental performance and closure planning progress. DMP and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) expect Golden Grove to plan for and undertake progressive rehabilitation during mining operations to reduce the final closure liability.
The AER requires reporting on the opportunity to test, develop and refine rehabilitation and closure methodologies prior to actual closure.
Annual Aquifer Review
To extract water from the ground for any reason a groundwater licence is required. Groundwater is extracted at Golden Grove to supply potable water, process water and dewater the mines. The groundwater licence requires monitoring of extraction, ground water levels and groundwater quality.
An annual aquifer review is submitted to the Department of Water. It includes comparisons of actual drawdown figures against modelled drawdown figures, details on abstraction history, water use, water level, water quality, aquifer performance and bore field performance. This allows Golden Grove to minimise the impact on ground water and to aim for continual improvement.
Annual Vegetation Clearing Report
In most cases clearing requires an authorised Program of Works and/or Clearing Permit from the DMP. This ensures correct clearing procedures and rehabilitation occurs. An annual vegetation clearing report summarises the clearing and rehabilitation that has occurred against each clearing permit and is submitted to the DMP in the Native Vegetation Assessment Branch.
Monitoring of vegetation growth at Golden Grove
Annual Audit Compliance Report
The Annual Audit Compliance Report (AACR) is reported to the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. It describes Golden Grove’s level of compliance with the DEC operating licence and steps taken to mitigate impacts and/or recurrence of non-compliance. Non-compliances are reported to the DEC within 24 hours, therefore the AACR acts as a summary with extra detail and progress of each situation.
Transport Corridor Report
Golden Grove transports zinc, copper and heavy precious metal (HPM) concentrate by trucks to Geraldton Port for export.
Soil analysis is conducted along intervals of the transport corridor to measure the impact of this transport.
Prior results from this sampling confirmed there has been no impact from the transport of concentrate along the transport corridor, with all results being below DEC health guidelines for parks and open spaces (HIL-E).
Marine assessment
A marine assessment has been conducted at Geraldton Port to determine the effect of dust emissions and/or spillage on the marine environment. This assessment includes a literature review of the history of mineral export from Geraldton Port and background contamination, focussing on zinc, copper and HPM concentrate. Sediment and water sampling is also conducted to determine the actual ecological effects of these minerals to the marine habitats surrounding the Geraldton Port.
Environment case studies
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Dust monitoring at Geraldton Port
MMR works with the Geraldton Port Authority (GPA) to determine and implement loading protocols and procedures that manage dust at the port.
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Water balance model
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