Risk Assessment of the Effects of Cyanide-Bearing Tailings Solutions on Wildlife
Background
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Many gold
mine tailings dams contain cyanide, and at some of these, wildlife
deaths have been recorded. In some instances, these have included
large numbers of bird deaths. A pro-active approach is needed
to design and manage tailings dams to significantly reduce, or
preferably eliminate, the environmental impacts.
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Objectives |
- Develop and
verify accurate wildlife monitoring systems for gold mining cyanide-bearing
tailings sufficient for certification under the International
Cyanide Management Code (ICMC);
- Provide
options for mine managers to reduce or eliminate wildlife mortality
from cyanosis, and thereby enable companies to operate cyanide-bearing
tailings facilities in accordance with the principles of the ICMC;
and
- Develop
and disseminate best practice for the management of wildlife impacts
from cyanide-bearing tailings within the gold mining industry.
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Outcomes |
The
International Cyanide Management Institute's Implementation Guidance
for the ICMC includes the following requirements:
Standard of Practice 4.4: Implement measures to protect
birds, other wildlife and livestock from adverse effects of cyanide
process solutions.
Standard of Practice 4.9: Implement monitoring programs to evaluate
the effects of cyanide use on wildlife, surface and ground water
quality.
The current
project has been designed to address these requirements by using
typical risk assessment procedures to understand and manage the
risk associated with wildlife mortality on tailings solutions.
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Methodology |
The project
involves a literature review, extensive data collection and data
analysis from selected tailings storage facilities around Australia
and Africa over a two year period.
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Project
Team |
Work is being
carried out by Mr David Donato under the supervision of Assoc
Prof Barry Noller of the National Research Centre for Environmental
Toxicology (affiliated with the University of Queensland).
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Project
Duration |
2 1/2 Years
from January 2004
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Project
Sponsors |
AngloGold
Ashanti Australia Limited, AngloGold Ashanti Limited (South Africa),
Equigold NL, Placer Dome Australia, In-kind contribution from Peak Gold Mines Pty Ltd. |
Project
Summary |
On completion
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More
Information |
info@acmer.uq.edu.au
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