The monitoring program is aimed at determining the level of compliance with current Water Quality Standards and the commitments assumed in the EIA to identify the potential impact of the operations upon the quality of water bodies and household and industrial effluents, guaranteeing acceptable levels. The sampling frequency depends on the purpose of each monitoring program, and can be daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly. All the information is entered into a database, which contains graphs showing the results and analytical trends of each monitoring station for their respective interpretation.
Monitoring work is carried out in approximately 60 surface water stations and 20 ground water stations, including both mine and port stations. The results are compared with MINEM, DIGESA, World Bank, and EIA standards and other standards determined on the basis of the results of Ecotoxicity Surveys.
This water quality program includes a water treatment project based on a natural method consisting of treatment wetlands. The treatment wetlands, located at Quebrada (Valley) Tucush, have been designed to treat runoff from the waste rock dump that will be built soon at the headwaters of Quebrada Tucush, thus guaranteeing good water quality on a sustainable basis.
The treatment wetlands cover an area of approximately 4,2 hectares and include a sediment pond, a serpentine structure, a diversion channel, and the wetland itself. Two rush species with proven bioremediation properties (natural biological decontaminants) have been brought in from a nearby natural lake and planted in the wetlands.
3.2. Air Quality
This program follows the same global compliance approach as the Water Quality program.
Monitoring includes the measurement of Total Suspended Particles (TSPs), Particulate Material (PM-10), Arsenic and Lead. High and medium-volume air samplers are used, according to the Air Quality and Emission Monitoring Protocol of the Ministry of Energy and Mines. Meteorological information is simultaneously gathered to complement the data required for proper interpretation of results.
Air quality monitoring stations have been installed at Antamina, Ayash and Yanacancha valleys and in Punta Lobitos Port, Huarmey.
Antamina believes that permanent monitoring is essential to its environmental management program in order to properly assess environmental performance. During the construction, operation and closure stages, Antamina has monitored and will continue to monitor the quality of discharges into the environment, as well as the quality of surface water, ground water, air, soil, crops and animals (terrestrial and aquatic) that may be affected by its mining operations.
In 1998, after the completion of the initial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Antamina immediately implemented an Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) program or Aquatic Life Program to document the health of biological communities in receiving water bodies downstream the mine and at its shipping port in Huarmey Bay. The initial program, undertaken in 1998 and 1999, provided baseline information to evaluate the impact of construction work or future mining operations upon the water systems influenced by the mine and shipping port. The results of monitoring programs are used to plan and implement mitigation measures, as required.
The main objective of the EEM program is to monitor spatial and temporary changes in fish health or aquatic habitats as a result of mine or port operations. Aquatic habitat consists of water, sediments and benthonic invertebrates (animals or plants living at the bottom of the sea) that support the fish community.
The data obtained from each annual EEM program are statistically compared with the data obtained from the most recent study and baseline information to determine whether or not mine or port operations have had any impact on fish health or fish habitats in receiving water bodies since the latest survey or baseline study.
The EEM program includes:
Evaluation of water quality in receiving water bodies and evaluation of sediment quality in lakes surrounding the mine site and in Huarmey bay;
Evaluation of the invertebrate community associated with bottom habitats, compared to reference and baseline communities;
Evaluation of the fish community, compared to reference and baseline communities; and
Evaluation of metal concentrations in fish tissue, including fish, freshwater olygochaetes, and marine invertebrates (crabs, winkles and mussels).
Wildlife monitoring is an environmental management tool currently used to detect changes in the ecosystem, and is just one of many other environmental monitoring and control programs that we apply. In the case of birds, existing methodologies have still not been thoroughly standardized, so different methods are used. However, birds can be quite easily detected and identified and have adapted to different habitats worldwide.
Antamina’s monitoring program detects quite accurately any change to the ecosystem within the area of influence of mining operations.
If any change is detected, all possible natural factors not related to mining, such as macroclimatic variables that also result in strong bird population fluctuations, are analyzed.
It is worth bearing in mind the fact that besides the changes caused by mining operations, there are other impact sources associated with human activity. Antamina’s mine site has been impacted throughout centuries by human activity, including recent livestock and mining activities.
To properly compare areas, reference areas are selected, preferably in neighboring areas with similar vegetative characteristics. The size of the impacts is determined by comparing areas located within the direct area of influence of the project with areas located within the indirect area of indirect of the project.
The Erosion and Sediment Control Program is very important because it guarantees the fulfillment of water quality standards and good soil management practices. Since the beginning of the construction phase, more than 270 hectares of land have been restored, both along the Conococha – Yanacancha access road, as well as within the operations area. To control erosion, a series of methods are used, including sediment barriers, sediment ponds, water diversion systems, flocculant addition, and slope profiling and sowing. In the latter case, rapidly growing species are used to reduce sediment flows as soon as possible and native species are planted to restore the vegetative cover.
3.6 Soils and Vegetation
This program is aimed at disclosing the potential impacts of mining on the condition and quality of soils and identifying potential impacts on the use of land for sustenance farming.
To design the monitoring program, several key issues have been considered, including:
Spatial criteria (nearness to possible sources of mine-related substances);
Local farming practices (predominance and importance of crops, irrigation practices, harvesting seasons, etc.); and
Approach and results of other soil and/or vegetation monitoring programs undertaken in the area (pre-operating baseline study conducted in 2001 and survey carried out by SENASA in 2003).
Monitoring is based on controlling environmental conditions both before and after the impact, to thus compare current and previous conditions and also compare areas potentially affected by mining with areas not affected by mining.
