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Mining and Sustainability in the ACP countries: the environmental and social challenges

Mining and Sustainability in the ACP countries: the environmental and social challenges. Håkan Tarras-Wahlberg Swedish Geological AB 13 December 2010. This is not exactly new….: Agricola, 1556 ( De Re Metallica).

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Mining and Sustainability in the ACP countries: the environmental and social challenges

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  1. Mining and Sustainability in the ACP countries: the environmental and social challenges Håkan Tarras-Wahlberg Swedish Geological AB 13 December 2010

  2. This is not exactly new….: Agricola, 1556 (De Re Metallica) “when the ores are washed, the water that has been used poisons the brooks and streams, and either destroys the fish or drives them away” “if we remove metals from the service of man, all methods of protecting and sustaining health and more carefully preserving the course of life are done away with” (transl. Hoover and Hoover )

  3. Disposition of presentation • Environmental impacts and prevention • Socio-economic impacts and prevention • Planning for closure • Small-scale and artisanal mining • The way forward - suggestions

  4. Environmental impacts: Destruction of natural habitat e.g. Marine diamonds, South Africa & Namibia e.g. Copperbelt, Zambia: ~0.3 % of area covered by mines & waste

  5. Environmental impacts: Solid waste and contaminants No industry produces more waste.... Copperbelt, Zambia: Env. liabilities or resources? Copperbelt, Zambia: Cobalt laden stream

  6. Environmental impacts: Tailings dam failures 1-2 major cases per year.... Small scale mining – also contributes to dam failures Merriesspruit, South Africa

  7. Environmental impacts: Acid Rock Drainage Among the most troublesome issues... low pH, high conc. of dissolved metals e.g. Pueblo Viejo, Rep. Dominicana

  8. Environmental impacts: Surface water pollution Metals, process chemicals and turbidity... Hg Cyanide

  9. Environmental impacts: Soil & air pollution Dust, metals, gases...... e.g. Kabwe, Zambia

  10. Environmental impacts: Land subscidence & blasting Coal strip mining, S. Africa Cracked house, Mufulira, Zambia

  11. Environmental impacts: Erosion, landscape disruption & radioactivity Coastal diamonds,South Africa Open pit gold mining, Ghana Yellow cake

  12. Environmental impacts: General industrial issues Metal scrap, hydraulic oils, hydro carbons etc...

  13. Environmental monitoring & control Desk top work, field work, laboratory work, followed by analysis... What are the impacts?

  14. Socio-economic impacts: Mining Communities Mining companies now rarely take on all societal needs of a mining community, the transition is difficult: e.g. experiences in Zambia & Zimbabwe

  15. Socio-economic impacts: Consultation & Disclosure The need to provide affected parties with adequate and prior information, enabling them to participate in planning is accepted best practice...

  16. Socio-economic impacts: Distribution of impacts & benefits Billion USD Mines are often important to the national economy – what about the local level?

  17. Socio-economic impacts: Land use conflict Globally, legal systems differ but usually, surface rights and rights to minerals are seperated. This leads to misunderstandings and conflicts...

  18. Socio-economic monitoring & control Desk top work and field surveys, followed by analysis... What are the impacts?

  19. Artisanal and small scale miners: e.g. Salt mining in Ghana e.g. Alluvial gold mining in Papua New Guinea

  20. Perceptions of “ASM” differ: Most agree that ASM is poverty driven... • Illegal • Dangerous • Env. & social impacts • Hinders investment & development • Destroys ore deposits • Short-sighted / jackpot mentality • Morally “right” • Important livelihood for many • Engine for development & biz development • Utilises resources that cannot otherwise be mined

  21. Planning for Closure: e.g. Ghana Needs to start allready at planning stage & funds should be set aside.. e.g. Madagascar

  22. Way Forward: Strong & competent institutions Building & strengthening institutions is a never ending task..

  23. Way Forward: Clear/transparent allocation of rights to explore & mine The very first step in the process, it must be transparent and fair..

  24. Way Forward: Promote responsible investments e.g. KCCL in Uganda - Cobalt extraction from waste, leading to a major environmental clean up: ”win-win”

  25. Way Forward: Development of domestic expertise & companies e.g. In Ghana, local expertise in rehabilitation and revegetation contribute to more succeful mine closures e.g. In PNG, the Wau small scale mining school trains new entrepreneurs in gold mining

  26. Way Forward: Improved public knowledge and participation e.g. In Kabwe, Zambia, efforts to improve awareness and nutritional status among local communities have proven to be more effective and cost-effective than physical measures of remediation

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