Sustainable Operations Paves the Way for
Aquablanca’s
Expansion
it transitions from open pit to underground mining. The company expects the new underground mine to be productive at least until 2018, while it explores a 1,864 sq. km. (720 sq. mi.) area north and west of the current mine (in the Ossa Morena Zone) for which it has acquired mineral exploration rights. The mine currently sells all of its metals to one paying customer - mainly nickel and copper, but also small amounts of platinum, palladium, cobalt, and gold.
In the wake of the massive 1998 tailings dam spill by copper mining giant Grupo Mexico near Seville, Spain (and the mine’s subsequent shutdown), Lundin Mining’s Aguablanca copper mine continues to operate peacefully nearby. Located just 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Seville, this open pit nickel/ copper mine is digging deeper this year to start mining underground. This, while Grupo Mexico struggles to reopen its Seville mine, as it recovers from yet another spill in the Sonora region, and conservationists and the local populace fume. The Aguablanca mine is one of eight mines (five open, three closed) that Lundin Mining owns. The company acquired Aquablanca when it purchased Rio Narcea Gold Mines Ltd. in July, 2007. Aquablanca is an open pit, drill and blast, truck and shovel type of operation that produces mainly nickel and copper. In 2014 the mine yielded 8,631 tonnes of nickel and 7,390 tonnes of copper. Estimates for 2015 production are 7,000-7,500 tonnes of nickel and 5,500-6,000 tonnes of copper, as
The most publicly noticeable impact a mine has on its environment is what it does with waste rock and toxic tailings - semi-liquid leftovers from chemical treatment of ore. When mining
companies get into trouble with the public, it’s usually because these waste waters have leaked and poisoned the local water supply, as happened with Grupo Mexico.
CORPORATE REPUTATION AND
SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability is one of the core values of Lundin Mining, which may be why it has not been targeted by local activists. The company’s reputation as a good corporate citizen is important to its success, so it maintains a corporate responsibility webpage, conducts periodic environmental assessments, and regularly tracks progress on environmental projects via its annual Sustainability Report. To prevent the kind of leakage Grupo Mexico experienced, Aquablanca transports its wet
tailings to a dam near the mining site - a common practice. However, the mine’s workers took extra care to make sure the dam was well dug, well lined (using a HDPE liner), and the walls were stable. Workers surrounded the dam with waste rock, strategically piled high for stability,
and planted it with native flora. The company inspects the dam monthly for stability and has an independent party inspect it quarterly. It also has an emergency plan, in case the dam fails in spite of these precautions. To minimise water use and maximise water recycling, Aguablanca follows several conservation practices. It collects rainwater in the industrial area, pit area, and tailings dam (which has a 20 million tonne capacity) and cleans it up for use. And it recycles the water it uses in the mining process - over 87% in 2013. Between rainwater capture and water recycling, most of the company’s water needs are met. Any additional water needed comes from the local Aguablanca Stream
or from groundwater. In 2014 Aguablanca was the only Lundin mine that achieved zero water discharge. Aguablanca also checks energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, another essential of mining. It has developed medium and long
TO MINIMISE WATER USE AND MAXIMISE WATER RECYCLING,
Aguablanca
follows several conservation practices. It collects rainwater in the industrial area, pit area, and tailings dam (which has a 20 million tonne capacity) and cleans it up for use.
term projects that reduce the use of electricity and diesel, while increasing efficiency. Currently all energy comes from fossil fuels products, which the company anticipates will be further reduced with closure of the open pit mine this year.
native species of plants. During its periodic inspections, Lundin Mining discovered that three critically endangered species of wildlife and eight endangered species were living on three of their sites, including Aguablanca.
To the land itself, the company also has an ongoing commitment. It studies the local biodiversity and attempts to minimise its impacts during the process of mining. Whenever it closes a mine the company restores the environment as soon as it can, making its plans with biodiversity objectives in mind. It also supports local organisations and stakeholders with carrying out biodiversity initiatives related to the mine.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Currently Aguablanca is experimenting with how to reproduce local flora species. In 2014, the mine contoured, covered and re-vegetated 26 hectares of waste rock stockpiles with
GOALS
Lundin Mining has three main corporate goals, according to its website, backed by a Responsible Mining Framework and a Responsible Mining Policy. It’s goals are: 1. Developing a high performance, motivated culture. 2. Achieving a safe, productive, healthy work environment.
3. Conducting business ethically and transparently. The Framework and Policy documents outline the action components, especially towards sustainability. They cover relationships with the environment, the social network, health and safety, corporate government, and support of stakeholders. In the workplace, the company emphasises health and safety, while treating all of its 169 full time-equivalent employees with respect and fairness, including freedom from discrimination. This is true of all of its mines, not just those in countries that already have fair treatment legislation. Its operations are fully compatible with ISO and OHSAS 18001 requirements. Every mine tests its employees regularly for exposure to hazardous substances. In 2014 Aguablanca established on-site emergency response and mine rescue team capabilities, and set up desktop drills and field emergency response exercises. To help the community, Lundin Mining has a nonprofit foundation that supports basic energy infrastructure and agricultural development in rural areas. It especially contributes support to small businesses developing innovative energy supply products for rural communities. It also donates to Unicef’s “Zinc Saves Kids” program to increase the health of undernourished children. And it purchases many of its supplies locally ($US77,525),
The community has had three ongoing complaints so far, which Aguablanca is addressing: Vibrations from blasting, employment opportunities, and the company’s approach to long-term mine closure. In 2014 the company looked more closely at its approach to landscape rehabilitation and updated its mine closure plan. Management also continues to work with local administrators to monitor and reduce the blasting noise. As for employment opportunities, that will change as the mine switches from surface to underground mining, but may not necessarily improve until exploration results in additional mining projects. Meanwhile, the company is staying out of trouble and is redoing its website in 2015 to make it easier for locals to register whatever additional grievances might come up. As Lundin Mining’s President and CEO says, “To us, sustainability is about achieving a safe, productive and healthy work environment;
exhibiting sensitivity towards the communities and natural environments in which we operate; upholding the values of human rights; and fostering the creation of sustainable economic value for employees, business partners and host communities.”
Lunding Mining Operations Head Office Ground Floor, Hayworthe House 2 Market Place, Haywards Heath West Sussex, UK RH16 1DB Ph. 44 1 444 411 900 Fax 44 1 444 456 901 www.lundinmining.com
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