Environmental Aspects of Phosphate and Potash Mining · 2.2 Phosphate Rock Mining and Beneficiation 6 2.3 Potash Mining and Beneficiation 10 3. The Environmental Approach of the Phosphate

Environmental Aspects ofPhosphate and Potash MiningUnited Nations Environment ProgrammeInternational Fertilizer Industry Association

Environmental Aspects ofPhosphate and Potash MiningUnited Nations Environment ProgrammeInternational Fertilizer Industry Association

International Fertilizer Industry Association 28, rue Marbeuf75008 Paris - FranceTel: +33 1 53 93 05 00Fax: +33 1 53 93 05 45 / 47E-mail: [email protected]: www.fertilizer.org

United Nations Environment ProgrammeDivision of Technology, Industry and Economics39-43, Quai André Citroën75739 Paris Cedex 15 - FranceTel: +33 1 44 37 14 50Fax: +33 1 44 37 14 74E-mail: [email protected]: www.uneptie.org

Environmental Aspects of Phosphate and Potash Mining.First edition. Printed by UNEP and IFA, Paris, December 2001.

Copyright 2001 UNEP.

This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes withoutspecial permission from this copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. UNEP would appreciatereceiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source.No use of this publication may be made for resale or any other commercial purpose whatsover without prior permissionin writing from UNEP.The designation employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression whatsoe-ver on the part of the United Nations Environment Programme concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city orarea or its authorities, or concerning delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries. Moreover, the views expressed do notnecessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United Nations Environment Programme, nor does citing oftrade names or commercial processes constitute endorsement.

UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATIONISBN: 92-807-2052-X

AAcckknnoowwlleeddggeemmeennttssA number of people provided comments and corrections. Particularly substantial inputs were made by:Mr Jon Higgins, researcher, is largely responsible for writing the present documentThe IFA member companies that voluntarily participated in the site visitsMr Keith Isherwood, former Head of IFA’s Information Service, for his sustained support

UNEP staff involved in the production of the publication were:Mrs Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel, Assistant Director GeneralMs Wanda M.A. Hoskin, Senior Programme Officer, MiningMs Wei Zhao, Production and Consumption Programme Officer

Co-ordination: Mr Michel Prud’homme and Ms Kristen Sukalac, IFALayout: Ms Claudine Aholou-Pütz, IFAGraphics: Ms Hélène Ginet, IFA

The text of this publication can be downloaded from IFA ‘s web site.

Copies can be obtained from:IFA28, rue Marbeuf75008 Paris, FranceTel: +33 1 53 93 05 00Fax: +33 1 53 93 05 45 / 47E-mail: [email protected]: www.fertilizer.org

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1. Introduction 1

1.1 The Mining of Phosphate Rock and Potash and the Environment 1

1.2 The Global Environment Agenda and the Mining Industry 2

1.3 The Life Cycle of the Phosphate Rock and Potash Mining Industry 4

2. Overview of Phosphate Rock and Potash Mining and Beneficiation 6

2.1 Phosphate Rock and Potash 6

2.2 Phosphate Rock Mining and Beneficiation 6

2.3 Potash Mining and Beneficiation 10

3. The Environmental Approach of the Phosphate Rock and Potash Mining Industry 14

3.1 The Environmental Challenges 14

3.2 Mine Development: Exploration, Planning, Approval and Construction 15

3.3 Extraction 17

3.4 Handling 22

3.5 Beneficiation and Concentration 24

3.6 Waste Management and Disposal 27

3.7 Mine Closure 36

3.8 Rehabilitation 36

3.9 Environmental Management 43

4. Emerging Environmental Issues and Trends 49

Appendices 50

Appendix A. Selected References and Reading Resources 50

Appendix B. Illustrated Examples Contact Information 52

Appendix C. Australian Mining Industry Code for Environmental Management 54

Appendix D. Glossary of Fertilizer and Mining Technical Terms 56

Appendix E. Acronyms 58

Appendix F. Selected Organizations 59

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Chapter 2 gives an overview of the processes involvedin extracting these minerals and preparing them forfertilizer production. Chapter 3, the focus of the doc-ument, looks at some of the industry's responses toassociated environmental challenges. Finally, Chapter4 considers how the mining sector might best con-tribute to the sustainability of the overall fertilizerindustry in years to come.

The study reinforces the fact that the environmentalperformance of the fertilizer raw materials industryhas improved over recent decades, although challengesremain. This publication therefore, explores the vari-ety of approaches and techniques which are beingused in different parts of the world to address envi-ronmental concerns.

It is our sincere hope that, not only will this reportprove useful, but that companies will continue tostrive to achieve ever cleaner and safer production aspart of their ongoing efforts to contribute to sustain-able development.

This report on the environmental aspects of phos-phate and potash mining is the fifth in a seriespublished jointly by the International FertilizerIndustry Association (IFA) and the United NationsEnvironment Programme (UNEP). Previous studiesincluded :� The Fertilizer Industry, World Food Supplies and

the Environment;� Mineral Fertilizer Production and the Environ-

ment;� Mineral Fertilizer Distribution and the Environ-

ment, and� Mineral Fertilizer Use and the Environment.

As such, this publication completes a series that looksat environmental aspects of the fertilizer industrythroughout the life-cycle of mineral fertilizer prod-ucts. In this volume, the holistic way of looking at anissue is applied to the activities of the fertilizer rawmaterials sector, incorporating the concept of thewhole-of-mine-life thinking and planning.

Chapter 1 is an introduction to environmental issuesassociated with mining phosphate and potash ores.

Luc M. MaeneDirector GeneralInternational Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA)

Jacqueline Aloisi de LarderelAssistant Executive DirectorUNEP Divisions of Technology, Industry andEconomics

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Product Tonnage

Coal 4,655,000,000

Iron Ore 1,020,000,000

Salt 186,000,000

Phosphate Rock 144,000,000

Bauxite 126,000,000

Gypsum 107,000,000

Potash Ore (2) 45,000,000

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Fertilizers are a key factor in sustaining the world'sagricultural output. They supply nutrients that areneeded by all plants for normal growth, developmentand health. Maintaining an adequate supply of foodfor human consumption requires:� A supplementary source of plant nutrients if the

natural supply is insufficient.� Replacement of the many possible nutrient losses.

These replacement and/or supplementary suppliescan be provided through organic manures and/ormineral fertilizers.

This publication concerns the provision of raw mate-rials for two important mineral fertilizers, phosphateand potash.

Three major nutrients are required in large quantitiesfor plant growth, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassi-um. Three secondary nutrients are required in smallerquantities on some soils; sulfur, calcium and magne-sium. Seven micronutrients may be required in smallamounts where deficient. Each nutrient has a specificbiological function and, while there may be synergiesbetween the nutrients, none has a substitute.

By far the most important for the present publication,in terms of the quantity mined and potential impacton the environment, are phosphate and potash.

The production of phosphorous and potassium min-eral fertilizers relies essentially on the mining ofmineral concentrations, in the form of ore depositsfrom the earth's crust. Nitrogen mineral fertilizers, onthe other hand, are almost entirely based on ammoniamanufactured from the abundant source of atmos-pheric nitrogen, water and energy.

The production of nitrogen fertilizers has been dis-cussed extensively in the earlier publication byUNEP/UNIDO/IFA on ‘Mineral Fertilizer Productionand the Environment: Part 1 - The Fertilizer Industry'sManufacturing Processes and Environmental Issues’and will not be covered further here.

World production of phosphorous and potassiummineral fertilizers in 1998/99 was 34 Mt P2O5 (1) and

25.5 Mt K2O respectively. This required the extractionof 144 Mt of phosphate rock and more than 45 Mt ofpotash ore (2). Table 1.1 indicates the scale of the min-eral fertilizer raw material mining industry incomparison to the mining of other bulk mineral andenergy commodities.

11.. IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn

Figure 1.1

World mineral fertilizer production

100

80

60

40

20

0

120Million tonnes nutrients

Ammonia

Phosphaterock

Potash

1990 to 2000

(1) Phosphate and potash may be expressed as their elemen-tal forms P and K, or as oxide forms P2O5 and K2O. In thispublication the oxide form is used.

Mt = million tonnes

(3) In KCl equivalent (sylvinite). Actual tonnages are larger,including kieiserite, langbeinite and carnallite ore.

Introduction

During recent decades, attention and concern hasbeen focused increasingly on the environmentalimpacts of human activities, especially industrialactivities such as mining. The public perception of themining industry has been tainted by a legacy of envi-ronmental damage from past practices combined witha number of highly publicized failures of metal min-ing tailings dams. As the scale of operations and thearea disturbed by the mining industry continue togrow, so too has the public's concern over the indus-try's capacity to manage and mitigate environmentalimpacts. In response, most governments haveimposed stricter legislative and regulatory require-ments on the mining industry in order to protect theecosystem, to maintain a safe and secure environmentand to protect people living in the vicinity of themine-site.

Leading mining companies have taken up the chal-lenge and are pushing beyond minimum legalrequirements through voluntary initiatives, to ensuretheir continued “license-to-operate” from the com-munity as well as increasing their competitiveadvantage through continuous, voluntary improve-ments in environmental performance.

As with all mining activities, the extraction and bene-ficiation of phosphate rock and potash to producemineral fertilizer raw material has the potential tocause environmental impacts. These impacts can takethe form of changes to the landscape, water contami-nation, excessive water consumption and airpollution.

The landscape may be disturbed through the removalof topsoil and vegetation, excavation and depositionof overburden, disposal of processing wastes andunderground mining induced surface subsidence.

The quality of surface and groundwater may beadversely affected by the release of processing waterand the erosion of sediments and leaching of toxicminerals from overburden and processing wastes.Water resources may be affected by dewatering opera-tions or beneficiation processes.

The quality of the air can be affected by the release ofemissions such as dust and exhaust gases.

The fertilizer raw material mining industry, as a sub-sector of the larger global mining industry, is notexempt from the prevailing social and political cli-mate. This publication demonstrates how thephosphate rock and potash mining industry has

responded to the challenges presented by the changingenvironmental, political and cultural values of society,through an overview of the industry's environmentalperformance worldwide. Information on companyenvironmental practices has been gathered from anextensive series of site visits to fertilizer raw materialmining, beneficiation, and processing operations, inaddition to a review of available literature. The com-panies and organizations involved in the project arelisted in Appendix B. While this does not provide acomplete picture of the current state of the industry, itdoes demonstrate the direction of development, andthe range of systems, practices and technologiesemployed.

The publication focuses on the environmental aspectsassociated with the mining of raw materials for themanufacture of phosphorous and potassium mineralfertilizers. Earlier joint publications by UNEP, UNIDOand IFA have covered the environmental issues associ-ated with the downstream processing, distributionand use of mineral fertilizers (3).

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Environmental impact is an increasingly importantissue against which human activities must be weighed.A key factor is the scale of natural resource consump-tion, such as that of minerals, agricultural land, woodand fisheries.

The issue of resource consumption requires that thecausal factors be addressed, such as:� The continued world population growth;� The material consumption patterns of the devel-

oped world, which are increasingly being adoptedby the developing world;

� The imbalance in development, opportunities andresource allocation between the developed anddeveloping world;

� The correct pricing of the resource to account forscarcity and the environmental and social costs ofproduction; and

� The efficiency of resource use by industry throughthe implementation of best available techniques.

2

(3) The earlier UNEP, UNIDO and IFA publications are list-ed in Appendix A. These can be obtained from either IFA orUNEP.


These are complex, interlinked issues. “Sustainabledevelopment” has been proposed as a holisticapproach for dealing with these complexities.

Sustainable development integrates economic, envi-ronmental and social considerations in order toimprove the lives of the current generation and ensurethat future generations will have adequate resourcesand opportunities.

Over recent decades, public awareness and concernhas grown, as has knowledge of the effects of ouractivities on the environment. The 1992 UnitedNations Conference on Environment andDevelopment (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilresulted in Agenda 21, an action plan for the imple-mentation of sustainable development throughout alllevels of society. Agenda 21 identified the global eco-nomic, environmental, and social issues to beaddressed and provided a detailed framework formoving society towards sustainable development.

In the case of phosphorus and potassium, althoughthe best quality and most easily accessible deposits aremined first, the total available resources are sufficientfor hundreds or thousands of years. But no mineralresource is infinite and the efficient extraction and useof phosphate and potash are an important contribu-tion to a certain degree of sustainability.

The mining industry has an important role to play inthis respect:� Rehabilitation allows the land disturbed by the

extraction of the mineral resource to be returnedto the pool of land available for other uses;

� Optimization of the recovery of the resource maybe encouraged through the use of the most effi-cient techniques and technologies available;

� Any unrecovered resources can be left in a condi-tion such that possible future improvements intechnological capability and economics will beable to access and recover the resource; and

� The development of more efficient mining andprocessing methods and techniques can extendcurrent resource life, and help to recover, recycleand reuse minerals.

These principles have application across all sections ofthe mining industry, including that of the phosphaterock and potash mining industry. The mining indus-try has responded to the sustainability issues that arechallenging it on a number of fronts. Several of themare discussed in this report.

Mining Members of the World Business Council onSustainable Development (WBCSD) established theGlobal Mining Initiative (GMI) in 1998. The GMI,representing some of the worlds leading mineral andmining companies, was established to provide leader-ship and direction for the future development of themining industry in a sustainable manner. To this end,the GMI approached the International Institute ofEnvironment and Development to commission theMining, Minerals and Sustainable Development(MMSD) project, to determine how mining can mosteffectively contribute to sustainable development.Regional groups have been established, stakeholdersengaged and consulted, issues identified, and researchcommissioned to determine how the services of themining industry can be orientated to sustainabledevelopment and develop an action plan to guide theindustry in coming decades. This action plan is to beimplemented by the new International Council onMining and Metals (formally The InternationalCouncil on Metals and the Environment).

National mining associations have developed and dis-seminating charters or voluntary codes of practice toimprove the level of environmental management. Anexample of this is the Australian Mining IndustryCode for Environmental Management developed bythe Minerals Council of Australia (see Appendix C).This voluntary code has been widely adopted by min-ing companies within Australia. These are required topublish public environmental reports to demonstrateprogress on the implementation of the code's princi-ples.

The World Bank has been actively developing miningsector capacity in developing countries. Programshave focused on drafting mining legislation, buildingup environmental management capabilities and cre-ating incentives for private investment.

NGO co-operation with the mining industry hasincreased at local and global levels in recent years. TheWorld Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has been activein developing relationships with the mining industryto foster improved performance. The WWF has beenleading the development of an independent miningcertification system in partnership with Placer Dome(Australia). This system is based on the ForestStewardship Council (FSC) model that has beeneffective in fostering improvement of the environ-mental performance of the forestry industry.

Introduction

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The industry approach to environmental issues hasmoved from ‘end-of-pipe’ solutions, towards a pollu-tion prevention strategy. This strategy requires anintegrated, holistic view of activities. Tools have beendeveloped to assist management, including cleanerproduction, life cycle assessment and industrial ecolo-gy. Each of these looks at the life cycle of the productor service, to identify where the major environmentalissues or problems may arise and where the most cost-effective solutions can be developed. Planning for thelife of the mine, including closure and site rehabilita-tion, permits a more efficient and environmentallyeffective outcome. It identifies and creates opportuni-ties for improving the economic and environmentalperformance of the operation. Previously unrecoveredresources may be retrieved and former wastes convert-ed into useful products.

A schematic view of the mining life cycle is depicted inFigure 1.3. This highlights the sequential nature of theactivities of the phosphate rock and potash miningindustry. Emphasis is placed on closing the circle, orlife cycle, with the rehabilitation of the site, and on theimportance of planning for this from the outset.

Activities of the mining life cycle may include:� Prospecting and exploration to identify potential

economic mineral deposits;� Assessment of the mineral deposit to determine

whether it can be economically extracted andprocessed under current and predicted futuremarket conditions;

� Design, planning and construction of the mine,handling, processing plant and associated infra-structure such as roads, power generation andports;

� Removal of the overburden or mining of theunderground declines, shafts and tunnels to accessthe ore;

� Extraction of the ore;� Handling of the ore from the mine to the benefici-

ation plant;� Beneficiation and primary processing of the ore to

produce a concentrated product (phosphate rockand potash);

� Treatment and disposal of solid and liquid wastes;� Closure of the mining operation after exhaustion

of the economic ore reserve and completion ofrehabilitation; and

4

The flow of the macro-nutrients phosphorous and potassium

Source : Concept for the schematic is drawn from the Natural ResoucesCanada report "Sustainable Development and Minerals and Metals"

to concentrate ore

Figure1.2

The mineral fertilizer life cycle

planning

Source : Concept for the schematic is drawn from the Natural ResoucesCanada report "Sustainable Development and Minerals and Metals"

Figure1.3

The mining life cycle


� Subsequent handing over of the site to the pool ofavailable land.

Planning, environmental management and rehabilita-tion are conducted throughout the mining life cycle,encompassing all other activities.

By examining each stage of the life cycle, the potentialenvironmental effects can be identified and actionstaken to mitigate or prevent them. Synergies can bedeveloped, and opportunities identified, avoiding

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additional costs and potentially creating new streamsof revenue, resulting in an improved of the perform-ance both environmentally and economically.

Companies are beginning to adopt life-cycle thinking.This is evidenced through the environmental report-ing example presented in Figure 1.4. The diagram issupported by figures on the input and output flows,including emissions, wastes and net land disturbanceto provide a measure of environmental performance.

6

Overview of Phosphate Rock and Potash Mining and Beneficiation

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Although phosphate rock and potash are used as rawmaterials for a wide range of applications, the mostimportant use by far is the manufacture of mineralfertilizers.

The primary source of these minerals is geological oredeposits formed through past sedimentary or igneousactivities. In the case of potash, concentrated brinesare also a significant source.

This chapter provides a brief overview of the majoractivities involved in the mining, handling and benefi-ciation of phosphate rock and potash ore.

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PPhhoosspphhaattee RRoocckk MMiinniinngg

At present, most phosphate rock is mined using large-scale surface methods. In the past, undergroundmining methods played a greater role, but their con-tribution to world production has declined. Majormining and beneficiation techniques and processesemployed by the industry are listed in Figure 2.1.

Surface phosphate rock mining operations can varygreatly in size. Extraction may range from severalthousand to more than 10 million tonnes of ore peryear. In many cases, operations supply feed to a near-by fertilizer processing complex for the production of

downstream concentrated fertilizer products. Theeconomies of scale of the complex in turn influencethe scale of the mining operation.

The land area affected by the surface operations mayvary widely, depend on the orebody geometry andthickness and the ore extraction rate. At similarextraction rates, mining of flat-lying thin orebodies asfound in Florida (USA) will affect a far wider area ofland than the mining of thicker, or steeply dippingorebodies as found in Brazil and Idaho (USA). Thedepth of excavations may range from a few metres tomore than 100 metres.

Surface mining of phosphate rock, with bucketwheel - OfficeTogolais des Phosphates (OTP), Togo

Surface mining of phosphate rock with dragline, Florida -Cargill Fertilizers Inc., USA

Currently, most phosphate rock production world-wide is extracted using opencast dragline or open-pitshovel/excavator mining methods. This method isemployed widely in parts of the United States ofAmerica, Morocco and Russia.

Underground mining methods are currently used inTunisia, Morocco, Mexico and India. The area of theland surface affected by these operations is generallysmall and limited to the area immediately adjacent tothe access decline or shaft.

The following discussion will focus on surface meth-ods due to their significance.

Environmental Aspects of Phosphate and Potash Mining

PPhhoosspphhaattee RRoocckk BBeenneeffiicciiaattiioonn

Beneficiation (or concentration) processes are gener-ally used to upgrade the phosphate content byremoving contaminants and barren material prior tofurther processing. A few ores are of sufficiently highquality to require no further concentration. The natu-rally occurring impurities contained in phosphaterock ore depend heavily on the type of deposit (sedi-mentary or igneous), associated minerals, and theextent of weathering. Major impurities can includeorganic matter, clay and other fines, siliceous material,carbonates, and iron bearing minerals. These charac-teristics influence the beneficiation processesemployed.

The removal of fines such as clays and fine-grainedaluminium and iron phosphates is usually conductedthrough a combination of crushing/grinding, scrub-bing, water washing, screening, and/or hydrocyclones.The fines are disposed of either to rivers, mined outareas, or specially engineered storage impoundments.Siliceous material, sand, may require an additionalfroth flotation stage for separation. This is typicallypumped to storage impoundments or mined-outareas for disposal.

DraglineBucketwheel excavatorShovelFront-end-loader (FEL)Excavator

Surface

CalcinationFlotationMagnetic separationHeavy-media separationAcid washing

Carbonate reduction

Continuous mining machineLongwallShaft / Decline

Underground

Extraction

CrushingGrindingScreeningHydrocyclones

Size reduction

WashingFlotation

Concentration

Magnetic separationIron mineral removal

ConveyorsShedsTanks

Storage

Rotary ovensFluidised bed dryers

Drying

Beneficiation / concentration

Figure 2.1

Common phosphate rock mining processesand equipment

Slurry pipelineRoad or haul trucksConveyorsStockpile and reclaimer

Surface

ConveyorsFeed binsShaft or decline haulage

Underground

Handling

CentrifugesBelt filters

Dewatering

Dry screening - Copebras SA, Brazil

Cone crusher - Fosfertil, Brazil

8


The presence of carbonates in the form of dolomiteand calcite may cause downstream processing prob-lems and may reduce the quality of the end product.They are primarily removed through the use of calci-nation followed by slaking with water to remove theCaO and MgO produced.

Iron minerals may be present in the form of mag-netite, hematite and goethite. These are typicallyremoved through scrubbing and size classification, ormagnetic separation.

Following beneficiation, the concentrated phosphaterock is stockpiled prior to transport to downstreamprocessing plants for the manufacture of phosphatemineral fertilizers. In some instances, phosphate rockwith suitable properties may be directly applied tocrops as a soil amendment by farmers.

Flotation tanks - IMC Phosphate, Florida

Grinding mills - Fosfertil, Brazil

Phosphate fertilizer plant, Conda, USA - Agrium Inc., Canada

Generally, the major waste streams produced duringphosphate rock beneficiation are clay fines, sand tail-ings and significant quantities of process water.Magnetite tailings may also be associated with igneousorebodies. These are disposed of by a number ofmeans including discharge to rivers or other waterbodies, and disposal to engineered storage dams, ormined-out areas. The process water may be recoveredand reused.

Decantation of clarified water - Cargill Fertilizers Inc., USA

Wet screening - IMC Phosphate, Florida, USA

Phosphate rock mining and beneficiation are illustrat-ed by the operations of Office Chérifien desPhosphates (OCP) in Morocco.

At the Khouribga and Benguerir opencast draglinemining operations in Morocco, the overburden is ini-tially drilled and blasted. Bulldozers prepare thesurface for draglines to remove the broken overbur-den and expose the ore. The ore is excavated withoutblasting into trucks using smaller draglines, shovels orfront-end loaders. The trucks transport the ore to ascreening plant for the separation and disposal of theoversize low-grade material followed by stockpiling.The screened ore is reclaimed from the stockpile andtransferred by conveyor to the beneficiation plant.Theore is washed and dried to remove clay fines and insome instances is subjected to calcination, to producea concentrated phosphate rock.

The concentrated phosphate rock is transported byrail either to the industrial complexes located at JorfLasfar and Safi for further processing, or directly toport for export.


Clay settling pond - Cargill Fertilizers Inc., USA

Loading phosphate rock - Office Chérifien des Phosphates(OCP), Khouribga, Morocco

Sizing and stockpile plant - Office Chérifien des Phosphates(OCP), Khouribga, Morocco

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Drying plant - Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP),Khouribga, Morocco

Conveyor and stacker - Office Chérifien des Phosphates(OCP), Khouribga, Morocco

10


22..33 PPoottaasshh MMiinniinngg aanndd BBeenneeffiicciiaattiioonn

Potash is a generic term applied to all potassium saltsthat are used as fertilizers.

PPoottaasshh MMiinniinngg

Potash ore is extracted from two major ore deposittypes, deeply buried marine evaporite deposits thattypically range from 400 metres to greater than 1,000metres below the surface, and surface brine depositsassociated with saline water bodies such as the DeadSea in the Middle East and the Great Salt Lake inNorth America.

Most potash is sourced from buried deposits usingconventional mechanized underground mining meth-ods, though solution mining methods also areemployed. Generally these underground operationsproduce between 1 to 10 million tonnes of potash oreper year. The land area affected is typically confined tothe immediate area of the shaft, plant and waste dis-posal area but may be up to several square kilometers.

Potash mine head and plant - Potash Corporation ofSaskatchewan (PCS), Canada

Surface brine deposits are exploited using solar evap-oration ponds to concentrate and precipitate thepotash. The evaporation ponds are extensive, withsome operations covering in excess of 90 square kilo-meters of land area to produce around 8 milliontonnes of potash ore per year.

Conventional mechanized underground mining oper-ations are the most widely used method for theextraction of potash ore. A variety of mining tech-niques and equipment may be employed dependingon factors such as: the orebody depth, geometry,thickness and consistency, the geological and geotech-nical conditions of the ore and surrounding rock, andthe presence of overlying aquifers. Methods in wide-spread use include variations of room and pillar,longwall, cut and fill, and open stope techniques.

After the ore is extracted, it is generally transferred bybridge conveyor, shuttle cars or load-haul-dump unitsto a system of conveyors that carry it to undergroundstorage bins, prior to haulage to the surface through ashaft by automated skips. On rare occasions shallowmines may use a decline and conveyor arrangement.

Solution mining is currently used at a number ofoperations in North America. The process relies onthe greater solubility at elevated temperatures in brineof sylvite in comparison to salt (NaCl). Commonly,brine is heated on the surface then injected into theorebody through wells. The heated brine absorbssylvite from the orebody and is then pumped back tothe surface to a series of ponds, where the potash pre-cipitates as the brine cools. The potash is recoveredfrom the ponds by dredges and pumped to the plantfor processing. The brine is heated again and theprocess repeated. An advantage of the method is thatit allows ore extraction at greater depths than withconventional underground mining methods.

Washing plant - Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP),Khouribga, Morocco

Port, Jorf Lasfar - Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP),Morocco


Loader (LHD-Load, hold, dump unit) - Kali und SalzGmbH, Germany

Continuous mining machine - Potash Corporation ofSaskatchewan (PCS), Canada

Continuous mining machine - Potash Corporation ofSaskatchewan (PCS), Canada

Longwall mining - Mines de Potasses d'Alsace, France

Drilling holes for blasting explosive - Kali und Salz GmbH,Germany

12


Although it is not strictly mining, the concentration ofbrine in solar evaporation ponds is another method ofproducing potash ore. The method relies on the evap-oration of brine through a series of shallow ponds.The initial ponds are used to precipitate halite (NaCl)and concentrate the desired minerals, the brine is thenpumped into a second series of ponds in which thepotash ore, mostly carnallite, is precipitated. The car-nallite is harvested and pumped as a slurry tobeneficiation facilities for processing.

PPoottaasshh BBeenneeffiicciiaattiioonn

The processing of potash generally involves a series ofsteps including:� Size reduction;� Desliming;� Separation;� Drying;� Compaction and granulation;� Disposal of the waste streams.

The specific process employed will depend on factorssuch as the characteristics and constituents of thepotash ore and the market specifications.

Generally, the ore is reduced in size using a system ofcrushing and grinding to liberate the different miner-als from each other. This is usually followed bydesliming by intense agitation followed by flotation orhydrocyclones to separate the fines consisting of clays,dolomite and sand from the potash ore.

Four basic techniques are used to separate the wasteminerals or by-products such as salt and concentratethe potash; flotation, electrostatic separation, thermaldissolution-crystallization, and heavy media separa-tion. Several of these may be used together to enhancerecovery.

Flotation is the most widely used technique, relying onthe difference in surface properties between mineralsto selectively float the desired mineral. Electrostaticseparation is a dry process in which the minerals areseparated using their different electrical conductivi-ties. Thermal dissolution-crystallization relies on thesame principle as solution mining, whereby a heatedbrine preferentially dissolves potassium chloride.Heavy media separation relies on the difference in spe-cific gravity between sylvite and halite to selectivelyfloat and remove the lighter sylvite particles.

Continuous miningmachineLongwallLoad-haul-dump (LHD) unitsDrill and blast

Underground

FlotationThermal dissolution- -crystallizationElectrostatic separationHeavy-media separation

Concentration

Injection wellsRecovery wells

Solution

Evaporation pondsSurface

Extraction

Shuttle carsConveyorsFeed binsShaft or decline haulageBrine pipelinesCooling ponds

Handling

CrushingGrindingScreeningHydrocyclones

Size reduction

Attrition scrubbingHydrocyclones

Desliming

GranulatorGranulation

Rotary compactorCompaction

FiltersThickenersCentrifuges

Dewatering

Rotary ovensFluidised bed dryers

Drying

ConveyorsSheds

Storage

Beneficiation / concentration

Figure 2.2

Common potash mining processes and equipment


After concentration, the potash concentrate is general-ly dried in a rotary or fluidized bed dryer to reduce themoisture content. Depending on market require-ments, this may be followed by compaction at highpressure between rollers and then granulation to pro-duce a uniform size potash product.

Three major waste streams are produced during ben-eficiation; brines, fines, and salt tailings. A variety ofdisposal methods are currently used, including:� Stacking of the salt tailings on the surface;� Retention of the fines and brines in surface ponds

for solar evaporation;� Deep well injection of brines into confined perme-

able geological strata;� Backfilling of mined underground openings with

salt tailings, fines and brines;� Release of wastes to water bodies such as rivers or

seas.

These are discussed in greater detail in Chapter three.

Potash compaction rollers - Potash Corporation ofSaskatchewan (PCS), Canada

Figure 2.3

Typical potash beneficiation processKali and Salz GmbH, Germany

Mine

Primary crushing

Fine grinding

Flotation

Classification

Drying

Granulation

Storage / shipment

GranularDustfree

Hot leaching

Crystallization

Washing process

Drying

Storage / shipment

KCl 99

Filtering potash before drying - Kali und Salz GmbH,Germany

Potash rotary drier - Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan(PCS), Canada

14

The Environmental Approach of the Phosphate Rock and Potash Mining Industry

33..11 TThhee EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall CChhaalllleennggeess

The activities of the phosphate rock and potash min-ing industry potentially result in a wide variety ofadverse environmental effects. Typically, these effectsare quite localized, and in most cases, confined to themine site. At a specific site, the type and extent of envi-ronmental effects may depend on factors such as:� The characteristics of the ore and overburden;� The surface land profile (wetlands, plains, hills,

and mountains);� The local climate;� The surrounding ecosystem.

However, of greater importance may be:� The mining methods and equipment;� The beneficiation and concentration processes;� The waste disposal methods;� The scale of the operation;� The sites location to existing population centers

and infrastructure.

Environmental aspects that can be affected by miningactivities were grouped under ‘air, ‘water’, ’land’ and‘social values’.

Air quality can be affected by emissions of:� Dust;� Exhaust particulates and exhaust gases such as car-

bon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO),nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur oxides (SOx);

� Volatile organic compounds (VOC's) from fuelingand workshop activities;

� Methane released from some geological strata.

Greenhouse gases such as CO2 and methane arebelieved to contribute to global warming.

Dust is a common problem throughout all miningactivities. Dust generated by vehicle traffic can bereduced through a variety of means. Where waterresources are not limited, regular watering withmobile water trucks or fixed sprinkler systems is effec-tive. Otherwise the application of surface bindingagents, the selection of suitable construction materialsand the sealing of heavily used access ways may bemore suitable. Dust emitted during beneficiation canbe controlled by means such as water sprays, baghous-es and wet scrubbers. Captured dust can generally bereturned to the beneficiation process.

33.. TThhee EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall AApppprrooaacchh ooff tthhee PPhhoosspphhaattee RRoocckk aannddPPoottaasshh MMiinniinngg IInndduussttrryy

Figure 3.1.1

Major potential environmental effects that may occurduring phosphate rock and potash mining activities

...Environmental management and rehabilitation...

Product transportedto further processing,distribution and use

Return of site to poolof available land

Removal of equipmentand plant, shaft sealing,stabilisation, monitoring

Long term stabilitySafetyFuture land useAir emissionsHazardous waste disposal

Wastes to surfacestorage impoundmentsand piles, underground

backfilling, deep wellinjection, or releaseto the environment

Land surface disturbanceWater contaminationAir emissionsStabilityAesthetic changes

Exploration, assessment,

planning andconstruction

Land surface disturbanceAir emissionsWater contaminationNoise and vibration

Transport

Storage and reclamation

Air emissionsWater contaminationNoise

Land surface disturbanceWater contaminationWater table loweringAir emissionsTopsoil degradationVegetation and wildlifedisruptionNoise and vibration

Overburden removalor orebody access

Ore extraction

Waste generationWater consumptionWater contaminationAir emissionsNoise and vibrationResource maximization

Clos

ure

Was

te d

ispos

alM

ine

deve

lopm

ent

Hand

ling

Extra

ctio

nBe

nefic

iatio

nBe

nefic

iatio

n

Size reduction(crushing, grinding,

screens, cyclones)

Drying, compaction, granulation, etc...

Separation,concentration and

contaminant removal


Water quality can be affected by the release of slurrybrines and contaminants into process water. Surfacewaters may be contaminated by:� The erosion of fines from disturbed ground such

as open-cut workings, overburden dumps andspoil piles and waste disposal facilities;

� The release or leakage of brines;� The weathering of overburden contaminants,

which may then be leached.

Large volumes of water are typically required by min-ing and beneficiation activities. This waterconsumption may lead to a fall in the level of the watertable, affecting the surrounding ecosystem and poten-tially resulting in competition with other users.

The land surface and sub-surface is disturbed by activ-ities such as:� The extraction of ore;� The deposition of overburden;� The disposal of beneficiation wastes;� The subsidence of the surface.

These activities could result in wide range of potentialimpacts on the land, geological structure, topsoil,aquifers and surface drainage systems. Additionally,the removal of vegetation may affect the hydrologicalcycle, wildlife habitat and biodiversity of the area. Insome instances, sites of archaeological, cultural orother significance may be affected.

Social goods and intangible values such as communi-ty lifestyles, land values and the quality of theecosystem in the vicinity of the mine site could beaffected by factors such as:� Modification of the landscape;� Noise and vibration from activities such as blasting

and the operation of equipment;� Changes in wildlife habitat.

The major potentially adverse environmental effectscould occur during the different activities of the min-ing life cycle in Figure 3.1.1. Generally the activities ofmost significance are construction, extraction, benefi-ciation and waste disposal. Associated activities mayhave an impact but these tend to be relatively lessimportant. Rehabilitation and closure can have someimpact, but these activities are carried out with theobjective of repairing any adverse effects that mayhave occurred during mining, to leave a safe and sta-ble site. Rehabilitation is more effective whenconducted progressively throughout the life of theoperation. Adopting a holistic approach to planningand environmental management, that encompassesthe entire life cycle, helps to prevent or mitigate envi-ronment effects from the outset, while fostering

stewardship of the ore resource and the land underwhich it lies.

The present chapter has been organized according tothe major activities associated with the mining lifecy-cle. Within each activity, the major environmentalissues are raised, followed by a general discussion ofthe environmental practices employed by industry.The discussion is illustrated by examples of good andinnovative environmental practices identified duringthe project site visits. These demonstrate specificindustry responses.

33..22 MMiinnee DDeevveellooppmmeenntt:: EExxpplloorraattiioonn,,PPllaannnniinngg,, AApppprroovvaall aanndd CCoonnssttrruuccttiioonn

Mine development consists of a sequence of activities:� Prospecting and exploration work to locate and

delineate the ore resource;� Economic, environmental and technical feasibility

assessment of the orebody;� Planning and design of the mine layout, site infra-

structure and the mining sequence;� Obtaining relevant government permits and

approvals;� Construction and commissioning of the opera-

tion.

Most environmental impacts during this stage of themining life cycle are typically associated with explo-ration and construction. Effective planning,commencing at this stage and continuing throughoutthe life of the mine, has a great influence on minimiz-ing the impact of the operation.

Figure 3.2.1

Potential environmental effects : mine development

Exploration, assessment,

planning andconstruction

Land surface disturbanceAir emissionsWater contaminationNoise and vibration

Min

e de

velo

pmen

t

Planning is important to avoid or reduce adverse envi-ronmental impacts over the life of the mine and afterclosure. Planning is most effective when the entire lifeof mine is encompassed. Defining the final objectivesof mine closure from the outset allows an optimumbalance between operational, rehabilitation and clo-sure goals to be selected, thus minimizing the cost ofthese activities.

16


Planning takes account of factors such as air and waterquality, land surface disturbance, noise and vibration,surrounding and post-mining land uses, wildlife andbiodiversity and cultural and historic site locations.Valuable information for planning purposes is gath-ered during the preparation of environmental impactassessments (EIA) and permit applications. Thisallows sensitive aspects to be identified and potentialrisks evaluated. The knowledge developed creates astrong foundation for the development of later opera-tional management systems, procedures, andpractices.

Repeated evaluation of different options addresses theenvironmental impacts, the changing regulatoryrequirements, community expectations, and engineer-ing and cost limitations, while also allowing newtechnology to be more easily incorporated.

EExxpplloorraattiioonn

Exploration activities have some environmentalimpacts. These are largely related to land disturbancesfrom the clearing of vegetation, construction ofcamps, access roads, drilling sites and sumps fordrilling fluids and fines. Noise and vibration from

IMC Phosphate in central western Florida, (USA) hasapplied a "team permitting process" to theConsolidated Development Application (CDA) for theproposed Ona and Pine Level mines.

The CDA covers the majority of permits required forapproval to mine phosphate in Florida. Permits typi-cally focus on the areas of:� Water quality;� Water supply;� Wetlands;� Wildlife.

Typically, several permits will be required for eacharea, encompassing a wide range of issues. Onceachieved, the permits apply to the life of the mine.

The team permitting process speeds up the develop-ment and approval of the CDA through two majorinnovations. First, at the outset all stakeholders arebrought together. This allows major concerns to beidentified before the CDA starts. The issues can thenbe addressed efficiently, reducing the need for multi-ple iterations of the CDA.

Second, the CDA undergoes concurrent review byboth the community and regulatory agencies. Thereview provides an opportunity for questions to beraised about the CDA. The company must addressthese sufficiently before approval is granted.

As a trade-off for benefiting from the acceleratedteam permitting process, the company must provideenvironmental benefits beyond those required for thestandard permitting process. This results in a win-winsolution for the company and community. The com-pany obtains its mine permit approval faster, thecommunity has a greater sense of ownership throughearly involvement and input, and enjoys more envi-ronment benefits.

Mine site - Foskor Ltd, South Africa

Dragline avoids bird's nest - Cargill Fertilizers Inc., USA

seismic surveys and drilling operations may also be ofconcern.

Effective planning of the exploration activities reducespotential impacts by using existing infrastructurewhere possible, taking appropriate care during theconstruction of access tracks and containing anydrilling fluids and fines in sumps. On completion ofexploration, rehabilitation of disturbed areas isenhanced by the capping or grouting of drill holes, thefilling of sumps, the ripping of compacted areas, andthe replacement of removed topsoil and revegetation.

Modern remote sensing exploration techniquesreduce the area disturbed by exploration activities.The use of gravity and geomagnetic surveys allowswide areas to be covered with little or no impact,

TThhee ‘‘TTeeaamm PPeerrmmiittttiinngg PPrroocceessss’’


reducing the need for more intrusive exploration tech-niques.

CCoonnssttrruuccttiioonn

Construction activities have significant potential tohave adverse environmental impacts. During thisphase, often a large transient workforce is employed,workforce numbers tend to peak and material andequipment movements tend to be large. Impacts aretypically related to land disturbance caused by earth-works, air emissions from dust, noise from equipmentand construction activities and heavy volumes of traf-fic on access roads.

In many cases, specialized third party companies andconsultants conduct mine construction activities.‘Turn key’ construction contracts are commonlyawarded. The ability of the mine site's owner to con-trol environmental impacts can be maintained tosome extent by considering potential issues andexplicitly addressing them in the drafting of the tenderand contract.

33..33 EExxttrraaccttiioonn

Surface mining methods, by nature, tend to affect awide area of land and could result in a variety ofeffects such as: land surface disturbance, contamina-tion or depletion of ground and surface water, and areduction in air quality. Currently, most phosphaterock and a small quantity of potash ore are sourcedusing surface mining.

may become contaminated or deplete overlyingaquifers. Underground mining methods are used tosource potash ore from deeply buried marine evapor-ite potash deposits. A lesser quantity of phosphaterock is sourced using underground methods.

LLaanndd SSuurrffaaccee DDiissttuurrbbaannccee

Extraction activities disturb the land surface throughclearing of vegetation, removal of topsoil, excavationof ore and overburden and the construction of over-burden dumps or solar evaporation ponds.

Removal and stockpiling of topsoil for subsequentrehabilitation is carried out at many mining opera-tions. In a number of cases, topsoil is removed andplaced directly on landscaped reclaimed areas. Thisavoids the cost of re-transporting topsoil from stock-piles and the possible reduction of biodiversity.Moreover, close coordination and planning is requiredbetween the mining and rehabilitation operations toensure that areas are prepared in a timely manner. There-planting of small trees from areas to be mined andthe placement of dead trees on rehabilitated areas hasbeen used to accelerate the establishment of vegeta-tion and provide a wildlife habitat.

Generally, overburden (4) is either dumped directlyinto the adjacent mined-out areas or placed in special-ly designed overburden dumps. On closure, thismaterial is landscaped, covered with a layer of topsoiland revegetated. These activities are discussed furtherin Section 3.7 “Rehabilitation”.

The costs associated with transporting and landscap-ing overburden are minimized in many cases bydesigning and managing overburden dumping opera-tions so as to ensure that they are placed as close aspossible to the final desired location and to the finalshape. Bucketwheel excavator operations are particu-larly flexible, allowing selective placement of theoverburden in the order of extraction and the creationof a flat final landscape. This has advantages for laterrehabilitation.

Figure 3.3.1

Potential environmental effects : ore extraction

Land surface disturbanceWater contaminationWater table loweringAir emissionsTopsoil degradationVegetation and wildlifedisruptionNoise and vibration

Overburden removalor orebody access

Ore extractionExtra

ctio

n

Underground mining methods tend to create fewerenvironmental problems, the major issue being possi-ble surface subsidence. This is induced by the removalof extensive flat-lying ore deposits, followed by thesubsequent collapse of overlying rock. Some minorenvironmental effects may be associated with the dis-posal of rock removed to access the orebody. Also,ground water inflow into the underground openings

(4) The term overburden is usually applied to the barrenmaterial (clay, sand, or rock) removed to expose the ore insurface mines. Underground mines produce a far more limit-ed volume of barren waste rock during excavation of theaccess ways such as shafts and tunnels. Finally, processingoperations generally produce a number of solid wastes such assalt tailings, sands, and clays. The term overburden will beapplied to all barren material stripped from the surface toallow the ore to be extracted.

18


Landscaped pits with snow, Conda, USA - Agrium Inc., USA

Landscaped overburden dump with transplanted trees indistance, Conda, USA - Agrium Inc., USA

The Rasmussen Ridge mine, located in mountainous ter-rain in southeast Idaho, is owned and operated byAgrium, Inc. Open pit mining methods are used toextract two closely spaced, steeply dipping ore bodiesusing shovel, front-end-loaders and trucks. The pit isaround 100 metres deep, and will ultimately be minedaround 3,000 metres along the strike of the orebody.

The mine and reclamation plan sequences the pit, whichis to be mined to its final depth progressively along thestrike. Once a sufficient length of pit has been mined,backfilling with overburden removed from the activemining area is carried out. External overburden dumpsare thus only required during the initial stage.

The backfilled pit is landscaped to blend in with the nat-ural mountainous topography, re-establishing surfacedrainage patterns while minimizing the potential forerosion.Topsoil, generally from clearing in front of the pitface, is applied, followed by seed and fertilizer applica-tion to re-establish vegetation.

This approach significantly reduces the area of land dis-turbed by external overburden dumps, and reduces thevolume of pit left empty on completion of mining oper-ations. This in turn prevents the formation of

Open pit mining, Conda, USA - Agrium Inc., USA

post-mining pit lakes and the safety risk of exposedsteep pit walls.

An additional benefit is the isolation of selenium-con-taminated overburden. Selective placement at thebottom of the pit prevents selenium leaching into sur-face waters, potentially causing toxicity in livestock andfauna downstream. The development of best manage-ment practices for selenium control is discussed furtherin Section 3.9 “ Environmental Management”.

The wide area of land surface disturbed by surfacemining operations could require relocation and com-pensation of people living above the orebody.

In some instances, surface subsidence induced byunderground mining may alter river and streamdrainage patterns, disrupt overlying aquifers, anddamage buildings and infrastructure. The degree ofsubsidence depends on factors such as orebody thick-ness and geometry, the thickness of the overlying rockand the amount of ore recovered. The effects of subsi-dence have been reduced to some extent, througheither:

� The design of the ore extraction layout so as toreduce the rate and extent of subsidence, or

� By backfilling openings with processing wastessuch as salt tailings, to reduce or prevent subsi-dence.

Where subsidence occurs, there is potential for dam-age to overlying buildings or infrastructure. To avoidsafety risks and property damage, close coordinationand communication is required between the companyand relevant government bodies, other companies andcommunities. This needs to be supported by a well-defined system for reporting and repairing damage, or

OOppeenn CCuutt BBaacckkffiilllliinngg


for providing compensation to avoid conflict.Solarevaporation ponds used to extract potash from sur-face brine deposits usually cover a wide area of land,with operations in the region of 90 square kilometres.The precipitation and build up of salt in the pondsover time presents an issue.

WWaatteerr CCoonnssuummppttiioonn

In some locations, water consumption during extrac-tion activities may lead to a lowering of the surroun-ding water table.

Water inflow is a common problem where open pitsand underground openings intersect aquifers.Generally, water is pumped from the excavations orfrom nearby wells to maintain a dry, safe and efficientoperating environment for the equipment. This maypotentially lead to the lowering of the surroundingwater table and the depletion of nearby surface waterbodies. In some locations, measures have been takento confine the area affected by water table depressionand protect the surrounding ecosystem.

Waste water produced during the extraction stage canbe used for downstream processing operations, reduc-ing the demand on other sources. In some places,water of suitable quality has been used for the irriga-tion of local farming operations. This is of greaterimportance in arid climates where water resources arelimited.

WWaatteerr CCoonnttaammiinnaattiioonn

Excavation activities may contaminate surface waterthrough the release of fines generated during clearing,blasting and excavation operations, the weathering ofoverburden contaminants susceptible to leaching andthe release of salt from brines and potash ore.

The elevated water table is a prominent feature of theFlorida ecosystem. Frequent surface appearance ofthe aquifer has produced a patchwork of wetlands,streams, rivers and lakes.This presents an issue for theefficient extraction of the phosphate rock deposit bydraglines. If the opencast pit contains water, draglineoperators have difficulty identifying the boundarybetween the ore and overburden, potentially result-ing in the loss of ore or dilution by barren rock. Tomaintain dry excavations and an efficient operatingenvironment, the water table may be depressed to alevel below the ore by pumping from wells or sumps.However, this may lead to negative effects on the sur-rounding water-sensitive ecosystem. To overcomethis, companies such as IMC Phosphate and CargillFertilizers Inc have implemented protection systems,using a perimeter ditch to confine the impact on thewater table to the immediate mining area.

Before pumping commences, a perimeter ditch isexcavated around the mining area to a depth belowthe water table. The ditch is filled with water that ismaintained at a level consistent with the originalwater table, using a series of weirs and pumps. Whenthe water table is depressed by mining activities,recharge occurs from water in the ditch.

Performance of the system is monitored by both dailyvisual inspection of the ditches and by weekly meas-urements of the water table, through a series ofpiezometers located outside the perimeter ditch.

The effectiveness of the method has been improvedby reshaping the overburden immediately adjacent tothe perimeter ditch as soon as possible on completionof mining. This allows the water table to partiallyreestablish itself inside the perimeter ditch.

The application of this approach protects the sur-rounding water-sensitive ecosystem by confining thedepression of the water table to the area delineatedby the ditch.

Perimeter ditch - IMC Phosphate, USA

The phosphate rock orebody in Togo being extractedby the Office Togolais des Phosphates (OTP) is locatednear the coast in an area of intensive small-scale farm-ing. Surface mining methods are used to remove theoverburden and extract the phosphate rock ore. Thisrequires the progressive relocation of farmers and vil-lage communities as mining occurs. In compensation,the company pays farmers a rental for the land dis-turbed during the mining process. New villages areconstructed in advance outside the mining area, to re-house displaced villagers. The land rental continuesuntil rehabilitation is completed and the land is onceagain suitable for farming.

LLaanndd RReennttaall EEccoossyysstteemm PPrrootteeccttiioonn TThhrroouugghh tthhee UUssee ooffPPeerriimmeetteerr DDiittcchheess

20


� The rehabilitation of disturbed areas as soon as isoperationally possible, through seeding with grass,spreading of mulch, laying of geofabric and cross-ripping with bulldozers.

In some situations, natural drainage systems havebeen channeled around mining areas or vegetationbuffer zones have been retained to reduce the move-ment of sediments off-site. These measures have beenstrengthened by the use of silt traps and settling damsto retain and clarify contaminated water beforerelease.

Brines may potentially contaminate surface or groundwaters. Operations commonly employ monitoringand containment systems to detect and controlspillages and prevent widespread contaminationoccurring.

Elevated sediment levels in surface water are causedlargely by uncontrolled water run-off, mobilizing thefines from disturbed areas.

Mining operations have employed a variety of controltechniques, including:� The lining of drainage channels with large rocks to

prevent erosion and trap sediments;� The landscaping of overburden to create a flatter,

more stable land area slowing the rate of run-off;

In Morocco, at the Youssofia operation, the OfficeChérifien des Phosphates (OCP) pumps groundwaterinflow out of the underground phosphate rock mines.The water is pumped to the surface and used for bothphosphate rock washing operations and for irrigationof the local farmer's fields. A system of pipes andaqueducts is used to transport the water. Farmersapply to receive approval to tap the water. Producefrom the farms is used for their own requirementswith excess sold in the local township.

Farms irrigated by mine water - Office Chérifien desPhosphates (OCP), Youssofia, Morocco

Jordan Phosphate Mines Co. Ltd. (JPMC) suppliesphosphate rock beneficiation plant waste water tolocal Bedouin farmers for farm irrigation. The water ispiped to several nearby fields and used to irrigate avariety of vegetable and grain crops. Produce is forown-consumption, and sold to the mine kitchen,nearby markets and passing road traffic on the nearbyDesert Highway.

Testing of the contaminant levels in the waste water isconducted in both cases.

Mine-enabled irrigation thus improves the welfare ofthe local communities by contributing to a reliablefood supply and providing the opportunity to gener-ate cash income through the sale of excess foodproduce.

Sediment ponds - Foskor Ltd, South Africa

Lined drainage channel - Fosfertil, Brazil

IIrrrriiggaattiioonn ooff LLooccaall AAggrriiccuullttuurraall PPrroodduuccttiioonn UUssiinnggWWaassttee WWaatteerr ffrroomm DDeewwaatteerriinngg aanndd WWaasshhiinnggOOppeerraattiioonnss


with drainage manholes located at low points to detectleaks. A monitoring system is in place to detect spillagesat the wells and a containment system using bunds(earth walls) has been constructed around the recoverywell site.

Visual inspection of the system is conducted each shift,while an electromagnetic survey is conducted at regu-lar intervals to detect hidden leaks from buriedpipelines or ponds. PCS has developed this method thatallows changes in ground conductivity, caused by thepresence of salts, between surveys at different times tobe detected.

The PCS Patience Lake Division, located inSaskatchewan, Canada, extracts potash from a floodedconventional underground mine using a solution min-ing method. The extraction method uses a system ofbrine injection and recovery well linked with pipelinesto cooling and precipitation ponds adjacent to the pro-cessing plant. The wells are scattered over a wide arearequiring an extensive network of pipelines.

To avoid the potential risk of failure and release ofbrine a number of design features and control andmonitoring techniques have been employed. Brinesare transported through buried, large diameter HDPEpipes at a low pressure. The buried pipeline is lined,

AAiirr EEmmiissssiioonnss

Effects on air quality tend to be of a localized natureand are largely related to the generation and emissionof dust particulates by blasting, excavation and equip-ment movement or exhaust gases and particulatesfrom engines. Control techniques are discussed inSection 3.1.

Spillage detectors - Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan(PCS), Patience Lake, Canada

Emergency spillage recovery pump, Potash Corporation ofSaskatchewan (PCS), Patience Lake, Canada

Recovery of potash from ponds - Potash Corporation ofSaskatchewan (PCS), Patience Lake, Canada

Heating potash brine prior to injection - PotashCorporation of Saskatchewan (PCS), Patience Lake,Canada

Underground operations control exhaust particulatesby installing particulate filters on the exhausts ofmobile equipment. Retrofitting equipment with new,more efficient and cleaner engines also reducesexhaust particulate and gas emissions, as well as con-tributing to reduced fuel consumption andmaintenance costs.

SSoolluuttiioonn MMiinniinngg PPuummpp aanndd PPiippeelliinnee MMoonniittoorriinngg aanndd CCoonnttrrooll SSyysstteemm

22


OOtthheerr PPootteennttiiaall IImmppaaccttss

A variety of other impacts may occur because ofextraction activities, including noise and vibrationdue to blasting and the operation of equipment. Thelocal biodiversity could be affected and the landscapedeteriorated due to the excavation of large pits, dump-ing of overburden into spoil piles, and construction ofelevated overburden dumps.

Restricting operating and blasting to periods when thenearby community will be least disturbed can help tomitigate the effects of noise and vibration.

In some places, unsightly landscapes have beenimproved by maintaining buffer zones, plantinggreenbelts or the constructing barrier fences. Promptrehabilitation of disturbed areas that are most visiblecan reduce the visual impact and improve relationswith the local community.

33..44 HHaannddlliinngg

Handling encompasses the transportation and stock-piling operations that occur between the extraction ofthe phosphate rock or potash ore and their beneficia-tion to produce concentrated products. Surfacetransportation methods include: road trucks and off-road haul trucks, trains, conveyors and slurrypipelines. Underground transportation methodsinclude shuttle cars, front-end-loaders, conveyors,slurry pipelines and ore skips for shaft haulage.Stockpiles are used at various points in the trans-portation chain to allow for delays.

The environmental impacts due to handling tend tobe of a localized nature and are largely related to dust,exhaust emissions, noise from vehicles and equipmentand the contamination of water with fines or brine.

AAiirr EEmmiissssiioonnss

Dust and exhaust emissions from equipment areamong the most prevalent issues related to handling.Dust may be generated from traffic on unsealed road-

Figure 3.4.1

Potential environmental effects : handling

Transport

Storage and reclamation

Air emissionsWater contaminationNoiseHa

ndlin

g

At the IMC Potash Carlsbad operation, located in NewMexico (USA) ore is extracted using undergroundroom and pillar mining. Continuous mining machinesare used predominately with a small amount of drilland blast. Ore is hauled to the surface through twoshafts, one for langbeinite and the other for sylvite,and conveyed to separate processing facilities.

Because dust emissions have been an issue in thepast, a variety of baghouse and wet scrubber emissioncontrol equipment has recently been installedthroughout the sylvite and langbeinite ore handlingand processing facilities. An element of this is the dustextraction system on the langbeinite ore haulageshaft that is designed to reduce dust generated dur-ing skip dumping. The system draws air through theskip and feed bin and into the baghouse where thedust is trapped. Product loss is avoided by depositingthe collected dust onto the conveyor to the plant.

Langbeinite shaft with baghouse (blue) - IMC Potash,Carlsbad, USA

As well as the environmental benefit provided byreducing dust emissions from the handling and pro-cessing of langbeinite and sylvite ores, there has beenan improvement in the working environment for per-sonnel. Additionally, product loss has been reducedby the capture and return of the dust to the processcreating a small economic benefit to partially offsetcosts of putting the controls in place.

DDuusstt CCoonnttrrooll DDuurriinngg PPoottaasshh OOrree HHaannddlliinngg


The transport of ore and concentrates as a slurry (amixture of water and ore particles in suspension) hasbenefits such as less road transport congestion,reduced vehicle exhaust emissions and the elimina-tion of sources of dust emission. Slurry pipelines areused at a number of operations worldwide.

In Florida, the phosphate mining operations of com-panies such as Cargill Fertilizer Inc. and IMCPhosphate use high-pressure water jets to convert theore excavated by the draglines into a slurry which canbe pumped to the beneficiation plants through largediameter pipelines.

In Brazil, Fertilizantes Fosfatados S.A. (Fosfertil) uses a125 kilometre long pipeline to transport phosphaterock concentrate slurry from the beneficiation plant atthe Tapira mining complex to the fertilizer processingcomplex at Uberaba.

Uberaba Fertilizer processing complex - Fosfertil, Brazil

Phosphate rock concentrate slurry tanks and pumping -Fosfertil, Brazil

Slurry pipelines require significant quantities of water.This may present issues in areas of limited resources.Recycling or re-use of the water for other processesmay be possible.

ways, during loading and unloading operations, atconveyor transfer points and during the stacking ofstockpiles and reclamation operations. Exhaust gasesand particulates are largely produced by the operationof transport.

A variety of dust control techniques are used, as dis-cussed in Section 3.1.

Equipment emissions are reduced by the use ofexhaust filters, regular equipment maintenance pro-grams and replacing old engines with new, moreefficient and cleaner models.

Regulations in Florida to protect watersheds from dis-turbance have restricted the development offloodplains, streams and rivers. Accordingly, phos-phate rock mining operations must establish bufferzones and work around these features. However, onoccasions crossings may have to be constructedacross them to facilitate access to mining areas.

Development of a new mining area at the IMCPhosphate Four Corners operation in central Floridarequired the construction of a river crossing. This wasdesigned to allow vehicle and equipment access andthe passage of several large diameter slurry pipelinesbetween the mining area and the beneficiation plant.The design has a number of features to mitigatepotential environmental impacts.

Culverts have been placed under the earthen vehiclecrossing, allowing normal river flow to be maintained.Silt traps contain minor erosion sediments from thecrossing.

During heavy rain, the water level rises and passesover the crossing. Surfacing the vehicle roadway withcoarse aggregate and the planting of grass on adja-cent roadside areas has reduced the potential forerosion.

The large-diameter ore slurry pipelines have beenplaced alongside the crossing roadway and elevatedto allow water to pass underneath. In the event of fail-ure, the pipes are double lined at the crossing,discharging to a containment pond at one end, whilean automated monitoring system alerts manage-ment.

Watershed protection is an integral part of the cross-ing design. The construction of a stable, non-erodingriver crossing and the installation of a monitoring andcontainment system in the event of a slurry pipelinefailure prevent contamination of downstream areas.

TTrraannssppoorrtt ooff OOrree aanndd CCoonncceennttrraattee bbyy SSlluurrrryyPPiippeelliinnee

WWaatteerrsshheedd PPrrootteeccttiioonn

24



Water contamination may occur through spillage ofore slurries or brines from pipelines and the mobiliza-tion of fines by rain run-off from roads or stockpiles.

The effects of slurry pipeline spillages are reducedthrough the use of monitoring and containment tech-niques. Automated monitoring systems allowmanagement to be notified in a timely manner in theevent of a failure. Earth walls and double-lined pipescontain and reduce the extent of the spill until reme-dial action can be taken.Soil and groundwatercontamination may also result from the spillage ofbrines.

Fines generated from heavy vehicle traffic on unsealedroadways and from stockpile areas may contaminaterun-off water. The fines can be contained by the use oftechniques like silt traps and sediment retention dams.Methods are discussed further in Section 3.3,“Excavation”.

NNooiissee

Heavy vehicles and equipment use can generate signif-icant noise, sometimes around the clock, affecting thewell-being of neighboring communities. The impact isreduced by the careful location of roads, use of noisebarriers or buffer zones, sequencing of mining opera-tions and restricting the operating hours of theequipment.

Slurry pipelines address this concern, as they producelittle noise.

33..55 BBeenneeffiicciiaattiioonn aanndd CCoonncceennttrraattiioonn

Beneficiation and concentration may adversely affectthe environment by:� The generation of wastes such as sand, magnetite

and salt tailings, clay fines and brines;� The consumption and contamination of large vol-

umes of fresh water during processing with fines,chemical reagents, and brines;

� The emission of dust from processing operationssuch as crushing and drying;

� The emission of exhaust particulates and gasesduring the generation of electrical power and thedrying of product.

Other potential impacts include noise and vibrationproduced by equipment such as rock breakers, crush-ers and grinding mills.

WWaassttee GGeenneerraattiioonn

The large volumes of waste generated during benefici-ation of phosphate rock and potash may potentiallycause adverse environmental effects. The volume andtype of wastes will depend on the ore characteristics(ore grade, constituent minerals, and contaminants),in addition to the specific beneficiation processemployed.

A variety of wastes is generated from the beneficiationof phosphate rock, and may include:� Oversize low-grade rock from screening;� Coarse tailings composed of sand;� Fine tailings composed of clays and similar size

materials;� Process water contaminated with fines and process

reagents.

In some instances, magnetite tailings have also be gen-erated.

The beneficiation of potash produces wastes such as:� Tailings consisting largely of impure salt (NaCl)

with smaller amounts of other minerals such asanhydrite;

� Slimes consisting of insoluble fines such as clayand dolomite;

� Brines containing salt or magnesium chloride.

In most countries, wastes are disposed of to speciallyengineered impoundments such as dams and pondsor released in a controlled manner to the environ-ment. Disposal methods are discussed in detail inSection 3.7 “Waste Management and Disposal”.

Figure 3.5.1

Potential environmental effects : beneficiation

Product transportedto further processing,distribution and use

Waste generationWater consumptionWater contaminationAir emissionsNoise and vibrationResource maximizationBe

nefic

iatio

nBe

nefic

iatio

n

Size reduction(crushing, grinding,

screens, cyclones)

Drying, compaction, granulation, etc...

Separation,concentration and

contaminant removal


Beneficiation plants frequently implement measuresto contain and recover process spillages, in order tominimize environmental effects and product loss.

WWaatteerr CCoonnssuummppttiioonn

Beneficiation operations generally consume largequantities of fresh water for processes such as washingand flotation. The water is usually sourced from near-by surface and ground water supplies. In arid areas,local water supplies may be limited, requiring water tobe piped considerable distances.

Water piped in from distant sources may provide asuitable source for other users.

Water management is an important aspect of theoperation and is usually integrated with waste dispos-al. Where possible, recirculation or recovery of thewaste process water/brine is effected. In many casesthe process waters/brines are used to transport thewastes as a slurry to the disposal areas. Typically, theyare recovered for reuse, minimizing the need for addi-tional fresh water input.

Where fresh water sources are not available for phos-phate rock beneficiation, salt water has been used forprocessing. A clean water wash is required afterwards,to reduce the chloride content of the ore concentrate.

Utilizing dry beneficiation processes reduces waterconsumption. However, it can create additional dustproblems.


Contamination of surface and ground water mayoccur from the spillage of process water, brines, oreconcentrates, wastes or chemical reagents during pro-cessing. A variety of methods to contain spills areused, including drains, bunds around storage and pro-cessing tanks and dams for major process spills.

The Kali und Salz GmbH operation in Germany hasdeveloped the ESTA electrostatic separation processand the pneumatic flotation cell to improve the recov-ery of potash from complex mineralized ores.Implementation of these techniques has also createdadditional environmental benefits through reducedenergy consumption and waste water production.

The ESTA electrostatic separation process requiresthat complex potassium/magnesium ores are dryground to less than 1 millimetre to separate the dif-ferent minerals. The particles are conditioned tocreate differential positive and negative chargesbetween them. Separation occurs as the mineral par-ticles are subject to a 125,000-volt potential dropduring free fall. A multi stage separation processallows the various product and waste minerals to beisolated and concentrated. Environmental and eco-nomic benefits arise from the dry separation processthat produces no waste brines and the relatively lowenergy requirements.

A non-mechanical, pneumatic flotation cell has beendeveloped for the separation of kieserite (magnesiumsulphate) from halite. In comparison to conventionalmechanical flotation cells the pneumatic cells con-sume less energy and recover more kieserite.

Pneumatic flotation cell - Kali und Salz GmbH,Germany

These allow spills to be recovered and returned to theprocess or be disposed of safely.

AAiirr CCoonnttaammiinnaattiioonn

Dry processing operations may generate significantquantities of dust during operations such as crushing,grinding, compaction and drying. This can be con-trolled to some extent through the use of emissioncontrol equipment such as baghouses and wet scrub-bers.

In New Mexico, the Mississippi Chemical Corporationpipes water from a distant freshwater aquifer to theirCarlsbad potash operation. Local groundwater in thevicinity of the operation is high in total dissolvedsolids and not suitable for human or livestock con-sumption. The freshwater pipeline has provided awater source available for local ranchers, reducingreliance on variable rainfall in this arid area.

EElleeccttrroossttaattiicc SSeeppaarraattiioonn aanndd PPnneeuummaattiicc FFlloottaattiioonnffoorr PPoottaasshh OOrree

PPrroovviissiioonn ooff WWaatteerr RReessoouurrcceess ttoo OOtthheerr UUsseerrss

26


Exhaust emissions from vehicle engines, electricalpower generation and product dryers may containgreenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) andother gases such as NOx. The use of improved fuel orenergy consumption techniques and technologiesreduces the emission of greenhouse gases and otherexhaust particulates and gases.

NNooiissee aanndd VViibbrraattiioonn

Beneficiation processes may generate high levels ofnoise and vibration, especially during crushing andgrinding. Noise pollution has been reduced in manycases by enclosing the plant, retaining suitable bufferzones around the plant site, planting greenbelts andconstructing earth bunds. Some of these measuresalso assist in reducing the visual impact of the site.

RReessoouurrccee MMaaxxiimmiizzaattiioonn

The efficiency of resource recovery influences theenvironmental impact of other activities such asextraction or waste disposal.

Product loss during beneficiation through the loss ofore to waste streams, dust emissions and processspillages results in both an economic loss as well as theneed to extract and process additional ore to meetdemand. An example of this is the fine particles ofphosphate that are lost to waste, as they cannot be effi-ciently separated.

The IMC Potash Carlsbad operation in New Mexico(USA) has significantly reduced the exhaust emissionsfrom an aging product dryer through minor modifica-tions. A small adjustment to the angle of the burnerfuel injection nozzles created more turbulent flowconditions, improving the mixing of fuel and air andhence, the combustion.

The result has been greater fuel efficiency and a sig-nificant reduction in the quantity of carbonmonoxide.

In Brazil, the Tapira mining complex and Uberaba fer-tilizer complex operated by Fertilizantes FosfatadosSA (Fosfertil) are expanding production. A componentof this is the implementation of a process to recoverthe ultra-fine phosphate previously lost to the claytailings. The system will use column flotation cells torecover around 200,000 tonnes of ultra-fine phos-phate rock per year. This ultra-fine product will beused to produce single super-phosphate (SSP) fertilizer.

Recovery of the ultra-fine phosphate rock has provid-ed an additional source of revenue for the company,enhancing its competitiveness in the market place.Environmental benefits are derived from greaterrecovery of the resource and consequently, a minorreduction in the waste volume generated.

In South Africa, Foskor has been using hand shovelsand wheelbarrows to recover small amounts ofspillage associated with the loading of phosphaterock concentrate into rail cars. Approximately 20,000tonnes of product were recovered in one year provid-ing a significant saving.

Zirconium is recovered as a co-product during phos-phate rock processing at the Phalaborwa operation ofFoskor Limited in South Africa.

Dust emissions from the zirconium plant promptedthe installation of an emission control system. Fine sil-ica fume generated during processing is recovered bythe system and subsequently sold, producing a rev-enue stream. The revenue generated has resulted inthe rapid payback of the installation costs for the airemission control system.

The system has produced environmental benefitsfrom the reduction in dust emissions as well as anadditional revenue stream for the company.

The installation of steam-heated fluidized bed dryersto dry potassium chloride at the Hattorf operation ofKali und Salz GmbH in Germany has resulted in 35%less energy consumption, with markedly lower fluegas and dust emissions in comparison to rotary dryers.

The problem of dust emissions may be compoundedby processes such as calcination and drying, whichgenerate high levels of exhaust particulates and gases.These emissions are reduced through the use of clean-er fuels such as natural gas, applying emission controlequipment to exhausts, using more efficient equip-ment and making use of cogeneration possibilities andheat recovery. In some cases, minor adjustments haveimproved the efficiency of old equipment.

Spillage of ore and concentrated product may occurduring beneficiation, prevention or recovery of thesecan assist maximizing the resource.

AAiirr EEmmiissssiioonn CCoonnttrrooll BByy-PPrroodduuccttss

SStteeaamm-HHeeaatteedd FFlluuiiddiizzeedd BBeedd DDrryyeerrss ffoorr PPoottaasshh OOrree

UUllttrraa-FFiinnee PPhhoosspphhaattee RReeccoovveerryy

DDrryyeerr BBuurrnneerr MMooddiiffiiccaattiioonnss

PPrroodduucctt SSppiillllaaggee RReeccoovveerryy

33..66 WWaassttee MMaannaaggeemmeenntt aanndd DDiissppoossaall

The beneficiation of phosphate rock and potash typi-cally produces large volumes of waste that may cause avariety of adverse environmental effects if not man-aged and disposed of in a safe, stable andenvironmentally sound manner.

Major environmental concerns are typically related to:� Land surface disturbance from the construction

and operation of large waste disposal impound-ments such as dams, ponds and stacks;

� Surface and ground water contamination bywastes such as fines, tailings effluents and brines;

� The safety and stability of the storage facility.Failure can result in extensive and widespread off-site effects.


Phosphate rock and potash minerals are frequentlyfound in association with a variety of other mineralsthat may have an economic value if recovered and sep-arated.

Salt is commonly found either in association withpotash ore, or as separate salt orebodies, adjacent to ornear the potash orebody. Many operations recover saltfor purposes such as industrial grade salt or road de-icing.

Complex potash ores frequently occur in associationwith magnesium chloride. The potential exists for themagnesium to be separated and converted into a vari-ety of magnesium products.

Igneous phosphate deposits are frequently associatedwith a variety of minerals such as: niobium, titanium,zirconium, baddeleyite and copper. In many instancesthese are recovered and marketed.

Recovery of these products could assist the economicsof the operation by creating additional revenuestreams. An environmental benefit arises by meetingsome of society's demand for certain minerals withoutdisturbing additional land area.

complex, lower grade minerals that could have anincreasingly important role in the future for the pro-duction of mineral fertilizers. Research is beingcarried out to develop beneficiation techniques thatcan handle the complex mineralogy and contaminantsof these materials and bring these potential resourcesinto commercial production. These will help to extendthe supply of mineral fertilizers as far into the futureas possible.

In Florida (USA), The Florida Institute of PhosphateResearch has been involved in research into methodsto separate dolomite from phosphate rock. Thedolomite increases the consumption of acid duringprocessing. A new flotation technique has been test-ed. Commercial application of this technique wouldallow phosphate orebodies with a high dolomite con-tent in the central western Florida area to be mined,extending the life of the resource.

Although the life of reserves of phosphate rock andpotash ore vary depending on factors such as the pro-duction cost, market prices and technologicaldevelopment, the total available resources are finite inthe long term. Currently, extraction and beneficiationhave been focused on the easily recovered, highergrade minerals. There exists a wide range of more

Figure 3.6.1

Potential environmental effects : waste disposal

Wastes to surfacestorage impoundmentsand piles, underground

backfilling, deep wellinjection, or releaseto the environment

Land surface disturbanceWater contaminationAir emissionsStabilityAesthetic changesW

aste

disp

osal

In Jordan, the Arab Potash Company produces potashfertilizer from carnallite ore precipitated through solarevaporation of the Dead Sea brines. In conjunctionwith this operation, the brine resource is also used toproduce:� Industrial and table salt from the halite precipitated

in the initial series of evaporation ponds;� Raw materials for the cosmetic industry.

Planning and construction are underway to producemagnesium oxide, bromine, chlorine, caustic potashand other derivatives. Further into the future, projectsaim to produce potassium nitrate and upgrade themagnesium oxide to magnesium metal.

The development of these associated co-products upto commercial production permits synergies whilemaximizing the use of the available resource.

MMaaxxiimmiizziinngg RReessoouurrcceess TThhrroouugghh tthhee RReeccoovveerryy ooffCCoo-pprroodduuccttss

RReemmoovvaall ooff DDoolloommiittee CCoonnttaammiinnaattiioonn iinn PPhhoosspphhaatteeRRoocckk OOrree

28


Other impacts may include: wind-generated dustfrom fines tailings; adverse effects on wildlife; and thevisual disturbance resulting from large elevated damsor tailings stacks.

WWaassttee DDiissppoossaall MMeetthhooddss

A wide variety of waste disposal methods areemployed, including:� Discharge of wastes to rivers and oceans. This may

be accompanied by treatment to remove contami-nants;

� Stacking wastes such as sand tailings and salt tail-ings in piles;

� Retention of wastes such as brines, sand tailings,magnetite tailings, clays and process water in damsor ponds for storage, settling and clarification;

Kali und Salz GmbH operate three potash operations inthe Werra region of Germany: Hattorf; Unterbreizbach;and Wintershall. The operations extract a complex min-eralized ore 'Hartsalz', that consists of a mixture ofsylvinite, carnallite, kieserite, and halite from a deeplyburied potash deposit.

The ore is beneficiated using both dry electrostatic sep-aration and wet thermal dissolution separationprocesses to produce a variety of potassium and mag-nesium products. For each tonne of ore beneficiated,22% becomes product, while 78% becomes waste. Thewaste consists predominantly of salt tailings and mag-nesium chloride (MgCl2) brines. The process employedallows the salt to be largely separated dry from potash,

Brine retention ponds for controlled release to Werra River -Kali und Salz GmbH, Germany

Chloridecontent

mg/l

Figure 3.6.2

Control of salt concentration in Werra River.Kali und Salz GmbH, Germany.

25000

20000

10000

15000

5000

0

30000

� Backfilling of solid and liquid wastes into mined-out underground openings;

� Deep well injection of brines.

The methods used at a specific location are influencedby the characteristics of the waste and the site, and theregulating requirements.

In some instances, liquid wastes such as brines, tail-ings, effluent or clay fines have been discharged torivers or oceans. This may be done in a controlledmanner using monitoring systems to ensure that lev-els of contaminants do not rise above prescribed levelsand threaten the aquatic ecosystem. Treatment ofphosphate rock tailings effluent improves the qualityof the release.

producing dry salt tailings. On the other hand, magne-sium chloride can only be separated from the potash insolution. This results in significant quantities of brinebeing produced.

The salt tailings are generally conveyed to a salt stack onthe surface for disposal. Some salt tailings are used tobackfill carnallite rooms produced at theUnterbreizbach underground mining operation. Brinesare disposed of by either deep well injection into a suit-able pervious dolomite formation or discharged to theWerra and Ulster river system.

Brine waste produced at each beneficiation plant ispumped to a series of lined retention ponds from whichdischarge occurs to the river system. The discharge ismonitored and controlled using a computer system toensure that the permitted salt concentration of 2.5grams per litre of river water is not exceeded as the riverconditions and flow rate vary.

The system prevents adverse effects on the aquaticecosystem downstream.

RRiivveerriinnee BBrriinnee DDiissppoossaall


Deep well injection of brines - Potash Corporation ofSaskatchewan (PCS), Canada

Stacking salt tailings - Kali und Salz GmbH, Zielitz,Germany

Pond receiving slimes and brine from the stack - PotashCorporation of Saskatchewan (PCS), Canada

Discharge into clay settling pond (note dragline in back-ground) - Cargill Fertilizers Inc., USA

Magnetite tailings dam - Fosfertil, Brazil

Deep well injection of brines - Kali und Salz GmbH,Germany

30

In Saskatchewan, Canada the salt tailings, insolublesand brines are typically disposed of to a salt tailingspile as a slurry. The insolubles and brine drain to thesettling ponds at the base of the pile.The brine is theneither recirculated to the process or disposed ofthrough deep well re-injection to suitable geologicalformations.

In Germany, dry separation processes allow dry dis-posal on a salt tailings pile. The salt tails are stackedusing a conveyor and spreader system that allowssteeper, higher stacking than wet stacking.

Industry research in Canada is currently focusing onhigher salt tailings piles that allow more waste to beaccommodated within the same footprint. This hasbeen driven by regulations on the expansion of wastedisposal facilities.This technique also reduces surface-to-volume ratio, and fewer brines are produced byprecipitation.


Salt tailings pile - Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan(PCS), Canada

Dry salt tailings pile - Kali und Salz GmbH, Germany

In many cases, engineered surface containment meth-ods such as stacks (or piles), dams and ponds are usedto contain liquid and solid wastes. This involves anintegrated system comprising engineered impound-ments, walls, containment dykes, liners, drains, ditchesand capture wells. These confine any adverse environ-mental effects of the waste to a limited area, whileproviding a high degree of management control.Stacking may reduce the area of land disturbed.

Backfilling of waste into underground openings pro-duced during extraction of the ore is conducted at afew operations. When feasible, this provides a safe andsecure long-term disposal method.

The technical feasibility of backfilling flat-lying ore-bodies has been studied through large scale trials.However, its wider adoption has been hindered by anumber of factors including the difficulty of place-ment, safety concerns, and the cost.

Currently, the cost of backfilling flat-lying orebodiesmay be a factor of 10 higher than surface disposalmethods.

Safety concerns arise from the placement of unconsol-idated waste into underground workings thatexperience rapid convergence. If not restrained by abulkhead of suitable strength it will be squeezed intothe adjacent open workings, endangering the work-force. Alternatives such as converting the salt tailingsto paste fill are being explored.

Deep well injection is used to dispose of brines atoperations where suitable, confined permeable geo-logical strata are available.

Converting waste to an environmentally benign formreduces the difficulty and cost of disposal. In certaininstances, there is also potential for creating a saleableby-product.

SSuurrffaaccee DDiissppoossaall ooff PPoottaasshh WWaassttee


The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS) NewBrunswick Division is located in Eastern Canada. Theoperation consists of an underground mining opera-tion utilizing shaft access with surface processing andstorage facilities. Production capacity is around770,000 tonnes of potassium chloride and 650,000tonnes of rock salt per year.

The folded potash orebody is extracted using a cut andfill method while the salt is extracted using a multi-level room and pillar method. All mining is conductedwith continuous mining machines.

The operation employs effective and environmentallysound waste management by returning all waste tothe underground workings. The development of thisclosed system has been driven by provincial regula-tions that prevent the deposition of waste on thesurface. The approach relies on the extraction of thesalt (for use as road salt) to create sufficient storagespace underground to accommodate the potashwastes and has also been influenced by the lack of asuitable geological formation in the region to injectwaste brines.

Beneficiation of the potash ore produces three majorwaste streams: salt tailings, slimes and brine. The saltore is of high quality and produces little waste.

Salt tailings from the beneficiation plant are used as fillin the potash cut and fill stopes.They are transferred tothe underground workings through a pipeline downone shaft. The tailings are conveyed from the base ofthe shaft to the vicinity of the mining operations fromwhere they are placed into the stope either by convey-or or pipeline.

Figure 3.6.3

Potash stope long-section showing extraction andbackfilling methodology. IMC Potash, Canada.

Potash Potash

Backfill

Berm

Conveyor haulage level

Slurryy

Figure 3.6.4

Mill facilities

Mine facilities

Waste managementsystem flowsheet

Slurrytank

Pumpbox

Siphonbox

Wetwellchamber

Brinecollect

box

Process brine

variable speedslurry pump

2x110 kW

Mine pumps2x1675 kW

Primingpump

2x445 kW

Panel pump2x445 kW

drumfilter

scrollfilter

Discharge from

Mined out stope

Wetwellchamber

Mined out stope

Filterbarrier

Drain lifeStope sump

Stope sump

Submersiblesump pumps3x35 kW

Submersible sumppumps 2x65 kW

Submersible sumppumps 3x35 kW

Production shaft

Source : Pollution Control in Fertilizer Production

Settlingchamber

SlurryBrine

Tailings

IInntteeggrraatteedd UUnnddeerrggrroouunndd DDiissppoossaall ooff PPoottaasshh WWaasstteess

32


Figure 3.6.5

Flowsheet of the slimes desalination anddewatering process. IMC Potash, Canada.

Clay, salt finesand brine

Flocculant

Brackish water

Desalinated and dewatered clay(75 - 80% solids)

Fresh

water

Cold slimesthickener

Filter

Washing

Cyclone

Clayandbrine

The waste slimes and brine are transferred under-ground through a slurry pipeline and discharged to theexcavated salt rooms. Generally, two or three salt roomsare filled simultaneously. Deposition and settling of theslimes occurs in one room, while the clarified brineoverflows into the second and/or third.

The clarified brine is recovered from the salt rooms andreturned to the processing plant where it is evaporatedto produce both a fresh water condensate, and a con-centrated brine. The fresh water condensate is usedlargely as an input to the process with excess releasedthrough the holding pond. The concentrated brine isreturned to the crystallization circuit for recovery ofresidual potassium chloride.

The water balance of the operation is essentiallyclosed. Water released from the site is related to eitheron-site rain or snowfall or the excess fresh water con-densate from the processing facility. Both of thesesources are retained in a continuously monitored hold-ing pond prior to release to the local river.

The adoption of the closed circuit waste loop, demon-strates some of the benefits that arise from an effective

The IMC Potash Colonsay operation in Saskatchewan,Canada is developing a process to remove salt andbrines from the clay slimes waste. Removal of the saltallows the insolubles to be disposed of without specialprecautions.

The process involves a number of steps:� Separation of the slime component by thickening to

remove brine;� Washing of the slimes with water to dissolve any

residual salt;� Cycloning to remove brine;� Filtering with the addition of fresh water to produce a

relatively dry, desalinated product.

The filtered slurry forms small, stable, agglomeratedparticles, facilitating handling and reducing the likeli-hood of dust problems.

Results from earlier trials are being used to improve theprocess.

This method removes the need for large areas to be setaside for clay slimes settling ponds. The slimes areinstead converted into an environmentally benign, eas-ily disposed product that may possibly be sold as a claysubstitute for brick and pottery or a water retentionamendment for sandy soils.

TTrreeaattmmeenntt ooff tthhee CCllaayy FFiinneess ttoo RReemmoovvee SSaallttss

pollution prevention program. The potential sources ofpollution in the form of the three major waste streamshave been integrated into the mining process. The salttailings have become an essential component of the cutand fill mining method, recycling of the brines hasincreased product recovery and eliminated the need forcontaminated discharges, and the slimes and somebrine are effectively disposed of in the salt rooms.

The major environmental benefit of the approach is thesmall surface impact of the operation. The lack of anysurface salt tailings stack, slime and brine ponds hasreduced the potential for surface environmentalimpacts to negligible levels.

The approach does incur an additional cost in compari-son to conventional surface waste disposal methods. Inthe case of the New Brunswick operation, this has beenpartially offset by greater recovery of the potash oreresource, lower product transportation costs due to theoperations location with respect to markets and apotentially a lower future rehabilitation cost duringoperation closure.

The process is used to treat about 40 to 50 mega-litresper day. Monitoring of the release is conducted as partof a comprehensive surface and ground water monitor-ing system for the site that includes biologicalmonitoring points located on the Selati River.

The water treatment system protects the downstreamaquatic ecosystem and the natural values of the KrugerNational Park. Additionally, the sulfur by-product can besold to recover a portion of the operating costs.

Selati River flowing adjacent to the tailings dam - FoskorLtd, South Africa


The Foskor Ltd. operation at Phalaborwa is located inthe semi-arid northeast of South Africa, adjacent to theSelati River and upstream from the Kruger NationalPark.

The processing operation uses 250 million litres ofwater per day, the majority of which is recirculated.Excess water is transferred to the tailings dam beforerelease to the Selati River. The tailings water is high inboth total dissolved solids (TDS) and sulfates. The sul-fates are largely introduced with tailings sourced fromthe adjacent Phalaborwa Copper mine, which currentlysupplies about 40% of the phosphate ore feed for theFoskor beneficiation plant.

Concerns by Kruger National Park management aboutthe potential effect of contaminated water on thedownstream aquatic ecosystem led to the implementa-tion of a water treatment system.

After consideration of the most suitable water treat-ment processes on the market, the ‘Paques’ process wasselected. This bacterial process converts sulfates in thetailings water to sulfur.The sulfur is subsequently recov-ered and sold to the adjacent fertilizer processingcomplex for use in the production of sulfuric acid.

WWaatteerr MMaannaaggeemmeenntt aanndd TTrreeaattmmeenntt


Surface and ground water contamination may occurthrough the release or seepage of tailings effluent andbrines from dams, ponds and stacks. Contaminantsmight include clay fines, chemical reagents, sulfates,salt and magnesium chloride. In addition, rainfall maydissolve salt tailings or cause erosion and mobilizefines.

Depending on the operation, water releases arerequired to maintain the water balance of the opera-tions storage facilities. In most countries, this watermust meet established water quality standards. Toachieve this, excess water is treated through a systemof dams and wetlands to clarify and remove contami-nants.

Where possible clean water and contaminated wateron the mine site are kept separate and handledthrough different systems, to reduce the quantity ofwater that must be treated before release.

Aquatic species are sometimes used as an indicator ofthe performance of the waste management system.Monitoring the biodiversity of aquatic species down-stream from release points provides an indicator ofenvironmental response.

The leakage of liquid wastes such as brines from stor-age and disposal ponds is controlled to a large extentby containment techniques such as plastic or clay lin-ers, ditches, drains and containment pumping wells.

LLaannddssccaappee DDiissttuurrbbaannccee

The construction and operation of surface waste stor-age facilities typically disturbs a significant area ofland. Some operations have reduced the area affectedby stacking wastes higher. In other cases, wastes aredisposed of to mined-out areas, avoiding impacts onundisturbed areas.

Rehabilitation of disposal areas to mitigate environ-mental effects is discussed in Sections 3.7 “Closure”and 3.8 “Rehabilitation”.

TTaaiilliinnggss SSttaabbiilliittyy aanndd FFaaiilluurree

The potential for accidental failure of waste disposaldams and ponds is of concern. This can cause rapid,extensive and widespread impacts on the surroundingenvironment. The installation of monitoring systems,preparation of emergency response plans and proce-dures, and the regular auditing of performance assist

34

aquatic species that are sensitive to elevated contami-nant levels. In some situations, water birds may besusceptible to entrapment on brine ponds due to salt-ing of their feathers. A variety of techniques have beenused to discourage them landing on brine ponds,including horns, gas, noise cannons and airboats.

Windblown dust or the erosion of fines from wastedisposal stacks and dams can be controlled to someextent by stabilization techniques similar to that dis-cussed in Section 3.3 “Extraction”. These include:covering with topsoil followed by revegetation,mulching with organic material, spraying bondingagents on the surface, or maintaining elevated waterlevels in dams.


Magnetite tailings dam - Fosfertil, Brazil

in responding to such failures (5). Examples of moni-toring and containment systems are presented inSection 3.3 “Extraction” on ‘Solution Mining Pumpand Pipeline Monitoring and Control System’ and 3.4“Handling” on ‘Watershed Protection’.

OOtthheerr PPootteennttiiaall IImmppaaccttss

Wildlife may be adversely affected by exposure to con-taminants in waste. This is especially the case with

The Tapira mining and beneficiation complex is locatedin the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil and owned and oper-ated by Fertilizantes Fosfatados S.A. (Fosfertil).Phosphate rock is extracted from an igneous depositusing an open-cut truck and shovel mining method.Annual production is around 11 million tonnes of oreper year. The phosphate ore is concentrated in the ben-eficiation plant before transport through a slurrypipeline to the Uberaba fertilizer processing complex.

The waste disposal and water management systemconsists of five dams in total, three of which are used forwaste storage and the other two are used to clarify andtreat water before release.

The beneficiation wastes (clay fines, sand and mag-netite tailings) are disposed of into two valley-styletailings dams, while a small dam is located adjacent tothe plant to capture any spills. Clay fines are transport-ed from the beneficiation plant to one of the tailingsdam through an 8-kilometre-long open canal flowingunder gravity, while the sand and magnetite are dis-posed of to the other tailings dam.

Effluent releases from the magnetite and sand tailingsdam and the plant spillage dam are passed to a clarifi-cation dam.

The fresh water dam receives the water releases fromthe clarification dam and the clay fines tailing dam aswell as the natural inflow of the Ribeiro Inferno a localstream. This dam completes the treatment/clarificationprocess before excess water is released to the RioAraguari, a major regional river.The water quality meetsBrazilian water quality standards while the release rateis adjusted to correspond to the normal inflow of theRibeiro Inferno into the dam.

The company has chosen to locate the fresh waterintake for the beneficiation plant at the release point ofthe fresh water dam. Performance of the beneficiationplant is sensitive to water quality with any deterioration

Dam wall, clay fines tailings - Fosfertil, Brazil

SSoolliidd WWaassttee DDiissppoossaall aanndd WWaatteerr MMaannaaggeemmeenntt SSyysstteemm wwiitthh PPeerrffoorrmmaannccee FFeeeeddbbaacckk

imposing a cost on the company in terms of reducedproduct recovery.

The water management system lends itself to improvedperformance through the built-in positive feedbackloop. This is consistent with the company's manage-ment system that fosters performance improvement byinvoking behavioral change. The Fosfertil managementsystem is discussed further in Section 3.9“ Environmental Management”.

(5) Further information is available from other UNEP publi-cations on talings management and emergency preparednessand response. These are listed in Appendix A.


In South Africa, Foskor Ltd. has controlled windblowndust by ploughing furrows in the surface of dry tailings,perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. The fur-rows create eddies that trap dust particles mobilized bythe wind reducing air pollution.

The Catalão phosphate rock mining and beneficiationcomplex in the state of Goiás, Brazil is owned and oper-ated by Copebras S.A., part of the Anglo AmericanCorporation of South Africa group.

The operation deposits phosphate and magnetite tail-ings streams in a conventional valley style tailings dam.The dam wall has been constructed from compactedclay and coarse phosphate tailings.

The dam is inspected about once a year, as part of anongoing monitoring and audit program.The inspectionencompasses the general condition of the dam andassociated infrastructure, including the dam wall,decant facilities, slurry delivery and deposition andmonitoring piezometers. Information is documented ina comprehensive report with numerous photographsto illustrate the current state of the facility.

Tailings dam, wall in distance - Copebras S.A., Brazil Tailings dam seepage water release - Copebras S.A., Brazil

The annual inspection and review complements thedaily monitoring and supervision of the facility by pro-viding a check on performance and identifying andproposing remedial actions for longer term issues. Thisis supported by numerical evaluations using monitor-ing data to confirm the continued structural integrityof the dam wall.

Water release quality is evaluated twice a year (dry andwet seasons) as part of the regular surface and groundwater monitoring program for the entire complex. Thisprogram includes an analysis of the pond water, seep-age from the tailings dam and any effects onsurrounding groundwater.

The annual monitoring and audit program facilitatesinformed management of the tailings disposal facilityand reduces the risk of failure.

TTaaiilliinnggss DDaamm AAuuddiitt PPrrooggrraamm

WWiinndd-bblloowwnn TTaaiilliinnggss DDuusstt CCoonnttrrooll

Furrows in dry tailings - Foskor Ltd, South Africa

33..77 MMiinnee CClloossuurree

Mine closure activities occur on cessation of miningand beneficiation activities, following the exhaustionof the ore reserve. The aim focus of mine closure is toleave the mine site in a stable and safe condition. Thisinvolves:� Finalizing rehabilitation that commenced earlier

in the mine life;� Rehabilitation and other activities such as sealing

shafts and removing plant and equipment thatcould not be removed until after mining and ben-eficiation were completed;

� Monitoring the keep of rehabilitation and closureactivities in the long term;

� Rehabilitation is generally conducted progressive-ly throughout the mine life, as discussed in detailin the next section;

� Social impacts on the workforce and on the com-munity, associated with the closure of anoperation, may be complex. They are importantbut fall outside the scope of the present publica-tion.

MMoonniittoorriinngg

Ongoing monitoring and management is importantto satisfy local communities, government agenciesand other stakeholders, that the agreed post-miningland use has been established. Once verified, the sitemay be returned to the pool of available land.

FFiinnaanncciiaall SSuurreettyy

Governments increasingly move towards securingadequate financial provisions to deal with closure lia-bilities associated with mining operations.Environmental financial sureties are one of the mech-anisms that governments have adopted to ensure thatcompanies meet closure liabilities.

36


Figure 3.7.1

Potential environmental effects : closure

Return of site to poolof available land

Removal of equipmentand plant, shaft sealing,stabilisation, monitoring

Long term stabilitySafetyFuture land useAir emissionsHazardous waste disposal

Clos

ure

Various forms of financial surety instruments havebeen applied in different jurisdictions. Instrumentsthat leave the funds available for use by the companymay include:� Self-funding through financial reserves;� Balance sheet tests;� Asset pledges to government in the event of

default;� Parent company guarantees.

More commonly, governments require that producersset aside financial resources. These instruments mayinclude:� Cash deposits with government institutions;� Trust funds;� Financial institution guarantees such as perform-

ance bonds and letters of credit.

MMiinnee CClloossuurree CCaassee SSttuuddyy

In view of the large reserves and extended life of mostphosphate rock and potash mining operations, thereare few experiences of mine closure in the fertilizerraw material mining industry to learn from and pro-vide guidance.

The MDPA potash operation in France has beendeveloping and implementing plans as it approachesclosure.

33..88 RReehhaabbiilliittaattiioonn

Rehabilitation activities generally involve the designand creation of stable and safe landforms, followed bythe establishment of self-sustaining ecosystems toreplace those disturbed during the mining process.The effectiveness of rehabilitation is enhanced by inte-gration with the mine plan and conducting itprogressively throughout the life of the mine. Theobjectives of rehabilitation can range through a spec-trum of:� Complete restoration of the areas original natural

values;� Reclamation to re-establish the pre-mining land

use;� Development of a completely new land use for the

area, such as lakes, forestry or agriculture;� Leaving land of marginal value in a safe and stable

condition.

In some countries, the post-mining land use is deter-mined through discussion and consultation withstakeholders, such as state and local government agen-

CClloossuurree ooff tthhee MMiinneess ddee PPoottaassssee dd''AAllssaaccee ((MMDDPPAA)) OOppeerraattiioonnss


In SSoouutthh AAffrriiccaa, financial provisions for closure havebeen required since 1994. Four types of financial suretyare currently permitted:� A dedicated trust fund;� A cash deposit to an account with the Department of

Minerals and Energy;� A guarantee from a financial institution;� Other arrangements approved by the Director

General of the Department of Minerals and Energy.

Trust funds are the most common instrument adoptedby larger companies, both because of the greater in-house financial management resources, and the taxadvantages offered. Contributions are spread evenlyover the life of mine with the financial liability assessedon an annual basis. Allowances are made for new dis-turbance and rehabilitation activities conducted duringthe period.

The financial provision system is currently beingreviewed through ongoing discussion between gov-ernment and industry. Several additional financialsurety methods are being proposed, such as parentcompany guarantees and the use of insurance policies.A means of recognizing and providing credit for previ-ous good performance is also proposed.

Mines de Potasse d'Alsace (MDPA) currently operatesthe Amelie underground potash mine and processingplant and the Marie-Louise underground mine nearMulhouse in northeast France.

Mining of the potash orebodies in the region began in1910. The workforce peaked in 1965 at around 14,000and dropped to 1,300 by mid 2000. The number ofoperating mines and plants has fallen similarly, and atpresent two mines and one plant are in operation. Theore deposit is approaching exhaustion, with comple-tion of mining anticipated by 2003. Planning andpreparation for this eventuality began a number ofyears back.

The long potash mining history of the region has left alegacy of challenges. Closure planning and preparationhas focused on:

� Rehabilitation of the surface waste piles (referred toas terrils);

� Remediation of the salt-contaminated surfaceaquifer;

� Removal of decommissioned plant, equipment andmaterials;

� Creation of alternative employment for the work-force and community.

The major environmental issue revolves around thewaste piles dumped adjacent to the beneficiationplants prior to 1934. These were placed without linersor other containment features. Subsequent dissolu-tion of the salt by rain has contaminated theunderlying aquifer giving rise to plumes of salt con-tamination down flow from the piles. Rehabilitationactivities have focused on both removing the source

Figure 3.7.1

Waste piles dissolution schematic. MDPA, France.

Impervious basement

Groundwater

Depollution well

Rain

TowardsRhine

Percolation

Run-off

Impervious basementWater production well

Trenchcollect

Depollution well

Sprinklers or monitors

TowardsRhine

Lateralresurgences

Depollution well Accelerated dissolving process

EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall FFiinnaanncciiaall SSuurreettiieess:: SSoouutthh AAffrriiccaann aanndd AAuussttrraalliiaann CCaasseess

The Phalaborwa operation of Foskor Limited has estab-lished a trust fund to satisfy the environmental financialprovision requirements. The fund is registered with thegovernment, but operated by the company.Contributions to the fund are determined by the quan-tity of production and made on a monthly basis, withregular audits conducted by financial advisers. Whenthe company wishes to use some of the funds for thepurpose of rehabilitation, a proposal must be submittedfor government approval.

In AAuussttrraalliiaa,, WMC Resources Ltd. owns and operates thePhosphate Hill phosphate rock operation in the State ofQueensland.The state government requires the lodgingof financial assurances to guarantee conduct of therehabilitation plan as outlined in the EnvironmentalManagement Overview Strategy (EMOS), prepared inaccordance with regulatory requirements. The amountis based on the maximum cost of rehabilitating the netdisturbance of the lease during the life of the currentplan of operations, reduced by a discount for past goodenvironmental performance. This discount can varyfrom 15 to 75%, creating an incentive for good perform-ance by companies demonstrating their environmentalcredentials through past behavior.

38


Figure 3.8.1

Potential environmental effects : rehabilitation

Landscape reshaping,revegetation,

ecosystemestablishment

Landscape disturbanceAir emissionsWater contaminationExotic speciesintroductionRe

habi

litat

ion

cies, local communities and private landholders, todevelop an appreciation of their needs and desires.Important considerations for decision-makinginclude the climate, topography, soils, pre-miningland use of the site and surrounding areas, legalrequirements and the degree of post-closure mainte-nance and management.

Rehabilitation involves a sequence of activities such as:� Topsoil removal and placement;� Landscaping of disturbed areas;� Revegetation and reestablishment of the nutrient

cycle;� Wildlife introduction;� Maintenance of rehabilitated areas;� Monitoring and determination of rehabilitation

success.

These are discussed in greater detail below.

Rehabilitation activities themselves may result in someminor environmental impacts, associated with land-scaping and topsoil placement. These could includedust emissions and the erosion of fines from newlydisturbed topsoil and overburden, while exotic plantspecies may be introduced to disturbed areas.

‘KALI'STOIRE’ comic book. - MDPA, FranceShaped and revegetated terrils - MDPA, France. 0329

of the pollution (the waste piles) as well as reducing thelevel of salt contamination in the groundwater.

Seventeen salt piles covering an area of 220 hectares areto be rehabilitated. Two methods are currently used torehabilitate them. One involves reshaping the piles, cap-ping them with plastic, clay or bituminous liners toisolate the waste from the rain, then covering with agrowing medium and revegetation with grasses.

The other method involves accelerating the dissolutionof the salt component of the pile using fresh water. Theresulting brines are discharged in a controlled mannerto the adjacent Rhine River, while the insoluble clayresidue piles are reshaped and revegetated. Both thesemethods are intended to prevent any further contami-nation of the groundwater.

The existing salt contaminated groundwater is con-tained and remediated by a de-pollution pumpingprogram. A series of wells have been drilled at the down-flow from each of the piles. Pumping from these wellsboth restricts further contamination of the aquifer bysalt, while providing the processing operations with asource of industrial water.

The former mine land is being converted mainly toindustrial use following removal of unwanted plant,equipment and infrastructure.

Incentives have been provided for the creation of newbusinesses with an emphasis on small and medium sizeenterprises. A number of the old mine buildings arebeing refurbished to provide space to house some ofthese new enterprises.

Training is provided to interested employees to allowthem to develop their own businesses or prepare forwork in a new industry.

Besides, a hazardous waste management company hasbegun operation, using underground openings createdby mining rock salt for long-term storage of hazardouswaste.

Communication with employees and the community onthe closure plans and activities has been important inalleviating concerns. An interesting method that hasbeen used to assist this process is the publishing of acomic book story on the MDPA operation. The storyconveys information about the forthcoming closure in amanner and style that is easily understood by all.

LLaannddssccaappiinngg

Landscaping tends to be associated primarily with sur-face mining methods and the decommissioning ofwaste disposal sites. The major objective of landscap-ing is to leave a stable non-eroding surface. A varietyof methods is employed to achieve this, including:� Using sand tailings to fill in the low areas between

dragline overburden spoil piles;� Shaping the sides of overburden dumps with bull-

dozers to leave gentle slopes or blend with thenatural landscape;

� Leaving berms (narrow benches) on steep slopessuch as pit walls or the sides of overburden dumpswith a bulldozer;

� Cross-ripping slopes with a bulldozer tine;� Reestablishing surface drainage systems such as

streams.

These methods slow the rate of rainfall run-off andprevent excessive erosion.


Revegetated overburden dump - Fosfertil, Brazil

Placing topsoil on dam wall - Foskor Ltd, South Africa

The Khouribga operation operated by Office Chérifiendes Phosphates (OCP) in Morocco extracts phosphaterock using large-scale opencast dragline miningmethod. This method leaves the overburden in steepspoil piles.

A new method has been implemented for the dispos-al of phosphate clay fines in the low areas betweenthe spoil piles. This technique creates a more stablepost-mining landform as well as providing a bettergrowing medium for vegetation.

The new disposal method reduces the water con-sumed during slurrying and disposal of the fines.Water consumption is of particular significance as theoperation is located in an arid environment withwater sourced from limited ground water supplies 90kilometres away. The cost of disposal is also reducedcompared with the previous method.

Landscape after extraction of ore - Office Chérifien desPhosphates, Morocco

Landscape around the mine - Office Chérifien desPhosphates, Morocco

PPoosstt-mmiinniinngg LLaannddffoorrmm RReesshhaappiinngg wwiitthh PPhhoosspphhaatteeCCllaayy FFiinneess

40


RReevveeggeettaattiioonn

Revegetation is typically conducted to stabilize the dis-turbed areas and prevent wind and water erosion. Thiscan vary from planting or seeding with a single grassspecies, conversion to agricultural or forestry purpos-es, through to the establishment of quite complexecosystems involving upland forests, grasslands andwetlands. Where natural ecosystems are being re-established, native species tend to be used, but fastergrowing non-native grass species are sometimes used

Kali und Salz GmbH in Germany has conductedresearch into the sealing of disused potash mineshafts, in partnership with a local University. The pur-pose of the shaft sealing is to prevent water fromentering the orebody and dissolving salts from theevaporite beds. If this occurs the overlying aquifersmay become contaminated with salt.

Research has focused on the use of bentonite clayplugs placed in the shaft above the evaporite hori-zons. Water coming into contact with the bentonitewill cause it to swell, sealing any possible paths ofingress.

Heavy weathering of the overburden and orebody atthe Catalão phosphate rock mine of Copebras S.A.means the pit walls are extremely prone to erosioncreating concern about the stability of the 80 metrehigh final pit walls. The company has implemented anumber of measures in response.

Temporary internal pit walls are designed and exca-vated to a steeper overall slope. As excavation occursagainst the designed pit limits, the pit wall slopes areflattened to enhance long-term stability. Final pit wallsare designed with an overall slope of 34o, consistingof five metre wide catch berms placed every fivemetres vertically, with an intervening wall slope of60o. The catch berms are sloped back into the pit wallto capture any rainfall and prevent erosion of the pitwall by run-off. Excess water collecting on the berms istransferred to the bottom of the pit through a series ofpipe drains constructed from 44-gallon drums weldedtogether. The berms are vegetated to enhance stabili-ty.

The approach leaves a final pit wall that resists theerosion effects of rainfall, enhancing establishment ofvegetation and long-term stability.

Final pit wall with drains - Copebras S.A., Brazil

Vegetated pit wall - Copebras S.A., Brazil

Beneficiation waste disposal impoundments, dams,and ponds may contain materials that may present anongoing threat to the environment if not rehabilitatedeffectively.

At some operations, the clay fines generated duringbeneficiation of phosphate rock are drained andallowed to consolidate. Landscaping is required toestablish suitable drainage. The clay fines may be suit-able for conversion to agricultural land due to theelevated phosphate levels and good water retentionproperties, grassland or forest.

Potash salt tailings present an ongoing issue due to thepotential for dissolution of the salt by rain. Inresponse to this, a number of rehabilitation methodshave been implemented including dissolution of thesalt, disposal of the resulting brines and capping of thesalt pile with impermeable layers.

Commonly, the surface of shafts are capped to preventhumans or wildlife falling into them. In potash mines,shafts are sealed just above the orebody to preventwater from overlying aquifers entering, dissolving ore,and presenting a future water contamination issue.

PPiitt WWaallll EErroossiioonn CCoonnttrrooll

SSeeaalliinngg ooff DDeeccoommmmiissssiioonneedd SShhaaffttss


to quickly stabilize the surface and allow the establish-ment and succession of other slower growing species.

Topsoil cover provides a suitable growing medium onthe tailings.

A number of companies have conducted trials todetermine the viability of sealing the surface of potashsalt tailings piles, to isolate the salt from the environ-ment, allow vegetation to be established and leave astable landform. Typically, techniques employed usean impermeable layer to isolate the salt tailings fromthe environment, followed by placement of a growingmedium above. The impermeable sealing layer isimportant to prevent water percolating through anddissolving the salt, leading to the loss of foundations

The Kali und Salz GmbH former Frederickshall opera-tion is located near Hannover in northwest Germany.The relatively small salt tailings pile, containing 11 mil-lion tonnes of salt and kieserite, closed in 1978.Rehabilitation of the pile by capping with demolitionrubble, commenced in 1997, using a patented method.

Capping is conducted using inert demolition rubblefrom the city of Hannover, 25 kilometres away. The rub-ble is delivered to a waste management station locatedadjacent to the stack where it is weighed and visuallyinspected. Sampling occurs at regular intervals to checkfor potential contaminants that could present an envi-ronmental hazard. Any metal is removed and the rubbleis crushed and sorted by coarseness. A portion of theaggregate is suitable for resale to be used in new civilconstruction activities.

Capping of the salt tailings pile is conducted by placingthe coarse fraction adjacent to the salt to create a cap-illary break and drainage layer followed by the

placement of the fine fraction on the outside. The cap-ping is designed to leave a stable final slope andrequires the placement of material in a layer from 1 to30 metres thick. After capping is completed, a 3 metrethick layer of soil will be placed on the outside as agrowing medium for revegetation.

The rate of capping is limited by the supply of demoli-tion rubble. At current levels of supply the capping isexpected to be completed in 30 years. Monitoring of thecapped areas has indicated that capillary action isaffecting only the first 10 to 20 centimetres of overlyingmaterial.

This capping method appears to provide an effectivemeans of isolating salt tailings from the external envi-ronment. Additional benefits arise from the recovery offormerly landfilled urban waste for use as both a saltstack capping material and a raw material for new con-struction. This extends the life of the city's landfill.

and collapse of the sealing layer and growing medium.A variety of sealing layers have been used including:coarse aggregates to prevent capillary action drawingthe salt upwards to the surface and impermeable bar-riers such as a plastic liner, bitumen, or cement.

The growing medium is placed on top of the sealinglayer to allow revegetation and prevent erosion. Insome instances temporary stabilization techniques,such as geofabric, may be applied until the vegetationhas established.

Conversion of the post-mining land use to agricultureor other purposes would require trials to select speciesbest suited to the environment and growing medium.

Sorting and crushing demolition rubble - Kali und SalzGmbH, Germany

Placing rubble against salt pile - Kali und Salz GmbH,Germany

CCaappppiinngg SSaalltt TTaaiilliinnggss PPiillee wwiitthh DDeemmoolliittiioonn RRuubbbbllee

42


The Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP) Khouribgamining and beneficiation operation in Morocco usesopencast dragline methods to extract ore from below20 to 30 metres of overburden. In 1995 an extensivetree planting program in mined lands and surroundingareas began.

Around 150,000 trees of various species were planted

during 2000, with plans to increase this to around300,000 per year. Seedlings are transplanted to areassurrounding the mining and beneficiation operationsand the overburden spoil piles. Regular watering in thisarid environment is needed during the first year toensure rooting.

The tree-planting program has been implemented atthe OCP Benguerir and Youssofia operations in a similarmanner. Benefits, apart from visual aesthetics, includethe creation of a wood and animal feed source in anarea largely devoid of trees as well as a potential futurefood and cash resource from olive, carob and citrus pro-duction. Since the program was initiated there havebeen observable positive changes in the local microcli-mate and increased sightings of fauna species, formerlyrare to the areas, in the new habitat.

In Brazil and South Africa, magnetite tailings generatedduring the beneficiation of phosphate rock have beenrehabilitated by covering with a suitable growing

Tree plantation adjacent to mine - Office Chérifien desPhosphates, Morocco

Nursery - Office Chérifien des Phosphates, Morocco

Revegetation of magnetite tailings - Foskor Ltd, South AfricaVegetated magnetite tailings - Copebras S.A., Brazil

medium and revegetating with grasses and trees.

The magnetite tailings present a potentially valuablefuture resource of iron.

LLaarrggee SSccaallee TTrreeee PPllaannttaattiioonnss

RReevveeggeettaattiioonn ooff MMaaggnneettiittee TTaaiilliinnggss

WMC have framed their environment policy in termsof sustainable development since 1995.

WWMMCC EEnnvviirroonnmmeenntt PPoolliiccyy

The Company is committed to achieving compatibili-ty between economic development and themaintenance of the environment.

It therefore seeks to ensure that, throughout all phas-es of its activities, WMC personnel and contractorsgive proper consideration to the care of the flora,fauna, air, land and water, and to the communityhealth and heritage which may be affected by theseactivities.

To fulfill this commitment, the Company will observeall environmental laws and, consistent with the princi-ples of sustainable development, will:� Progressively establish and maintain company-wide

environmental standards for our operationsthroughout the world;

� Integrate environmental factors into planning andoperational decisions and processes;

� Assess the potential environmental effects of ouractivities, and regularly monitor and audit our envi-ronmental performance;

� Continually improve our environmental perform-ance, including reducing the effect of emissions,developing opportunities for recycling, and moreefficiently using energy, water and other resources;

� Rehabilitate the environment affected by our activi-ties;

� Conserve important populations of flora and faunathat may be affected by our activities;

� Promote environmental awareness amongCompany personnel and contractors to increaseunderstanding of environmental matters.

Source: WMC Environment Report 1996.

EEnnvviirroonnmmeenntt PPoolliiccyy


(6) Additional information on environmental managementtools is available from the UNEP, UNIDO and IFA TechnicalReport on “Fertilizer Production and the Environment”, Part2: Environmental Management Systems and a variety ofother publications by UNEP.

� Greater control by management of the company'sactivities.

This section provides an indication of some of theapproaches being taken by the phosphate rock andpotash mining industry to provide more effectiveenvironmental management.

CCoorrppoorraattee EEnnvviirroonnmmeenntt PPoolliiccyy

A company's environment policy is a key element ofan EMS. This public statement commits managementto a set of principles that guide their activities.

Leading companies have moved from an environ-ment-specific focus, to a wider, sustainabledevelopment stance, recognizing the integration ofeconomic, environment and social needs.

33..99 EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall MMaannaaggeemmeenntt

Environmental management is an activity that isongoing throughout the entire mining life cycle, frominitial exploration to the final closure of the operationand handing over of the site. It encompasses and influ-ences all the different activities of the mining life cycleand is most effective when integrated with the day-to-day management and planning of the operation.Environmental management consists of systems, pro-cedures, practices and technologies that varydepending on the specific characteristics of the sur-rounding ecosystem, the legal framework and themining methods and beneficiation processesemployed.

As appreciation of the complexity of environmentalconsiderations has grown, a variety of managementtools have been developed to assist companies bettercontrol the effects of their operations and provide ahigher level of environment protection. These toolsinclude: environmental management systems (EMS);environmental impact assessment (EIA); environ-mental technology assessment (EnTA); environmentalauditing; life cycle assessment (LCA); cleaner produc-tion and environmental reporting (6).

Recent developments such as LCA and cleaner pro-duction have adopted a more holistic, pollutionprevention, approach to environmental issues. Theylook at the life of a product or service to determinewhere the greatest impacts may occur and then whereand how the most effective action, in terms of cost andresults, can be taken to prevent the impact to poten-tially occurring. These tools assist management byproviding information to improve decision-making.Their effectiveness depends in a large part on the com-mitment and motivation of management and theworkforce.

Amongst other things, better environmental manage-ment contributes to:� Prevention of problems;� Identification and implementation of effective

solutions to environmental issues;� Compliance with environmental legislation; regu-

lations and standards;� Engagement of and improved relations with stake-

holders such as employees, community, regulatoryagencies and customers;

44


In Jordan, the Jordan Phosphate Mines CompanyLtd. has attained ISO 14000 EnvironmentalManagement System and ISO 9000 QualityAssurance certification for part of their operation,soon to be all. The Arab Potash Company Limitedhas implemented a certified ISO 9002 QualityManagement system and is in the process of devel-oping a certified ISO14000 EnvironmentalManagement System for its Dead Sea solar evapo-ration operations. Both of the companiesacknowledge the performance improvement thatcomes from the implementation of these systemsand see the benefits these systems will offer inincreasingly more demanding consumer markets.

Industries Chimiques du Sénégal, (ICS) is the ownerof a phosphate rock mine with a yearly productioncapacity of 2 million tonnes and phosphoric acidplants with a yearly capacity of 330,000 tonnesP2O5. Two large projects were initiated by ICS in1996:� Opening the Tobène panel mine at the end of the

Keur Mor FALL panel;� Doubling the phosphoric acid production capaci-

ty.

An environmental impact study was carried inOctober 1997. The study concerned the existingand future installations. The main objectives wereto:� Describe how the environment is likely to be

affected by these projects;� Examine the potential impact of the projects on

the environment and provide information ontheir nature and the extent;

� Describe preventative measures for protection ofthe environment;

� Evaluate the socio-economic impacts.

The conclusions of the impact study allowed ICS toestablish an Environmental Management System inthe context of ISO 14001.

Source: D. Fam, M. Bocoum, IFA TechnicalConference, New Orleans, USA, October 2000.

EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall MMaannaaggeemmeenntt SSyysstteemmss

The ISO 14000 Environmental Management systemand the European Union Eco-management and AuditScheme (EMAS) standards provide widely recognizedframeworks and guidelines that companies can use todevelop their own environmental management sys-tems. These are third-party certified, providing ameans by which the company can demonstrate itscommitment to improved environmental perform-ance.

Many phosphate rock and potash mining companiesare looking at the ISO 14000 standards to guide thedevelopment of systems that are specific to theirneeds.

Quality management systems are more prevalent thanenvironmental management systems. Adoption ofthese has been assisted by perceived greater benefits interms of improved product quality and consistencyand greater recognition in the market place. Eventhough not specifically orientated to environmentalperformance, systems such as the ISO 9000 QualityManagement series tend to produce environmentalbenefits from an improvement in the overall perform-ance of the operation. In many cases companies havefound such systems to be an excellent foundationupon which to build an environmental managementsystem.

Recognition of the growing importance of environ-mental management systems is evident in a number ofcountries including many developing countries, whereproducers understand the competitive advantage ofmeeting the increasing demands of consumer marketssuch as the European Union and Japan.

EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall BBeesstt PPrraaccttiiccee GGuuiiddeelliinneess

Best practice guidelines provide a valuable source ofinformation to help companies to develop and imple-ment appropriate systems, practices and technologies.These are based on the experience of others, increas-ing the learning curve and reducing time and cost.

Though the guidelines may have been developed forother countries or regions and different minerals, thesimilarity of the mining processes and their potentialenvironmental effects means that they are applicableto many operations.

MMaannaaggeemmeenntt SSyysstteemm CCeerrttiiffiiccaattiioonn

EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall IImmppaacctt SSttuuddyy aanndd MMaannaaggeemmeennttSSyysstteemm


In Brazil, Fosfatados Fertilizantes SA (Fosfertil) adoptedthe “ Program 5S” quality management system in 1995.

The system, that originated in Japan, is based on the fiveprinciples of:� Seiri - Sense of selection;� Seiton - Sense of tidiness;� Seisou - Sense of cleanliness;� Seiketsu - Sense of health;� Shitsuke - Sense of self-discipline.

Objectives are:� Improving the work environment;� Preventing accidents;� Providing incentives for creativity;� Eliminating waste;� Promoting team-work;� Improving the quality of services and products.

Equipment workshop, Tapira mine - Fosfertil, Brazil Rating of company sections - Fosfertil, Brazil

These are accomplished by changing behaviors at alllevels of the company to improve the working environ-ment and welfare and the quality of products andservices.

Continuous improvement of the system is an importantaspect. Regular internal auditing of the system's per-formance is conducted in each section of the company,with the results posted in prominent positions through-out the sites.

The performance of the system is visible; all workplacesare typically ordered, neat and clean. Safety has benefit-ed; the company has won the Brazilian mining safetyaward for seven years running. Additionally, the eco-nomic performance of the company has improved inrecent years.

The Program 5S has improved the control and manage-ment of all aspects of the organization, in turn creatingenvironmental benefits. The system has been acknowl-edged as important to attaining ISO 9002 QualityManagement certification and has created a strongfoundation for gaining ISO 14001 EnvironmentalManagement certification.

FFoossffeerrttiill PPrrooggrraamm 55SS

46

Environment Australia publishes a valuable source ofenvironmental management information through the"Best Practice Environmental Management in Mining"modules. Each module collects and presents informa-tion on a specific aspect of environmentalmanagement relevant to the mining industry. Themodules are illustrated with examples of current bestpractice that are practical and cost-effective. A widevariety of modules are available, including:� Mine Planning for Environment Protection;� Rehabilitation and Revegetation;� Landform design for Rehabilitation;� Hazardous Materials Management, Storage and

Disposal;� Cleaner Production;� Environmental Management Systems;� Environmental Auditing.

Though orientated to the Australian mining industrythe topics, principles and case studies have relevanceto all areas of the fertilizer raw material mining indus-try worldwide.

Front cover of the Environment Australia 'Best PracticeEnvironmental Management in Mining - Mine Planningfor Environment Protection' module.


At times, specialized guidelines may need to be devel-oped for issues specific to a single operation orregions. One such example is provided by the devel-opment of guidelines to mitigate the seleniumcontamination issue in southeast Idaho (USA). Thesehave been documented in a comprehensive manual,‘Best Management Practices Guidance Manual forActive and Future Phosphate Mines: Southeast IdahoPhosphate Resource Area Selenium Project’.

The guidelines have been developed in response tothe selenium contamination of downstream water-ways and vegetation from current and historicphosphate mining operations in southeast Idaho. Theselenium is released by weathering of shale excavatedduring phosphate rock mining. The issue was firstidentified in 1996 when a number of livestock werediagnosed with chronic selenosis. Subsequent investi-gation identified the mining operations as the sourceof the problem and regulatory agencies required cor-rective measures.

The guidelines present both tested and experimentalmethods for the control of selenium release andencompass practices related to mine planning, wasterock management, water management, soil stabiliza-tion, revegetation and livestock range management.They are regarded as a 'work in progress' with per-formance monitoring a key feature to ascertain theireffectiveness and refine techniques.

A stakeholder-inclusive process was used to developthe guidelines that involved representatives from thephosphate mining companies, federal, state and localgovernment agencies and the Shoshone-BannockTribe.

Front cover of the 'Best Management Practice GuidanceManual for Active and Future Phosphate Mines' -Agrium Conda Phosphate Operation, USA.

TThhee ““ BBeesstt PPrraaccttiiccee EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall MMaannaaggeemmeenntt iinnMMiinniinngg”” MMoodduulleess

IIssssuuee SSppeecciiffiicc GGuuiiddeelliinneess


EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall RReeppoorrttiinngg

Increasingly, importance is placed on the value ofopen and transparent communication of a company'senvironmental (and social) performance with stake-holders. Stakeholders can be internal to the company,such as employees and shareholders, or external suchas adjacent landholders, local communities, electedofficials, government and NGO's. The purpose ofcommunication is to inform of potential effects, createawareness of the operations activities and receivecomments and input from the various stakeholders.Development of a good relationship with stakeholdersreduces disruptions and increases tolerance in theevent of unplanned occurrences or accidents.

A method of conveying information to stakeholders isthrough public environmental reporting. This isemphasized through inclusion in voluntary industrycodes of practice such as the ‘Australian MineralIndustry Code for Environmental Management’ andvoluntary initiatives such as ‘The Global ReportingInitiative’.

Standards for environmental reporting have beendeveloped by a number of groups. Work is currentlyunderway to develop reporting elements for the min-ing industry. These can be used as a framework bycompanies to develop their own customized reportingsystem.

A variety of less formal and structured methods existto keep stakeholders informed, including: magazines,newsletters, open days, workforce meetings, publicmeetings and school or community group involve-ment in rehabilitation activities.

Mine “open days” are effective in raising the awarenessof the mining process and activities amongst employ-ees' families and the general community. Theseprovide a valuable mechanism to communicate theenvironmental practices and technologies that havebeen put in place, showcase rehabilitation that mayhave occurred and build rapport with the community.

Involving schools and clubs in rehabilitation activitiessuch as tree planting can extend awareness raising.This has been employed successfully at operations inthe USA and Brazil.

The GRI was established in 1997 by UNEP and theCoalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies(CERES) to encourage the wider adoption globally ofpublic sustainability reporting, including environmen-tal, and social as well as the more traditional financialaspects. Other stakeholders actively participate.

The initiative is working to improve the standard ofsustainability reporting to a level comparable withcurrent financial reporting practices and develop anddisseminate standardized reporting practices andmeasurement indicators to enhance comparabilitybetween different companies reports.

The reporting framework is documented in‘Sustainability Reporting Guidelines’ that have beendeveloped with stakeholder input. The frameworkallows stakeholders to gauge progress and organiza-tions to benchmark and identify best practices,enhancing the move of society towards sustainabledevelopment.

Information on the GRI is available at the Website:http://www.globalreporting.org.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Australia isconducting annual reviews of the quality of publicenvironmental reports released by companies signa-tory to the Australian Mineral Industry Code forEnvironmental Management. They see the importanceenvironmental reporting has in communicating envi-ronmental and social performance to stakeholders.

Reports are assessed against nine performance indi-cators. These have been selected to assiststakeholders use environmental reports as a tool forassessing the environmental and social performanceof the company. They believe that environmentalreports should reflect the company's performance,define goals, address stakeholder concerns arisingfrom operations and provide independent verifica-tion of the contents.

WWF emphasizes the importance of external thirdparty verification for stakeholders to assess the reportcontents and the company's performance.

EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall RReeppoorrttiinngg RReevviieeww aanndd CCoommmmeennttaarryy

TThhee GGlloobbaall RReeppoorrttiinngg IInniittiiaattiivvee ((GGRRII))

48


IMC Phosphate in Florida (USA) publishes the‘Phosphator’ magazine on a monthly basis for itsemployees and other stakeholders. A wide range of arti-cles on the activities of IMC Phosphate are featured.Environmental matters are dealt with in a regular col-umn,‘The Green Piece’, or by feature articles.

Notice board at the Tapira mining complex, displayingphotographs taken during family open days - Fosfertil,Brazil

IMC ‘Phosphator’ magazine - IMC Phosphate, USA

Office Chérifien des Phosphates in Morocco publish acompany newsletter, “ P2O5” on a regular basis. In June2000, a special edition was published to communicateto the workforce information on the company's recentvoluntary adoption of the “ Responsible Care” program.

MMaaggaazziinneess aanndd NNeewwsslleetttteerrss


The environmental performance of the fertilizer rawmaterial mining industry has improved over recentdecades, as has that of other industry sectors.Significant causes include:� Growing public awareness of environmental

issues;� Greater appreciation by companies of the environ-

mental issues;� Increasing regulation;� Scientific and technical progress that permits reso-

lution of some of the issues;� Technological developments that improve envi-

ronmental performance as a by-product of betterefficiency.

Today information is available much more easily thanin the past, through media such as the Internet, whilethe understanding of the issues and of the underlyingproblems and linkages continues to progress.

A number of emerging issues and trends may affectthe industry in coming years, including:� Consumers as a political and economic force;� The public's demand for accountability and trans-

parency across the board, for both businesses andgovernment;

� Sensitivities about globalization;� A multidisciplinary approach to resolving issues� Ongoing public debate on what constitutes sus-

tainability and good environmental performance;� Increasingly stringent expectations of environ-

mental performance;� Scrutiny of business at a local and international

level.

As community awareness has grown, demands onindustry have increased accordingly. In many coun-tries, both industry and governments are becomingmore accountable for the decisions and actions theytake. This is partly because of the increased availabili-ty of information concerning their actions and morestakeholder involvement in the decision-makingprocess. The general public increasingly demandsinvolvement in decision-making on issues that affectthem. This was evident in a variety of situations at theoperations visited in preparation of the present report.Likewise the public is requiring companies to demon-strate their environmental (and social) performance.This requires an effective monitoring system to meas-ure the impacts of a company's activities and often a

reporting system to communicate their achievementsto stakeholders. External, third party verificationincreases the plausibility of company statements andprovides stakeholders with an independent assurance.

A number of fertilizer mining companies are signato-ries to voluntary codes of practice such as the chemicalindustry's Responsible Care® program or TheAustralian Mining Industry Code for EnvironmentalManagement. These codes implicitly recognize theimportance of monitoring and reporting. An inde-pendent international mining certification system toassess environmental management performance is anoption to secure environmental accountability.

In future, community concerns may shift away from afocus on environmental damage at the mine site to theneed to balance competing demands for limited natu-ral resources such as fresh water and agricultural land.The mining industry, as a consumer of naturalresources, will not be isolated from these pressures.Foresight and the adoption of adequate and effectivesolutions to arising issues will assist the industry'sresponse.

Governments are responding to community pressurethrough new legislation. The European Union'sIntegrated Product policy is one such response. Policyimplementation will lead to increasing producerresponsibility for their products. It will also increasethe use of market instruments to internalize the exter-nal environmental costs of products over their entirelife cycle. This responsibility will concern not onlycompanies' own activities but also those of their sup-pliers, transporters and service providers.

WWhhaatt sshhoouulldd ccoommppaanniieess ddoo iinn oorrddeerr ttoo mmeeeetttthheessee ccuurrrreenntt aanndd ffuuttuurree cchhaalllleennggeess??

Several approaches to environmental issues arereviewed in Part 2 of the IFA/UNEP/UNIDO publica-tion entitled “Environmental ManagementSystems”(7). Topics discussed include:� Compliance with the ISO 9000 and ISO 14000

series of standards;� Environmental impact, risk and life cycle assess-

ments;

44.. EEmmeerrggiinngg EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall IIssssuueess aanndd TTrreennddss

(7) See Appendix A for reference.

Emerging Environmental Issues and Trends

� Monitoring and incident reporting;� Corporate environmental reporting;� Integrated pollution prevention and control;� Voluntary initiatives;� Cleaner production.

This publication draws attention to the importance ofpreventative, rather than remedial action in order toreduce the potentially environmental impacts of com-pany activities. The publication also argues that acomprehensive environmental management systemcan be of intrinsic value to the company. Newapproaches are likely to be developed in the future.

The present publication has explored a variety ofapproaches and techniques being used by the fertilizerraw material mining industry in response to environ-mental issues. In many instances, new technologiesand practices have been developed or applied toresolve specific problems. In others, the implementa-tion of new management systems has improvedenvironmental performance - in many cases with eco-nomic benefit - through a better understanding of theenvironmental causes and effects.

Companies are starting to perceive marketing andeven economic advantages from the implementationof such systems. This trend is expected to continue asconsumer awareness and demands for improvedindustry performance grow and government legisla-tion evolve to reflect this. Markets are becoming morediscriminating; environmental and “ethical” invest-ment funds have been established; and some financialinstitutions are beginning to examine a company'senvironmental performance when making loanassessments.

Many complex issues face the mining industry andthese are best tackled using a multidisciplinaryapproach. Achieving a balance between the environ-mental, economic, and social needs of society isimportant if development is to be sustainable. This ismost effective when a long-term perspective is adopt-ed. The life-cycle approach used to structure thispublication demonstrates one method of examiningthe impact of companies' activities and products as awhole. A variety of strategies and tools, such as clean-er production, life cycle analysis and industrialecology have been developed to assist management forthis purpose.

The mining life-cycle approach highlights the impor-tance of planning, environmental management andrehabilitation from the outset and throughout the lifeof the mine. This fosters a preventative approach,allowing:� Identification of potentially adverse environmen-

tal effects;� Implementation of plans, systems, procedures and

practices to avoid or mitigate potentially adverseimpact;

� Detection of variance from plans by monitoringenvironmental performance.

Communication and dissemination of informationwithin and between companies through means suchas newsletters, workshops and conferences are impor-tant to continually improve environmentalperformance.

A particular characteristic of the mining industry isthe need to anticipate when the economic ore reservewill be depleted and the operation will close. The sitemust be left in a safe and stable form, allowing it to bereturned to the pool of land available for society. Theclosure and rehabilitation of sites needs to be plannedfrom the outset, not left for future generations. Manygovernments now require, or are examining, financialprovisions for mine closure to be set aside by compa-nies during its operations to avoid environmentalliabilities being handed over to the community.

How can industry associations facilitate improvedperformance? Encouragement and support fromindustry associations and companies can assist the fer-tilizer mining industry in its response to futurechallenges.

They can:� Provide leadership;� Assemble and communicate information on good

practices, new developments and trends that mayaffect the industry, through means such as confer-ences, workshops, and publications;

� Develop guidelines on good practices;� Encourage the adoption of voluntary codes to fos-

ter continued improvement.

50


AAppppeennddiixx AA.. SSeelleecctteedd RReeffeerreenncceess aanndd RReeaaddiinngg RReessoouurrcceess

Environment Australia (Various years) Best PracticeEnvironmental Management in Mining. (Varioustitles). Commonwealth of Australia.

ICME/UNEP (1998) Case Studies on TailingsManagement. UNEP, Paris.

ICME/UNEP (1999) Risk Management andContingency Planning in the Management of MineTailings. UNEP, Paris.

International Commission on Large Dams(ICOLD)/UNEP (1996) A Guide to Tailings Dams andImpoundments: Design, construction, use and reha-bilitation, Bulletin 1060. ICOLD, Paris.

International Commission on Large Dams(ICOLD)/UNEP (2001) Tailings Dams; Risk ofDangerous Occurrences - Lessons learnt from practi-cal experiences, Bulletin 121. UNEP, Paris.

IFA/UNEP (2000) Mineral Fertilizer Distribution andthe Environment. IFA, Paris.

IFA/UNEP (1998) Mineral Fertilizer Use and theEnvironment. IFA, Paris.

IFA/UNEP (1998) The Fertilizer Industry, World FoodSupplies and the Environment. IFA, Paris.

Notholt, A.J.G., Sheldon, R.P., and Davidson, D.F.(1989) Phosphate deposits of the world. Vol. 2:Phosphate rock resource. University Press,Cambridge, Great Britain.

Schultz, J.J. (1992) Phosphate Fertilizers and theEnvironment: Proceedings of an InternationalWorkshop. IFDC, USA.

UNEP (1998) Voluntary Industry Codes of Conductfor the Environment, Technical Report No. 40. UNEP,Paris.

UNEP (1999) Global Environment Outlook 2000.Earthscan Publications Ltd, London.

UNEP (2000) Industry and Environment. Mining andsustainable development II: Challenges and perspec-tives. Vol. 23. Special Issue 2000. UNEP, Paris.

UNEP/UNIDO/IFA (1998) Mineral FertilizerProduction and the Environment. Technical Report No.26. Part 1. The Fertilizer Industry's ManufacturingProcesses and Environmental Issues. UNEP, Paris.

UNEP/UNIDO/IFA (1998) Mineral FertilizerProduction and the Environment. Technical Report No.26. Part 2. Environmental Management Systems.UNEP, Paris.

UNIDO/IFDC (1998) Fertilizer Manual. KluwerAcademic Publishers, The Netherlands.

Appendices

52

Agrium Conda Phosphate Operations3010 Conda RoadSoda SpringsSoda Springs (Idaho 83276)United StatesTel: +1 208 547 4381/ 204Fax: +1 208 5472550Email: [email protected]: www.agrium.com

Arab Potash Company Ltd (APC)P.O. Box 1470Amman 11118JordanTel: +962 6 5666165Fax: +962 6 5674416Email: [email protected]: www.arabpotash.com

Cargill Fertilizers Inc.8813 Highway 41South Riverview Florida 33569United States of AmericaTel: +1 800 237 2024Web: www.cargillfertilizer.com

Copebras S.A.Praça da Republica 49711. Andar01045-910 Sao Paulo, SPBrazilTel: +55 11 32268333Fax: +55 11 32268525Email: [email protected]

Fertilizantes Fosfatados S.A. (Fosfertil)Estrada da Cana, Km-11DI IIIUberaba, MGBrazilTel : +55 34 3125799Fax: +55 34 3192500

Florida Institute of Phosphate Research (FIPR)1855 West Main StreetBartowFlorida 33830-7718United States of AmericaTel: +1 (863) 534 7160Fax: +1 (863) 534 7165Web: www.fipr.state.fl.us

Foskor Limited27 Selati RoadP.O. Box 1Phalaborwa 1390South AfricaTel : +27 15 7892000Fax: +27 15 7892070Email: [email protected]: www.foskor.co.za

IFDC - AfricaBP 4483LomeTogoTel: +228 217971Fax: +228 217817Email: [email protected]: www.ifdc.org

IMC PhosphateState Road 37 S 5000MulberryFlorida 33860United States of AmericaTel: +1 863 42 825 00Web: www.imc.com

IMC PotashBelle-PlaineP.O. Box 7500Regina,Saskatchewan54P4L8CanadaTel: +306 345 8237Fax: + 306 345 8211Web: www.imc.com

AAppppeennddiixx BB.. IIlllluussttrraatteedd EExxaammpplleess CCoonnttaacctt IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn


ICS - Industries Chimiques du Sénégal19, rue ParchappeB.P. 1713DakarSenegalTel: +221 8 233020Fax: +221 8 231256

Jordan Phosphate Mines Co.P.O. Box 305 Al-Sharif Al-Radhi Street, ShmeisaniAmman 11118JordanTel : +962 6 5607141Fax: +962 6 5682290Email: [email protected]: www.jpmc-jordan.com

Kali und Salz GmbHBertha-von-Suttner-Strasse 734131 KasselGermanyTel : +49 561 9301 0Fax: +49 561 9301 1753Email: [email protected]: www.k-plus-s.com

Mines de Potasse d'Alsace (MDPA)Avenue Joseph-ElseB.P 5068310 Wittelsheim FranceTel: +33 3 89266373 Fax: +33 3 89266293Email: [email protected]: www.groupe-emc.com/Portail/filiales/MDPA/mdpa.shtml

Mississippi Potash, Inc.P.O. box 101Carlsbad, NM 88220505.887.5591 phone505.887.0705 faxWeb:www.misspotash.com

Mississippi Chemical CorporationP.O. Box 3883622 Highway 49 EastYazoo City, Mississippi 39194-0388 Tel: +662 746-4131Fax: +662 746-9158United States of AmericaWeb: www.misschem.com

OCP - Groupe Office Chérifien des PhosphatesAngle Bd de la Grande Ceinture etRoute d'El Jadida20101 CasablancaMoroccoTel : +212 22 230424Fax: +212 22 230635Email: [email protected]: www.ocpgroup.com

O.T.P. - Office Togolais des PhosphatesB.P. 379LomeTogoTel : +228 213901Fax: +228 217152

Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS)New Brunswick DivisionP.O. Box 5039Sussex, New BrunswickE4E 5L2CanadaTel: +506 433 5445Fax: +506 433 6617Web: www.potashcorp.com

Sasol Agri PhalaborwaP.O. Box 1723Randburg 2125South AfricaTel: +27 11 2853000Fax: +27 11 7876349Email: [email protected]: www.sasol.com

WMC Resources LtdRegistered corporate head officeLevel 16, IBM Centre, 60 City Rd.Southbank, Vic. 3006AustraliaTel: +61 (0)3 9685 6000Fax: +61 (0)3 9686 3569Web: www.wmc.com

Appendices

54

SSeeccrreettaarriiaattMinerals Council of AustraliaPO Box 363Dickson ACT 2602Tel: +61 2 6279 3600Fax: +61 2 6279 3699Email: [email protected]: www.enviro-code.mineral.org.au/

The following is an extract of the Australian MiningIndustry Code for Environmental Management:

TThhee pprriinncciipplleess:: EElleemmeennttss aanndd AAccttiivviitteess

We, the signatories to the Australian Minerals Industry Code for Environmental Management, commit to progressivelyimplementing the Code by:

11.. AAcccceeppttiinngg EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall RReessppoonnssiibbiilliittyy ffoorr aallll oouurr AAccttiioonnss

Driving environmentally responsible behaviour throughout the organization by:� Demonstrating management commitment;� Allocating clear roles, responsibilities, accountabilities and resources;� Providing necessary information, performance targets, training, resources and management support;

22.. SSttrreennggtthheenniinngg oouurr RReellaattiioonnsshhiippss wwiitthh tthhee CCoommmmuunniittyy

Engaging the community about the environmental performance of our operations by:� Fostering openness and dialogue with employees and the community;� Respecting cultural and heritage values and facilitating cross-cultural awareness and understanding;� Consulting with the community on the environmental consequences of our activities;� Anticipating and responding to community concerns, aspirations and values regarding our activities;

33.. IInntteeggrraattiinngg EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall MMaannaaggeemmeenntt iinnttoo tthhee WWaayy wwee WWoorrkk

Ensuring environmental management and related social issues are high priorities by:� Establishing environmental management systems consistent with current standards;� Incorporating environmental and related social considerations into the business planning process along with con-

ventional economic factors;� Applying risk management techniques on a site-specific basis to achieve sound environmental outcomes over the

life of the project;� Developing contingency plans to address any residual risk;� Ensuring resources are adequate to implement the environmental plans during operations and closure.

44.. MMiinniimmiissiinngg tthhee EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall IImmppaaccttss ooff oouurr AAccttiivviittiieess

Responsibly managing immediate and longer-term impacts by:� Assessing environmental and related community effects before and during exploration and project development;� Evaluating risks and alternative exploration and mining project concepts, taking into account community views and

subsequent land use options;� Adopting a proactive and cautious approach to environmental risks throughout the life of each operation;� Applying ecological principles that recognize the importance of biodiversity conservation;� Planning for closure in the feasibility and design phases of a project and regularly reviewing plans to consider

changes in site conditions, technology and community expectations.

AAppppeennddiixx CC.. AAuussttrraalliiaann MMiinniinngg IInndduussttrryy CCooddee ffoorrEEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall MMaannaaggeemmeenntt


55.. EEnnccoouurraaggiinngg RReessppoonnssiibbllee PPrroodduuccttiioonn aanndd UUssee ooff oouurr PPrroodduuccttss

Pursuing cost-effective cleaner production and product stewardship by:� Employing production processes that are efficient in their consumption of energy, materials and natural resources;� Minimizing wastes through recycling, and by reusing process residues;� Safely disposing of any residual wastes and process residues;� Promoting the safe use, handling, recycling and disposal of our products through an understanding of their life cycle.

66.. CCoonnttiinnuuaallllyy IImmpprroovviinngg oouurr EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall PPeerrffoorrmmaannccee

Continually seeking ways to improve our environmental performance by:� Setting and regularly reviewing environmental performance objectives and targets that build upon regulatory

requirements and reinforce policy commitments;� Monitoring and verifying environmental performance against established criteria so that progress can be measured;� Benchmarking against industry performance and addressing changing external expectations;� Researching the environmental aspects of our processes and products and developing better practices and innova-

tive technologies.

77.. CCoommmmuunniiccaattiinngg oouurr EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall PPeerrffoorrmmaannccee

Being open and transparent in the effective disclosure of our environmental performance by:� Identifying interested parties and their information needs;� Providing timely and relevant information including publication of annual public environment reports on our activ-

ities and environmental performance;� Encouraging external involvement in monitoring, reviewing and verifying our environmental performance;� Continually reviewing and evaluating the effectiveness of our communications.

Appendices

56

TTeerrmm DDeessccrriippttiioonn

Apatite Ca5(PO4)3F - A fluorine rock con-taining calcium phosphate ore, ofwhich there are several varieties,which is the main constituent ofphosphate rock.

Berm Narrow benches excavated intoside of pit walls at regular heightintervals. They are intended tocatch any rocks that may fall fromthe sides of the pit and presentsafety hazards to people workingbelow. They may also slow or pre-vent rainfall run-off preventingerosion.

Bund Earthen wall constructed to pre-vent access by people orequipment. They may also be usedfor reducing noise or the visualimpact of the site.

Carnallite KCl.MgCl.6H2O, Potash ore con-sisting of potassium chloride andmagnesium chloride.

Continuous Mechanized machine that Mining machine extracts ore in a continuous fash-

ion. Typically they use rotatingdrums or heads that break therock loose from the orebody,retrieve it from the floor and loadit onto a conveyor or shuttle car.

Crushing Breaking of the mined ore to finerparticles using jaw crushers, conecrushers, etc.

Decline Underground tunnel that general-ly descends from the surface to theorebody.

Dewatering Pumping of groundwater frombores or sumps to keep excava-tions such as open-cut pits dry.

Grinding Grinding of the ore particles fol-lowing crushing to liberate thedifferent minerals using ball mills,rod mills, etc.

Halite NaCl - Common Salt.

Hydraulic Water High pressure, high volume water

Monitor jet used to break up ore and pro-duce a slurry for pumping.

Kainite KCl.MgSO4.3H2O

Kieserite MgSO4.H2O

Landform The shape of the land surface. Thelandscape or land profile.

Langbeinite K2SO4.2MgSO4

Longwall Mining Underground mining methodthat involves progressive shearingof the ore from a long panel. Theoverburden is allowed to subsidein a controlled manner into theresulting void.

Magnetite Iron oxide (Fe2O3) Often associat-ed with phosphate rock depositsof igneous origin.

Ore Horizon Flat lying orebody.

Orebody Ore deposit.

Phosphogypsum Waste produced during the pro-duction of phosphoric acid.

Phosphate rock, Phosphate that originates from igneous volcanic activity.

Phosphate rock, Phosphate that originates mostly sedimentary from sediments deposited on for-

mer ocean beds.

AAppppeennddiixx DD.. GGlloossssaarryy ooff FFeerrttiilliizzeerr aanndd MMiinniinngg TTeecchhnniiccaallTTeerrmmss


Slimes Fine insolubles found in potashores. Generally consists of clay,sand and dolomite.

Slurry Mixture of solid particles andwater that allows pumpingthrough a pipeline.

Stope Underground opening excavatedin the orebody to extract the ore.

Sylvinite Potash ore consisting of a mixtureof Sylvite (KCl) and Halite(NaCl).

Sylvite Potash ore mineral consisting ofpotassium chloride (KCl).

Void Underground opening in orebodyafter the ore has been extracted.

Appendices

5858

AAccrroonnyymm FFuullll NNaammee

Agrium CPO Agrium Conda PhosphateOperation

APC Arab Potash Company Ltd

DAP Di-Ammonium Phosphate fertilizer

Fosfertil Fertilizantes Fosfatados S.A.

GMI Global Mining Initiative

GRI Global Reporting Initiative

ICME International Council on Metalsand the Environment

IFA International Fertilizer IndustryAssociation

IFDC International FertilizerDevelopment Center

IMC IMC Global Inc.

JPMC Jordan Phosphate Mines Co. Ltd

MAP Mono-Ammonium Phosphate fertilizer

MDPA Mines de Potasse d'Alsace

MMSD Mining, Minerals and SustainableDevelopment project

OCP Office Chérifien des Phosphates

OTP Office Togolais des Phosphates

PCS Potash Corporation ofSaskatchewan

SSP Single Super-Phosphate fertilizer

TSP Triple Super-Phosphate fertilizer

UNIDO United Nations IndustrialDevelopment Organization

UNEP United Nations EnvironmentProgramme

WMC Western Mining Corporation

WBCSD World Business Council forSustainable Development

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Australian Mineral Industry Code forEnvironmental Management

In developing the Australian Minerals Industry Codefor Environmental Management, the minerals indus-try wishes to demonstrate its commitment toexcellence in managing the environmental aspects ofits operations. The Code provides a framework and isthe centrepiece for an ongoing program of continualimprovement in environmental management.

Minerals Council of Australia (MCA)Mining Industry House216 Northbourne Avenue Braddon ACT 2612, Australia

Mailing Address:PO Box 363 Dickson ACT 2602, AustraliaTel: +61 2 6279 3600Fax: +61 2 6279 3699Web: www.minerals.org.au

Australian Minerals and Energy EnvironmentFoundation (AMEEF)

The Australian Minerals & Energy EnvironmentFoundation (AMEEF) is an independent, not-for-profit body established in 1991.

AMEEF encourages and celebrates sustainable devel-opment in the resources sector by:� Facilitating dialogue amongst stakeholders;� Promoting excellence in research, education and

training relevant to sustainable development; and� Recognizing achievements in environmental per-

formance and sustainable development. Theypublish a series of Best Practice EnvironmentalManagement in Mining modules.

AMEEF9th Floor, 128 Exhibition StMelbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaTel: +61 3 9679 9912Fax: +61 3 9679 9916Email: [email protected]: www.ameef.com.au

Global Mining Initiative (GMI)

The Initiative brings together many of the world'slargest mining and minerals companies. This leader-ship exercise aims to ensure that an industry which isessential to the well-being of a changing world isresponsive to global needs and challenges.

Global Mining Initiativec/o 6, St James's SquareLondon SW1Y 4LDTel: +44 20 7753 2273Email: [email protected]: www.globalmining.com

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) was establishedin late 1997 with the mission of developing globallyapplicable guidelines for reporting on the economic,environmental, and social performance, initially forcorporations and eventually for any business, govern-mental, or non-governmental organization (NGO).

Global Reporting Initiative11 Arlington StreetBoston, MA 02116USATel: +1 617 266 9384Fax: +1 617 267 5400 Email: [email protected]: www.globalreporting.org

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

The International Organization for Standardization(ISO) is a worldwide federation of national standardsbodies from some 130 countries, one from each coun-try.

ISO is a non-governmental organization establishedin 1947. The mission of ISO is to promote the devel-opment of standardization and related activities in theworld with a view to facilitating the internationalexchange of goods and services, and to developingcooperation in the spheres of intellectual, scientific,technological and economic activity.

ISO's work results in international agreements that arepublished as International Standards, including ISO

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Appendices

60

14000 Environmental Management and ISO 9000Quality Assurance series.

ISO Central SecretariatInternational Organization for Standardization (ISO)1, rue de Varembé, Case postale 56CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 749 01 11Fax: +41 22 733 34 30Email [email protected]: www.iso.ch

Mineral Resources Forum - Environment

The Minerals Resources Forum (MRF) is an Internetframework for international co-ordination on thetheme of minerals, metals and sustainable develop-ment, bringing together governments,intergovernmental entities, resource companies, andother concerned organizations and civil society.

Web: www.mineralresourcesforum.org/

Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development

The Mining, Minerals and Sustainable DevelopmentProject (MMSD) is an independent two-year projectof participatory analysis seeking to understand howthe mining and minerals sector can contribute to theglobal transition to sustainable development. MMSDis a project of the International Institute forEnvironment and Development (IIED) commissionedby the World Business Council for SustainableDevelopment (WBCSD).

Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development1A Doughty Street,London WC1N 2PH, United KingdomTel: +44 20 7269-1630Fax: +44 20 7831-6189Email: [email protected]: www.iied.org/mmsd/index.html

Responsible Care

Responsible Care is the worldwide chemical industry'scommitment to continual improvement in all aspectsof Health, Safety and Environment performance andto openness in communication about its activities andachievements.

National chemical industry associations are responsi-ble for the detailed implementation of ResponsibleCare in their countries. Each Responsible Care pro-gramme now incorporates eight fundamental

features. The last feature, verification, was incorporat-ed into the programme in 1996 by the InternationalCouncil of Chemical Associations (ICCA) which over-sees Responsible Care.

The individual countries' Responsible Care pro-grammes are at different stages of development andhave diferent emphases.

The location of the ICCA secretariat rotates betweenmembers every two years.

Web: www.icca-chem.org

World Business Council for SustainableDevelopment (WBCSD)

The World Business Council for SustainableDevelopment (WBCSD) is a coalition of some 150international companies united by a shared commit-ment to sustainable development, i.e. environmentalprotection, social equity and economic growth.Members are drawn from 30 countries and more than20 major industrial sectors.

World Business Council for Sustainable Development 4, chemin de ConchesCH-1231, Conches-Geneva, SwitzerlandTel: +41 22 839 3100Fax: +41 22 839 3131Email: [email protected] Web: www.wbcsd.org

World Wide Fund for Nature

WWF's goal is to stop, and eventually reverse, theworsening degradation of the planet's natural envi-ronment, and build a future in which humans live inharmony with nature. WWF is working to achieve thisgoal through:� preserving genetic, species, and ecosystem diversi-

ty;� ensuring that the use of natural resources is sus-

tainable both now and in the longer term, for thebenefit of all life on Earth;

� promoting action to reduce pollution and wastefulconsumption to a minimum.

WWF InternationalAve du Mont-BlancCH-1196 GlandSwitzerland Tel: +41 22 364 9318Fax: +41 22 364 0074Web: www.panda.org

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UNEP's mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring,informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future gen-erations.

UNEP works closely with stakeholders to provide a common information and knowledge base which assists govern-ment and industry in making environmentally sound decisions.

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The mission of the UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP DTIE) is to help decision-makersin government, local authorities, and industry develop and adopt policies and practices that:� are cleaner and safer;� make efficient use of natural resources;� ensure adequate management of chemicals;� incorporate environmental costs; and� reduce pollution and risks for humans and the environment.

UNEP DTIE activities focus on raising awareness, improving the transfer of information, building capacity, fosteringtechnology cooperation, partnerships and transfer, improving understanding of environmental impacts of tradeissues, promoting integration of environmental considerations into economic policies, and catalysing global chemicalsafety.

United Environment ProgrammeDivision of Technology, Industry and Economics39-43, Quai André Citröen75739 Paris Cédex 15, FranceTel: +33 1 44 37 14 50Fax: +33 1 44 37 14 74Email: [email protected]: www.uneptie.org

AAbboouutt IIFFAA - IInntteerrnnaattiioonnaall FFeerrttiilliizzeerr IInndduussttrryy AAssssoocciiaattiioonn

IFA, the International Fertilizer Industry Association, comprises around 500 member companies world-wide, in over80 countries. The membership includes manufacturers of fertilizers, raw material suppliers, regional and nationalassociations, research institutes, traders and engineering companies.

IFA collects, compiles and disseminates information on the production and consumption of fertilizers, and acts asforum for its members and others to meet and address technical, agronomic, supply and environmental issues.

IFA liaises closely with relevant international organizations such as the World Bank, FAO, UNEP and other UN agen-cies.

IFA's mission� To promote actively the efficient and responsible use of plant nutrients to maintain and increase agricultural pro-

duction worldwide in a sustainable manner.� To improve the operating environment of the fertilizer industry in the spirit of free enterprise and fair trade.� To collect, compile and disseminate information, and to provide a discussion forum for its members and others on

all aspects of the production, distribution and consumption of fertilizers, their intermediates and raw materials.

International Fertilizer Industry Association28, rue Marbeuf75008 Paris, FranceTel: +33 1 53 93 05 00Fax: +33 1 53 93 05 45 /47Email: [email protected]: www.fertilizer.org

wwwwww..uunneepp..oorrggUnited Nations Environment Programme

P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi, KenyaTel: (254 2) 621234Fax: (254 2) 623927

E-mail: [email protected]: www.unep.org

International Fertilizer Industry Association 28, rue Marbeuf75008 Paris - FranceTel: +33 1 53 93 05 00Fax: +33 1 53 93 05 45 / 47E-mail: [email protected]: www.fertilizer.org

United Nations Environment ProgrammeDivision of Technology, Industry and Economics39-43, Quai André Citroën75739 Paris Cedex 15 - FranceTel: +33 1 44 37 14 50Fax: +33 1 44 37 14 74E-mail: [email protected]: www.uneptie.org

Documents

Environmental Aspects of Phosphate and Potash Mining · 2.2 Phosphate Rock Mining and Beneficiation 6 2.3 Potash Mining and Beneficiation 10 3. The Environmental Approach of the Phosphate