| EnviroGulf Consulting |  |
|---|---|---|
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS | ||
A Links Group Company |
SITE MENU |
GOVERNMENT LINKS |
NT Department of Mines and Energy
Department of Primary Industry and Energy
Australian Geodynamics Cooperative Research Centre - AGCRC
Australian Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO)
Australian Mining Industry Research Association
INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS |
Australian Mineral Industries Research Association Ltd (AMIRA)
Association of Mining and Exploration Companies
AUSTRALIAN MINING COMPANIES |
Kingsgate Consolidated Limited
An Australian gold mining and exploration company operating a modern gold mine and developing mineral resources in Thailand.
INTERNATIONAL MINING COMPANIES |
MINING & MINERALS PROCESSING |
Introduction
A principal area of expertise of EnviroGulf Consulting (EGC) lies in preparing environmental impact assessments for the mining industry. The Principal of EGC has a long association with the mining industry, having been employed within the industry as well as having undertaken numerous consulting and trouble-shooting assignments for mining projects and operating mines in Australia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, New Caledonia, Ghana and the UK.
Consulting assignments for large mining projects can also be undertaken by EGCin the capacity of a specialist subconsultant to major environmental and engineering consultancies.
Consulting Services
EGC offers the following services to clients in the mining and minerals industry:
- Environmental impact assessment.
- Environmental review.
- Environmental audit.
- Environmental biology - water quality and aquatic biological sampling planning and implementation.
- Ecotoxicological assessments of the effects of mining waste and wastewater disposal in receiving waters.
- Design, planning and implementation of environmental monitoring programs to measure the significant environmental effects of mine wastes and wastewaters.
- Environmental aspects of potentially harmful and/or toxic elements:
- sediments
- cyanides
- arsenic
- mercury
- other metals
- microbiological contaminants
Environmental Planning
The most successful and cost-effective environmental controls are those controls that are integrated into a project during its design phase. Incorporation of modern pre-emptive design technologies during the early project planning process, can avoid environmental problems at a later date which are costly to remedy.
Feasibility Studies
EGC undertakes environmental assignments associated with the exploration, prefeasibility, feasibility and development phases of small projects. This entails site reconnaissance, preliminary baseline studies to collect and collate data needed for the preparation of environmental assessment documents (EIAs, etc.), environmental permitting, and early government agency communications and liaison on environmental concerns and matters.
During the project feasibility phase, mine plans and development strategies are largely unknown, waste management and disposal strategies are rudimentary, and mining companies do not generally have environmental teams onboard. EGC provides an environmental consulting service to the mining industry to cover crucial aspects of the feasibility and development phases of new projects.
Environmental Impact Statements
Environmental impact assessment documents, such as, EIA, EIS, EM& MP, now form an essential regulatory requirement in the development planning process for new mines. The statement predicts the effects of the development on the environment.
From a mining industry perspective, the purpose of environmental impact assessment is to enable the proponents, in consultation with the government, to identify the key environmental aspects of their project as early as possible and ensure that their management is integrated into the planning process; to ensure that any adverse environmental impacts are minimised; and to act as an aid to decision making.
EGC undertakes government agency communications and liaison on behalf of clients to identify and mutually agree on environmental data requirements necessary to prepare impact assessment documentation.
Waste Disposal
Waste management and disposal strategies can give rise to contamination of natural drainages and coastal waters by the entry of mine-derived sediments and associated metal contaminants. The current trend of stricter legislative controls on waste and wastewater discharges means that waste management and disposal strategies need to be environmentally sound, whilst remaining economically viable.
EGC and specialist subconsultants are able to undertake complete environmental assessments of small projects which require waste characterisation, water quality and biological surveys, predictive ecotoxicological assessments, and the planning, design, and execution of cost-effective and efficient monitoring programs.
Relevant Experience
The Principal of EGC has been involved with the following mining projects and operations:
- Koniambo Nickel Project (2004-2005) - Phase I Sediment Impact Study: Assessment of the potential impacts of total suspended sediment (TSS) concentrations on freshwater habitats and aquatic life, and formulation of TSS Effects Threshold Criteria for the protection of aquatic life (to Roche Limited Consulting Group for Falconbridge Nouvelle-Calédonie SAS).
- Sepon Gold Project (2001) - Environmental issues and sensitivities of the Sepon Gold Project, Sepon, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic. Review of aquatic environmental impact assessment for preparation of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) (to NSR for Oxiana Resources NL).
- Ramu Nickel Project (1998-99) - Riverine, coastal and deep-sea aquatic biological impacts of lateritic nickel mining wastes and wastewaters. (to NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd. for Highlands Pacific Limited).
- Nena Copper/Gold Prospect (1994) - Site visit report and review of environmental sensitivities and issues of the Nena Copper/Gold Prospect, northwest Papua New Guinea, including preparation of an aquatic biological and aquatic resource use baseline survey (to Environmental Management & Monitoring Pty. Ltd for Highlands Gold Limited, Papua New Guinea).
- Tolukuma Gold Project (1993) - Assessment of the aquatic biological and resource use effects of mine-derived sediments entering the Angabanga River system, Papua New Guinea (to NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd. for Dome Resources).
- Lihir Gold Project, Papua New Guinea (1991) - Lower Londolovit River Management Study. Assessment of the potential effects of regulated river flows likely to result from a water supply scheme on downstream aquatic biology, subsistence fisheries and land resources (to NSR Environmental Consultant Pty. Ltd. for Kennecott-Niugini Mining Joint Venture).
- Porgera Gold Mine (1991) - Critical appraisal of review by Department of Environment & Conservation (PNG) of the environmental baseline and compliance monitoring program of Porgera Gold Mine (with NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd. for Porgera Joint Venture).
- Effects of Mining on the Ghanaian Environment (1991) - River environment impact assessments of five Ghanaian operating mines and formulation of guidelines for draft legislation to minimise the effects of new mining developments on the Ghanaian environment (with NSR for Minerals Commission, Government of Ghana).
- Hidden Valley Gold Project Environmental Plan (1989) - Environmental impact assessment of potential river biological effects arising from the direct discharge of tailing and/or tailing supernatant (with NSR for CRA Gold Pty. Ltd.).
- Misima Gold Project Environmental Plan (1985-86) - Assessment of the marine biological effects of at-depth marine tailing disposal and near-surface dumping of soft oxidised waste, on the basis of aeration-dilution and bioassay tests, field dump trials and predictions of waste transport and dispersion (with NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd. for Placer (PNG) Pty. Limited).
- Porgera Gold Project Environmental Plan (1985-86) - Assessment of river biological effects of mill tailing and mine waste disposal, based on laboratory aeration-dilution and bioassay tests and river transport modelling (with NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd. for Placer (PNG) Pty. Limited).
- Goonumbla Copper/Gold Project (1985) - Water quality review and revised program for the assessment of mine water and wastewater management options for Goonumbla Mine, Parkes, (NSW) (with NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd. for Peko-Wallsend Ltd.).
- Bukit Young Goldmine (1989) - Assessment of water and wastewater management, disposal and detoxification of cyanided gold mill and heap leach effluents from the Bukit Young Gold Mine, Sarawak, Malaysia (with NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd. for Middle East Timber Company, Singapore).
- See Principal's CV for others