Title: PREN2620 Environmental Impact Assessment and Monitoring Techniques
1 PREN2620Environmental Impact Assessment and
Monitoring Techniques
Blasting and Environmental Research Group
Department of Mining, Quarry Mineral
Engineering, University of Leeds
2- Environmental Audits
- Management Systems
- For the mineral Industry
3Environmental Audits
4Introduction
- Environmental Audit A check normally by an
independent consultant, that a mineral operator
is operating within the agreed environmental
constraints and applying appropriate monitoring
and management systems. - An environmental audit should focus on clearly
defined and documented subject matter. The audit
could focus on one particular area of an
operation or all areas that have an impact on the
environment.
5Introduction
- A mineral operator is given strict regulations
for discharge consents to air and water
environments. If the operator exceeds these
limitations then prosecution could follow. - The Environment Agency (or international
equivalent) will work with a mineral operator to
make sure they are within the guidelines. The EA
was established to protect the environment in the
UK, they only prosecute if an offender has
repeatedly breached regulations. - Environmental Audits establish how well a mineral
operator is performing, and so the environment
agency may intervene to assist the mineral
operator.
6IPPC Licence
- The Integrated Pollution Prevention Control
(IPPC) Licence issued by the EA is a document
that sets out the particular standards and
control methods that a mineral operator should
use. - These process standards are aimed at ensuring
that emissions or environmental impacts are
minimised particularly by using the best
available technique (BAT). - IPPC Licences were introduced in this country in
October 1999 with the aim of replacing the
Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) Licence. The
IPPC licence includes energy efficiency, waste
minimisation, noise production, accident
prevention and clean up after an installation has
been closed.
7Contents of an Environmental Audit
- Introduction
- Site Location
- Project Description
- What is being audited
- Environmental Audit
- Introduction
- General Information
- General Information about what is being audited
and why - Personnel Interviewed
- Personnel that have direct or indirect
involvement with what is being audited - Documentation Reviewed
- Review of previous audits, EIAs, I.P.C Licence
and closure plans
8Contents of an Environmental Audit
- Environmental Audit Cont
- The I.P.C Licence
- Details of I.P.C Licence for the parameters being
audited. - Significant Issues and Audit findings
- Detail contents of particular processes and
equipment that can affect the emission limits.
This is the core chapter of the audit and shows
areas of problems that are causing exceedance
Example, Monitoring equipment, Habitat and
Aquatic life, weather data (seasonal
fluctuations), and chemicals used in processing. - Conclusions and Recommendations
- Suggest any reasons why the problems identified
in your audit have occurred. Then give any
suggestions to how these problems can be solved.
9Contents of an Environmental Audit
- Conclusions and Recommendations Cont
- Give recommendations on what the company should
do to lower their emission levels to within the
I.P.C Licence. These recommendations should be in
the form of bulleted points, rather than strings
of paragraphs. This is to show that your audit is
to the point and easy for the reader to
understand. - Appendix
- Location maps, Aerial photos, plans of equipment
and processes, photos of findings, emission data,
emission limitation data, I.P.C Licence,
brochures of recommended equipment etc..
10Case Study
- Lisheen Pb/Zn Mine
- Ireland
11Lisheen TMF
- An audit was carried out on the Tailings
Management Facility (TMF) to establish if the
mine water treatment is in compliance with IPC
Licence.
12Lisheen TMF
- The TMF has to monitor a wide range of metals and
parameters before the mine water is discharged
into the local Drish and Rossestown Rivers. - The frequency of monitoring of certain parameters
varies on the magnitude of their environmental
impact.
13Other Problems
- Part of the tailings in the dam are exposed to
the elements. In the IPC Licence the tailings
have to be covered by at least 1 metre of water
to prevent Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). - The peat bog underneath the TMF vents Methane
which is causing air bubbles in the liner of the
dam. This is reducing the storage capacity of the
TMF. - Rope failure on the discharge facility of the
TMF. Causing the discharge unit to float off and
tear the liner, causing seepage into the ground
water. - Spillage of mine water over the dam wall due to
waves during windy conditions.
14Protruding Tailings and Raised Liner
15Removing Methane
16Removing Tailings
17Rope Failure
18Discharge Facility
19Environmental Management Systems
20Introduction
- Organisations of all kinds are increasingly
concerned to achieve and demonstrate sound
environmental performance by controlling the
impact of their activities, products or services
on the environment, taking into account their
environmental policy and objectives. - They do so in the context of increasingly
stringent legislation, the development of
economic policies and other measures to foster
environmental protection and a general growth of
concern from interested parties about
environmental matters including sustainable
development.
21Introduction
- Organisations will carry out Environmental Audits
and Reviews to assess their performance. - However, this may not be sufficient to provide an
organisation with the assurance that its
performance not only meets, but will continue to
meet its legal and policy requirements. - International Standards are published to aid an
organisation to construct an Environmental
Management System (EMS). - The most recognised International Standard for
the process industry is ISO14001. Nearly every
mining company in the world has some form of EMS
at either all or one of their operations.
22(No Transcript)
23Objectives and Targets
- The organisation shall establish and maintain
documented environmental objectives and targets,
at each relevant function and level within the
organisation. - Top management shall define the organisations
environmental policy, and ensure - It is appropriate to the nature, scale and
environmental impacts of its activities, products
or services. - Includes a commitment to continual improvement
and prevention of pollution. - Includes commitments to comply with environmental
legislation and regulations. - Provides a framework for setting and reviewing
environmental objectives and targets. - Is available to the public.
24Cleveland Potash Policy
- http//www.clevelandpotash.co.uk/policy.htm
- Cleveland Potash will -
- Carry out its business and operations in a manner
that avoids or controls any adverse effect on the
environment and local community. - Operate within standards required by
environmental law, regulations or codes of
practice. - Effectively use resources by making efficient use
of energy and raw materials. - Operate an environmental management system to
international standards. - Set objectives, targets and action plans to
ensure continual environmental improvement.
25Environmental Management Program
- The organisation shall establish and maintain
programmes for achieving its objectives and
targets. It shall include - Designation of responsibility for achieving
objectives and targets at each relevant function
and level of the organisation - Setting out time limits for completion of certain
tasks - Implementation and Operation
- Structure and Responsibility
- Roles, responsibility and authorities shall be
defined, documented and communicated in order to
facilitate effective environmental management - A specific environmental manager shall be
appointed to define roles and maintain
documentation.
26Implementation and Operation
- Training, awareness and Competence
- Identify training needs for personnel whose work
may create a significant impact upon the
environment. - Training the work force is a significant step in
maintaining a EMS to within a organisation
environmental policy - Communication
- Good internal communication between departments
of an organisation to help review, amend and
document improvements. - Emergency Preparedness and response
- An organisation shall have identified procedures
for handling accidents, especially if the
environment is at risk.
27Checking and Corrective Action
- Monitoring and Measurement
- The organisation shall establish and maintain
documented procedures to monitor and measure on a
regular basis the key characteristics of its
operations and activities that can have a
significant impact on the environment. - Environmental Management System Audit
- This is to determine if the EMS conforms to
planned arrangements for environmental management
and any standard like the ISO 14001 - Management Review
- The organisations top management shall, at
intervals that it determines, review the
environmental management system to ensure its
continuing suitability, adequacy and
effectiveness
28Benefits of having a EMS
- Assuring customers of commitment to demonstrate
environmental management. - Maintaining good public/community relations.
- Obtaining insurance at a reasonable cost.
- Reducing accidents that result in liability.
- Improve industry-government relations.
- Conserving input materials and energy.
- Improving cost control.
- Fostering development and sharing environmental
solutions.
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