Periodic symbols
2. Environmental management of mines
2.7. Aim and novel contributions of this study
Novel contribution 1 (Sustainability framework for the mining industry)
What must be done? – Develop an implementation framework for environmental impact-reducing projects on mines.
How is it done presently? – Presently ISO 14001-compliant EMSs are being implemented on South African mines.
Why is this not sufficient? – These systems are generic and aim to help a company become ISO 14001-compliant. Mines do not gain a competitive edge by becoming ISO 14001-compliant and these systems are not suited to a gold mine’s needs. This hampers the implementation of these systems in the mining industry, which is in need of reducing its environmental footprint.
How does this study solve this problem? – This study develops a new sustainability framework for a novel EMS tailor made to the mining industry’s needs.
Novel contribution 2 (Automatic project identification)
What must be done? – Environmental impact reduction projects must be identified continually.
How is it done presently? – Present EMSs are reliant on personnel to identify environmental impact reduction projects as part of the ISO 14001 process.
Why is this not sufficient? – These systems do not enable proactive identification of electricity- and environmental impact reduction projects. By relying on personnel to do project identification, this process is not done continually. Once-off audits identify potential projects but these systems change sooner than the timeframe required to develop a project.
How does this study solve this problem? – This study proposes a new project identification methodology that monitors key operational indicators to immediately
HG Brand 2013 54 identify projects as the potential arises. This allows ESCOs to respond with project proposals to rectify unnecessary electricity consumption. It also reduces the reliance of the system on personnel and streamlines the process to ensure quick implementation. Automatic project identification is a novel addition to the sustainability framework.
Novel contribution 3 (Alternative funding models)
What must be done? – The implementation of EMSs should be done at a reduced cost to the mine. This will ensure speedy implementation of these systems and projects.
How is it done presently? – Mining companies fund environmental management systems only to avoid paying penalties under the NWA and the AQA.
Why is this not sufficient? – Mines are struggling to remain profitable. This is especially true for locally-owned mines that do not have the capital to implement these systems or environmental impact reduction projects.
How does this study solve this problem? –The projects identified by this study not only reduce pollution, but also electricity consumption. This enables the EMS to be implemented at a reduced cost, because the funding can be done using Eskom-IDM or alternative funding models. This study analysed the electricity-reduction projects based on different funding models to determine the ideal funding for the proposed projects. Analysing individual project funding requirements is a novel addition to the sustainability framework.
Novel contribution 4 (Standardised savings methodologies)
What must be done? – Every possible environmental impact reduction project must be identified.
How is it done presently? – Areas where pollution is created are identified. Projects that can be implemented to reduce the pollutant creation are researched and proposed.
The ISO 14001 standard ensures that projects are continually identified, implemented and analysed.
Why is this not sufficient? – There has been little effort to consolidate the environmental impact reduction projects. Mines rely on workers to identify these
HG Brand 2013 55 environmental impact reduction projects. These workers are not capable of identifying all the environmental impact reduction projects that are found at international mines.
This can be a result of under-qualified personnel or a lack of involvement or enthusiasm for the projects from workers. Little technology is available to mines so to facilitate the identification of the projects, project examples should be given to mines.
How does this study solve this problem? – This study identifies standardised saving methodologies that can be implemented continuously by a mine through the use of EMSs. Specifying specific projects for implementation in the deep-level gold mining industry is a novel addition to the sustainability framework.
Novel contribution 5 (Project prioritisation)
What must be done? – Electricity- and environmental impact reduction projects must be implemented for continual sustainability enhancement.
How is it done presently? – To implement environmental impact reduction projects, a cost-to-pollution-reduction ratio is used to determine the implementation priority.
Why is this not sufficient? – Electricity-reduction projects have a environmental impact reduction component. For this reason a holistic view of a projects’ electricity- and environmental impact reduction advantages must be used to identify projects.
How does this study solve this problem? – Electricity- and environmental impact reduction is quantified in terms of cost saving. This allows a combined payback period to be developed and the effective prioritisation of projects in terms of electricity- and environmental impact reduction. Prioritising projects based on their combined payback periods is a novel addition to the sustainability framework.
Novel contribution 6 (Consolidated reporting values)
What must be done? – Sustainability reporting must be done in the mining industry.
How is it done presently? – Sustainability reports are created each year to report on all the environmental issues.
Why is this not sufficient? – The values that are reported are not comprehensive and vary significantly between gold mining companies. Jones (2010) clearly states that there are no reporting standards.
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How does this study solve this problem? – This study investigates the reporting done by mining companies, guidelines on sustainable reporting and other authors’
reporting suggestions and creates a consolidated list of reporting criteria. Additionally all operational indicators used for identifying the proposed projects are included.
Novel contribution 7 (Load shift carbon dioxide-reduction)
What must be done? – Load shift projects must be implemented to reduce the evening peak electricity usage.
How is it done presently? – Load shift projects are implemented for the cost reduction associated with their implementation.
Why is this not sufficient? – These projects do not gain carbon credit funding. This is because they are not credited with carbon dioxide-reduction.
How does this study solve this problem? – This study shows how the implementation of load shift projects has a carbon dioxide-reduction effect. It also quantifies the reduction associated with a load shift project.
Novel contribution 8 (Data availability)
What must be done? – Mandatory reporting on electricity efficiency must be done to the Department of Energy (DoE) as part of DSM. Reports must be sent to SANEDI for 12L tax incentives.
How is it done presently? – These reports must be compiled and taken or sent to the respective organisations.
Why is this not sufficient? – This is time consuming and ineffective.
How does this study solve this problem? – This EMS makes the data available by continuously updating it from the mine’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. Reports are generated automatically and accessible on the web.
This dramatically speeds up the reporting process for DSM initiatives and tax incentives.
HG Brand 2013 57 2.8. Conclusion
In this chapter it was shown that South Africa is in need of reducing its water- and air- pollution. Investigation was done into work done by other authors on sustainability management. EMSs available to mines were investigated to identify shortcomings and improve their effectiveness.
This research led to the identification of serious shortcomings of presently available EMSs that was formulated into a problem statement. Eight novel contributions that can be made by a new approach to sustainability management were then identified.
One of these contributions is to identify, describe and create a database of projects that can be implemented to increase the sustainability of deep-level gold mining. This will be covered in the following two chapters. Funding models identified in this chapter can then be applied to these projects to determine suitable funding methods.
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