Antamina’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) includes a Mine Closure and Restoration Plan for all company facilities, from the mine site to Punta Lobitos Port in Huarmey.
The closure and restoration plan is being implemented according to Peruvian regulations, standards recommended by international consultants and auditors, and World Bank guidelines. Recovery action has been gradually taken since the construction phase began, by planting native and exotic species that are known for their adaptability. Preventive and corrective action is also taken to limit environmental impacts and protect watercourses and sensitive habitats. The recovery and protection of organic soils, including research to determine optimum plant species and conditions in the areas to be recovered, are also key issues to be considered to guarantee the success of the program throughout the life cycle of the operations.
4.1 Revegetation
Antamina’s annual revegetation plan began in 1999 and around 60,000 seedlings of high-altitude species have already been planted, including:
- Buddleja coriacea or “colle”;
- Buddleja incana or “colle”;
- Polylepis racemosa or “queñual”.
The annual revegetation program aims to develop and recover native forests so that, at the end of project operations, a significant area will have been recovered for the benefit of neighboring communities. So far, 1.5 million cubic meters of organic soils have been recovered and will be used for restoration at the end of the project.
4.2 Mine Closure
Upon mine closure, restoration will have the following objectives:
Establish safe and stable areas for all those people who will have access to restored areas.
Avoid or minimize movement of rock.
Avoid or minimize sediment flow on slopes.
Protect water quality in water bodies.
Local communities located within the mine area and along the pipeline are involved in the program. At the mine site, around 145 hectares have been restored with the exclusive support of local agrarian communities, using hydrosowing techniques in steep slopes.
Antamina has designed a Conceptual Closure Plan that abides by the national legislation in force. This Conceptual Closure Plan has been filed with the Ministry of Energy and Mines. During the life cycle of the project, the Closure Plan will be regularly reviewed and inspections will be constantly conducted to ensure its effectiveness and enforcement and thus guarantee ecological stability in the area of operations upon mine closure.
