Preproduction Environmental Studying, Permitting & Licensing

Environmental protection begins at the earliest stages of mine exploration, long before the first ore is extracted. During this stage, companies make every effort to minimize the impact of prospecting, drilling, trenching, road building and other related activities. Exploration activities usually affect the environment only temporarily and, with proper planning, work can be carried out with minimal disturbance to land, vegetation and wildlife habitats. Even so, companies have learned that it is important to keep local communities informed about their activities. This consultation process sets the stage for good community relations once mine planning begins.

To keep public support, mining companies must demonstrate respect for the ecosystem in which they are working and adopt a broad range of protective measures. The drilling fluids and lubricants used in diamond drilling can seep into the water used to bring cuttings to surface. This water must be properly contained and disposed of so that it does not contaminate the groundwater. Drill holes often have to be sealed with impermeable concrete or bentonite (a clay material) to ensure that the drill hole cannot act as a channelway for contaminants to reach the groundwater from surface.

Another consideration in mineral exploration is the safe handling of camp wastes. This means more than just being careful not to litter, as isolated exploration camps must ensure that they handle fuels and dispose of human wastes in ways that do not contaminate the natural environment.

In very sensitive areas, such as tundra regions, it is common for governments to require that exploration crews have permits to work, setting down limits on what the crew can do. Respect for wildlife must be shown at all times. With proper planning, forethought and good housekeeping, all of the impacts of an exploration campaign can be minimized.

Once a deposit of economic interest has been outlined, studies and sampling programs are carried out to provide data that are used to shape a project’s design. Specialists research all aspects of the environment to establish basic data, against which future test results will be compared and evaluated. A few of the many areas investigated are: soil composition; the concentrations of metals in nearby water-courses; the populations of animal and plant species that live nearby; air quality and climate; historical and cultural sites; and numerous other pieces of data that allow regulators to determine whether the mine, once in operation, is causing adverse changes to the environment.