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Dear CIMG Members, In
this edition we have included some interesting news, events, information
and articles.
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He made note of the CIMG Work Program 2007 – Q2, which includes:
1. Monthly meetings:
i. April 26, May31 and June 28
6. Research Committees
The CIMG in its effort to generate useful
dialogue will be devising a few reseach committees that will be
member lead. The second quarter
will be a busy one for the CIMG and its members and the SecreThere
will be a number of missions to the provinces in China and workshops.
Lastly he added that the CIMG speaking program had been completed
and asked members to read over to express their interest to present.
For a copy of the CIMG Strategy 2007 and the speaking program please
contact Auslan at auslan@cimg.org.cn.
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| CIMG 2007 Environmental Roundatable 23rd May to 23rd May 2007 Venue: Chengdu, Sichuan Province (meeting venue tba) Time(s): 9:00am - 12:00pm The CIMG is planning in conjunction with Sichuan academia and Sichuan provincial officials, will organize an environment dialogue for mining companies and those companies associated with the mining industry in South West China. If you are interested in taking part as a speaker or attendee please contact the CIMG Secretariat at auslan@cimg.org.cn and a copy of the mission statement will be emailed to you. The dialogue seeks to enhance the understanding of sustainable mining practices in the provincial areas of China. In this case the Southwestern provinces. It also seeks to create a platform to increase information sharing between foreign and domestic mining companies and those companies associated with the mining industry on the opportunities of sustainable mining. The South West of China is regarded as resource rich area in China those attending the dialogue will explore not only establish relationships with local partners but create solutions to issues related to sustainable mining in the provinces. This dialogue invites experts to join together with the mining executives, academics and china policy makers, discuss and develop platforms to engage in sustainable investment in the south western provinces of China. This dialogue will have 40-50 both international and domestic. This dialogue is being organized at the most opportune time when the government is looking forward to expanding the developing the mining sector in both ferrous and nonferrous metal industries of the country. It will attract a high quality audience; provide a unique networking platform and an exceptional educational opportunity for attendees. The guiding mission is to promote challenging and timely investment issues facing the mining community, and convene regional roundtable sessions to debate and discuss contrasting perspectives surrounding these issues. This dialogue we will be exploring how our concepts of sustainable mining are changing and how we can alter our views to embrace and build upon the opportunities that greater understanding of risk can bring. Specific focus will be placed on how those involved in the mining process can systematically identify the risks they face, including those hidden risks that are often overlooked and new risks that are emerging, how to mitigate these to the benefit of the community as a whole. For more information on this event you can contact Auslan Ishmael on +86 10 65959252 ext 208 or email auslan@cimg.org.cn. Media Engagement The CIMG is now contributing regularly to the MINING JOURNAL CHINA and WORLD NON FERROUS METALS. The Secretariat is seeking content related to Environment, Community, Safety and Technology. Articles should be case studies, in Chinese and 2 pages long. This is a unique chance to share information and promote the international mining community in China. If you are interested in submitting an article, please send your article as a word document to auslan@cimg.org.cn. Back to top
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Source ICMM Background The direct impacts of mining disturbance to land surfaces are usually severe, with the likelihood of the destruction of biodiversity within natural ecosystems through the removal of natural soils, plants and animals. But mining is a temporary land use: the mineral deposit is finite and eventually exhausted. The major goal of sustainable rehabilitation is therefore the maintenance of land use options for future generations. Mine closure and rehabilitation also need to take into consideration the long-term effects of acid mine drainage (AMD) and the need to rehabilitate in a manner that reduces the generation of AMD to acceptable levels. In conditions where the long-term risks of AMD are significant, the design of rehabilitated profiles may need to be modified to minimise the entrance of water or air. Social factors should be considered, too, in practical restoration planning when a mine is not isolated from surrounding communities or is in a relatively heavily populated area. In such cases the rehabilitation objectives need to be defined in close consultation with local communities, as these are the people who will have to use the rehabilitated land in perpetuity after the company is gone. In many parts of the world the social and legislative context of mining now requires some form of land rehabilitation goals to have been established for after a mine closes, and these are often determined prior to granting planning and operating permits for a new mine. Rehabilitation considerations are now incorporated into mine planning and have become a major factor governing mining operations, waste disposal and site closure. Yet there remains a considerable legacy of poor reclamation practices that, at best, have not provided any successful ecosystem development – and certainly no consideration of biodiversity losses and gains. Keeping Biodiversity in Mind Ecological restoration is about a broad set of activities – enhancing, repairing or reconstructing degraded ecosystems – and about optimising biodiversity returns. In essence, the restoration of mined land is based around ecosystem reconstruction. It is usually a question of re-establishing the ability of the land to capture and retain fundamental resources – energy, water, nutrients and species. Ecological restoration with biodiversity benefits in mind must involve an orderly set of considerations that promote successful procedures and practices. Often these practices, although based on similar general considerations, will need to be innovative because of unique circumstances in each area and ecosystem. Restoration objectives must be formulated from a detailed knowledge of the basic structural and functional characteristics of natural ecosystems. While the very concept of restoration may imply reinstating the pre-mining ecosystem, the practical context of any site demands that the following be considered: speed of attainment, economics (or cost-benefit), achievability and long-term stability with ongoing management at a reasonable cost. The Terminology of Mined Land Rehabilitation Reclamation: the general process whereby land surface is returned to some form of beneficial use Restoration: reclamation that is guided by ecological principles and promotes the recovery of ecological integrity; reinstatement of the original (pre-mining) ecosystem in all its structural and functional aspects Rehabilitation: progression towards the reinstatement of the original ecosystem Replacement: the creation of an alternative ecosystem to the original Topsoil: A Strategic Resource Restoration planning models recognise that for most mine reclamation programmes over the last 30 years, an overriding consideration has been whether topsoil has been retained or lost. This will, in all probability, determine how quickly a pre-mining ecosystem can be restored with its biodiversity regained, and whether such a restoration goal is actually realistic and sustainable. Topsoil is a strategic resource that should be conserved if at all possible. Thus its removal, storage and replacement have been subject to a great deal of technical research in recent times in an effort to protect the physical and chemical properties and the biological processes of this valuable natural resource. Restoration practices where topsoil has been retained focus more on the spatial and temporal factors affecting species colonisation and establishment; the criteria for monitoring and assessing success, particularly in the longer term; and the restoration of natural indigenous ecosystems and biodiversity values. In the restoration of sites where topsoil has been lost, the major ecological challenges are still related to the interactions between plant species and substrate – that is, revegetation. Yet in these cases faithful restoration of original ecosystems is rare. Mining substrates vary considerably in their physical and chemical attributes, but they tend to inhibit natural colonisation, and further succession may be restricted because of metal toxicity, infertility or acidity. Slow natural succession has sometimes been promoted as a reclamation option, but this is usually politically unacceptable in an era when closure planning is becoming an everyday expectation. The principal restoration options in the absence of topsoil are the ameliorative approach (improving the physical or chemical nature of the site), and the adaptive approach (careful selection of species, cultivars or ecotypes). Judging Success The development of measurable criteria for judging restoration success has proved difficult, but standards are usually derived from the particular community and ecosystem characteristics desired as restoration objectives. Three general success guidelines have been proposed for a restored ecosystem: • self-regulation for some set period of time, which entails having the structural and functional attributes persist in the absence of whatever subsidies, such as fertilizer or seeding, were needed during the initial implementation; • achievement of the design criteria – that is, the restoration goal and objectives – established before restoration was undertaken; and • the absence of any observable adverse effects in the larger ecological landscape. From these criteria, it can be seen that it is absolutely necessary to have restoration objectives that have unambiguous and technically feasible operational definitions, that are ecologically sound, scientifically valid and socially relevant, and that are receptive to measurement and prediction. The ecosystem characteristics measured are usually those related to the composition, structure and pattern of the vegetation as a key component of the biodiversity pool. It is notable that some important structural measurements of biodiversity are usually left out. In particular, the soil biotic community and animal species numbers are not usually measured, even though they can often provide important indications of long-term productivity and successional pathways.
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Latest
Updates: China to Implement One Mine, One Company Policy - Jan 2007 State Council Number 4 - Notice to Government Departments to seek better harmony for FDI in Mining - Jan 2007 (In Chinese) MLR
Beijing issued 2 new regulations. The CIMG was recently informed
that MLR Beijing issued 2 new regulations that will come into affect
on the Jan 1 2007: Provisional Regulation on Disciplining Dereliction of Duty in
Environmental Protection Activity -SEPA -issued
date: 20030228 Notice of the People’s Government of Yunnan Province on new four laws including Management Rules of Yunnan Province for Rights of Exploitation and Mining. Laws in Yunnan were released that focus on the Rights of Exploitation and Mining, Interim Procedures of Yunnan Province for Levying and Management of Fees for Compensated Use of Mineral Resources, Interim Procedures of Yunnan Province for Management of Mineral Property Transaction, and the Interim Procedures of Yunnan Province for Management of Deposit for Security for Rehabilitation and Governing of Mine Geologic Environment. For those wishing to make comment or if you would like a copy of the laws please contact Auslan at auslan@cimg.org.cn
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CONTRIBUTIONS: The CIMG welcomes contributions for publication in this
e-news from its members. Please contact and post submissions to Auslan
at auslan@cimg.org.cn
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