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WATER MANAGEMENT
ICMM member companies are committed to publicly disclose the company’ s approach to water stewardship. They must allocate clear responsibilities and accountabilities for water – from board and corporate to site levels and integrate water considerations in business planning – including company strategy, life of asset and investment planning. They must also publicly report company water performance, material risks, opportunities and management response using consistent industry metrics and recognised approaches.
To manage water at operations effectively, members are expected to maintain a water balance and understand how it relates to the cumulative impact of other users. A water balance is an approach used to measure the flow of water in and out of an operational facility. This provides the basis for understanding, managing and communicating the site ' s water requirements and use. A site water balance is comprised of three main components, namely: water withdrawals, water discharge and water consumption. The formula for calculating a site water balance is: withdrawal volume = discharge volume + consumption volume + any change in the volume of onsite water storage.
Cumulative impacts are changes to the environment that are caused by an action in combination with other past, present and future actions.
Traffic diversion & stop signs were completely ignored by flood waters
When nearly 300mm of rain fell in 3 days, this South African mine was inundated by surface water run-off. Capital repairs and loss of earnings resulting from the 4 month closure cost over US $ 100 million.
Our diversion solution will make sure the next flood behaves the way it’ s supposed to.
If only we’ d been involved earlier we could have put that flood water in its place.
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> 1,400 professionals • > 45 offices • > 20 countries • 6 continents
Companies will set context-relevant water targets or objectives for sites with material water-related risks. They will also proactively manage water quantity and quality to reduce potential socio-environmental impacts and realise opportunities.
All employees must have access to clean drinking water, gender-appropriate sanitation facilities and hygiene at their workplace.
Collaborating to achieve responsible and sustainable water use: n Identify, evaluate, and respond to catchment-level water-related risks and opportunities. A catchment is“ the area of land from which all surface run-off converges through a sequence of streams, rivers, groundwater aquifers and lakes into the sea or another outlet at a single river mouth, estuary or delta. The term catchment is sometimes used interchangeably with drainage basin or watershed” n Identify and engage proactively and inclusively with stakeholders that may influence or be affected by a site’ s water use and discharge n Actively engage on external water governance issues, with governments, local authorities and other stakeholders, to support predictable, consistent and effective regulation that underpins integrated water resource management n Support water stewardship initiatives that promote better water use, effective catchment management and contribute to improved water security and sanitation. Barrick says its“ water management is as crucial and important after a mine closes as it is during a mine ' s active life cycle. We must return the environment to a stable condition in accordance with strict permit requirements, moving towards the ultimate goal of protecting the long-term viability of the land and water.”
“ We recognise that our responsibility to local stakeholders and the environment doesn ' t end when mining activity does," says Patrick Malone, Barrick ' s Vice President of Environment.“ Part of building partnerships of real depth means making good on our commitment to return the land and water to a stable state, and our Eskay Creek closure site is a great example of that.”
Located in northern British Columbia, Canada, Eskay Creek operated from 1994 through 2008 and produced more than 3.3 Moz of gold. The operation benefited the Tahltan First Nation, providing employment and supplier contract opportunities; 34 % of the mine ' s employees were from First Nations communities.
During the closure phase, the Tahltan Nation Development Corp and other Tahltan-owned businesses actively participated in areas such as
30 International Mining | MARCH 2017