Environmental Compliance & Reporting
Regulatory compliance and environmental reporting are important, therefore EMM Resources has implemented a formalised system to ensure all our mining operations comply with standards, laws and regulations, including International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) Classification, Environmental Legislation and EPA Guidelines and Performance Reports and Environmental Impact Assessments. Environmental Compliance is critical in promoting sustainability, it is not only conforming to certain regulations and standards, but it is implementing best practice technologies and processes in order to keep ahead of the game, including striving towards complying with particular standards and guidelines that do not have legal basis.
Regulatory compliance and environmental reporting are important, therefore EMM Resources has implemented a formalised system to ensure all our mining operations comply with standards, laws and regulations, including International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) Classification, Environmental Legislation and EPA Guidelines and Performance Reports and Environmental Impact Assessments. Environmental Compliance is critical in promoting sustainability, it is not only conforming to certain regulations and standards, but it is implementing best practice technologies and processes in order to keep ahead of the game, including striving towards complying with particular standards and guidelines that do not have legal basis.
Regulatory Framework
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The Mining Act 1978 (Mining Act) is the central legislation as it regulates mining processes, activities and impacts.
The Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act) has specific sections relating to the impact of mining on the environment. The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) regulates the control of environmental impacts resulting from the resources industry.
The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (AH Act) relates to when sites that possess Aboriginal heritage are adversely affected by our mining processes.
The Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act) has specific sections relating to the impact of mining on the environment. The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) regulates the control of environmental impacts resulting from the resources industry.
- Part IV – Environmental Impact Assessments
- Part V – Licences and approvals over emissions, air quality, noise
The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (AH Act) relates to when sites that possess Aboriginal heritage are adversely affected by our mining processes.
Non-Regulatory Framework
One of the sustainability strategies that EMM Resources will be pursuing is the adherence to standards and guidelines that have no legal basis. Furthermore, compliance with licence conditions and guidelines is only a bench mark for EMM Resources, as we strive to go above and beyond the levels set by the regulatory bodies, we aim to further reduce our environmental footprint, and further improve the efficiency of our mining processes.
Best practice storage and management of Tailings
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Tailings Storage Facility Example
EMM Resources will comply with the guidelines on Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF), as it is a key process within the open-cut resource extraction mining industry. The definition of tailings based on the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources (2007, p. 77) is “A combination of the fine-grained solid material remaining after the recoverable metals and minerals have been extracted from crushed and ground mined ore, and any process water remaining”.
Poorly managed TSF's have the potential for leachate seepage penetrating into groundwater, which is a big environmental impact if hazardous minerals leach into the groundwater supply of the surrounding locality.
As a result, EMM Resources will comply with:
Poorly managed TSF's have the potential for leachate seepage penetrating into groundwater, which is a big environmental impact if hazardous minerals leach into the groundwater supply of the surrounding locality.
As a result, EMM Resources will comply with:
- Department of Mines and Petroleum's Guidelines on the Safe Design and Operating Standards for Tailings Storage - The TSF’s at EMM Resources will be designed so that the occurrence of 1 in 100 year floods do not allow surface water to penetrate the dam, and that leachate will not overflow the dam walls and flow into the surrounding landscapes.
- Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) guidelines when designing and constructing the Tailings Storage Facility, therefore the TSF’s will have safety levels that exceed the standards for the operational and long-term (permanent) storage of tailings.
ISO14001:2004 Environmental Management System Accordance
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ISO14001 Guidebook
EMM Resources is committed to have the highest quality in environmental management compliance, therefore our operations will comply with the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) 14001:2004 classification, which is a standard focusing on Environmental Management Systems (EMS), as this provides practical tools to identify and control environmental impacts and improvements to environmental performance.
It is advantageous for EMM Resources to adhere to additional standards, as resource-intensive industries are heavily scrutinised by eco-activists, therefore it is vital that customers and the general public know that EMM Resource’s efforts go far beyond compliance. The benefits of ISO 14001 standardisation is the savings in consumption of energy and materials, reduced amount of waste management and the improved reputation and image among regulatory bodies, and the general public.
As a result, EMM Resources will consult with ISO, and use their guidebooks to implement a high quality Environmental Management System (EMS) to ensure that our company is doing everything possible to ensure we are doing everything possible to provide high quality environmental sustainability.
It is advantageous for EMM Resources to adhere to additional standards, as resource-intensive industries are heavily scrutinised by eco-activists, therefore it is vital that customers and the general public know that EMM Resource’s efforts go far beyond compliance. The benefits of ISO 14001 standardisation is the savings in consumption of energy and materials, reduced amount of waste management and the improved reputation and image among regulatory bodies, and the general public.
As a result, EMM Resources will consult with ISO, and use their guidebooks to implement a high quality Environmental Management System (EMS) to ensure that our company is doing everything possible to ensure we are doing everything possible to provide high quality environmental sustainability.
References
Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources. (2007). Tailings Management. Canberra: Australian Government.
Department of Mines and Petroleum. (1999). Guidelines on the Safe Design and Operating Standards for Tailings Storage. Perth: Government of Western Australia.
International Organization of Standardization. (2012). ISO 14000 Family - Environmental Management. Retrieved from International Organization of Standardization Web site: http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/management-standards/iso14000.htm
Orsato, R. J. (2009). Sustainability strategies: when does it pay to be green? New York: Palgrave Macmliian.
Ozkan, S., & Ipekoglu, B. (2002). Investigation of environmental impacts of tailings dams. Environmental Management and Health, 242.
Department of Mines and Petroleum. (1999). Guidelines on the Safe Design and Operating Standards for Tailings Storage. Perth: Government of Western Australia.
International Organization of Standardization. (2012). ISO 14000 Family - Environmental Management. Retrieved from International Organization of Standardization Web site: http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/management-standards/iso14000.htm
Orsato, R. J. (2009). Sustainability strategies: when does it pay to be green? New York: Palgrave Macmliian.
Ozkan, S., & Ipekoglu, B. (2002). Investigation of environmental impacts of tailings dams. Environmental Management and Health, 242.