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Developing a mine erosion and sedimentation control plan guidance document for exploration, construction, operation and closure

British Columbia Mine Reclamation Symposium; University of British Columbia. Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering

Erosion control during the mining cycle can be more effectively planned using Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plans (ESCPs). Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations and Ministry of Energy and Mines are developing an ESCP Guidance (ESCPG) document to clarify how the Environmental Management Act (EMA) pertains to the management of sediment. The benefits of having an ESCPG is expected to result in: (a) plans will be more standardized; (b) more clarity and efficiency for those generating ESCPs; (c) assisting regulators tasked with reviewing/approving ESCPs; (d) providing guidance for EMA mine effluent permitting; (e) establishing an expectation for including ESCPs in the BC Environmental Assessment (EA) phase and the mine economic assessment; (f) applying and optimizing ESCPs above the “watersheds” of sediment ponds; (g) utilizing the ESCPG document for “exploration”/”advanced exploration” sites as defined under EMA; (h) lowering the risk of adversely impacting water quality downstream of mining activities; and (i) providing a methodology for determining the need for sedimentation pond(s) during the construction and production phases. ESCPs will proactively create increased administrative efficiency in the EA and sub-EA reviews, EMA mine effluent permitting, and other governmental processes, and add support to the BC government “One Project, One Process” approach.

Conference Paper

eng

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0042618

Non UBC

Other

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/