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Mining, mineral processing and project support
activities must be properly managed to ensure that potential negative impacts to the
environment are minimized to the greatest extent possible. It is equally important to
ensure that the everyday decisions made during development activities take into account
the longer-term reality of mine closure.
Planning for the future to ensure that post-closure land use is incorporated into
development plans and operating activities is good business and a basic requirement for
sustainable development.
Newmont rigorously implements site-specific management and monitoring programs to minimize
any potential environmental risks or hazards that may be caused by operations at Batu
Hijau. Some key management priorities identified during the project environmental impact
assessment included the disposal of tailings, maintaining water quality and ensuring that
changes to the landscape incorporate a vision for suitable post-closure land use.
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ANDAL (Environmental Impact
Analysis) |
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As a contractor to the Government of
Indonesia, Newmont was required to analyze in detail the environmentally preferred
alternative for development activities at Batu Hijau as part of the feasibility study. The
environmental analysis, or ANDAL, considered all potential impacts to land, water, air,
biological resources and communities near the project area.
The final ANDAL document contains the preferred alternative selected and approved by the
Government of Indonesia and governs all impacts on all aspects of Newmont's operation. The
environmental monitoring plan (RPL) and environmental management plan (RKL) contained in
the approved ANDAL are specifically designed to minimize potential impacts at Batu Hijau.
Newmont's intent is to set standards of excellence with regard to environmental matters.
Newmont recognizes that a strong environmental management program is critical for
sustainable development at Batu Hijau and places the highest priority on management
practices that support the principles of environmental |
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Water Quality |
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Newmont has an integrated water
management system in place to ensure that impacts to water quality of the local water
systems are minimum. As mining operations proceed, native vegetation is replanted as soon
as practicable on cleared areas to keep exposed soil to a minimum and prevent erosion that
could affect water quality. Sediment control structures, such as ponds and diversion
ditches, have been constructed to capture sediments and allow only clean, non impacted,
water to leave the project area. |
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The extensive Mine Water Management System constructed at Batu Hijau diverts natural,
jungle run-off around the mine to rivers down gradient from the mine. The water in the
local streams is as clean as that normally found in undisturbed areas.
Batu Hijau's Mine Water Management System ensures that mine impacted water, including ARD
seepage and pit surface water, will not leave the project area.
Newmont conducts a regular and thorough water quality monitoring program according to the
monitoring plan developed during the environmental impact analysis for the project.
Results are reported quarterly to the Government of Indonesia. |
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Reclamation Management |
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for the excavation of the mine and for supporting infrastructure such as the Mill, Port,
Townsite and Roads. PTNNT practices concurrent reclamation and reclaims disturbed areas as
soon as they are available, stabilizing areas as soon as possible to minimize erosion and
sediment generation. |
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To date, PTNNT has reclaimed over 670 Ha of disturbed land, including
over 100 Ha of Waste Rock Dump. PTNNT reclaims areas using native species that will
promote succession to a forest similar in structure to that which existed before mining. |
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Tailings Management |
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Tailings from PTNNT's copper-gold
recovery plant are essentially non-hazardous, non-toxic and generally similar in
characteristics to the sand at the bottom of the sea around the island of Sumbawa.
Tailings are nothing more than the left over portion of finely ground rock after the
valuable minerals have been removed.
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PTNNT uses Deep-Sea Tailings Placement (DSTP) to deposit tailings deep below the
biologically productive areas of the sea. Tailings management begins right after the
completion of mineral recovery processes at flotation cells where the slurry enters a
deaeration tank. The purpose of this tank is to eliminate entrained air from the tailings
so that when released to the sea there is no upward movement caused by rising air.
After the de-aeration tank, the tailings slurry flows through a 6 km onshore pipeline and
then a 3.4 km offshore pipeline to the head of the Senunu Canyon where it is discharged at
a depth of over 120m. The tailings are denser than seawater and flow down the bottom of
the steep canyon to settle at depths of 3,000 - 4,000 meters below the surface of the
Indian Ocean to the South of Sumbawa.
PTNNT's Deep-Sea Tailings Placement system is monitored extensively and regularly to
ensure that the system is functioning as per the engineered design to minimize potential
environmental impacts. Coral reefs, marine sediment, fish, estuarine ecology and water
quality monitoring results are all critically evaluated by professional scientists and
engineers on an on-going basis. |
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Other Initiatives |
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| PTNNT realizes that as a member of the
community and a good neighbor, the company must work in partnership with local people,
NGOs and the government to successfully manage environmental issues. Therefore, Newmont
has undertaken various environmental programs in partnership with the community and
government. |
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These programs aim to establish direct communications with project area
neighbors, providing information on responsible natural resource management and on
promoting public understanding of Newmont's environmental management and monitoring
programs. Present projects include community beach clean-up, turtle conservation, coral
reef rehabilitation and conservation. |
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Mine Closure |
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As with all mines, the rock containing
valuable metals will run out and Batu Hijau will close. Although with current estimates,
Batu Hijau is expected to be in production for about 20 years, the actual life of the
project may change considerably due to various future factors. As the mine progresses,
more geological, mining and metallurgical data become available to give a more accurate
calculation of the amount of economically viable ore in the ground and the time it would
take to mine and process the ore. Fluctuating copper prices are another determining factor
in the life of the mine as they directly affect the economic viability of the operations
at the Batu Hijau project.
At the end of the day, the crucial challenge is to develop a diverse economy that will be
sustainable after the mine closes.
Once the mine stops operating, final reclamation and re-vegetation will be completed to
provide a landscape that is suitable for post-closure land use. Reclamation of waste rock
areas has taken place throughout the mine's operation to return as much area as possible
to its natural state, as early as possible. The pit walls themselves will not be reclaimed
as the pit will gradually fill with water. Ultimate plans for post mine closure land use
will be made with the approval and participation of the government and local communities.
Management of water from the waste rock dumps will continue as long as required.
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