Big mining companies fail to meet environmental standards, legal requirements

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Created on Monday, 23 September 2013 00:00

Big mining companies fail to meet environmental standards, legal requirements

23 September 2013

Trend analysis conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the performance of the mining sector in 2012 has shown that some mining companies once again have failed in meeting environmental standards and legal requirements.

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Major companies that received the red grading (meaning their overall performance was poor) are AngloGold Ashanti Limited's Obuasi mine, Ghana Bauxite Company Limited - Awaso, Gold Fields Ghana Limited (Tarkwa Mine) and Golden Star (Bogoso Prestea) Limited.

The rest were Owere Mines Limited - Konongo, Perseus Mining Limited - Ayanfuri and Prestea Sankofa Gold Limited - Prestea.

Launching the 2012 and Fourth Public Disclosure for the Environmental Performance Rating dubbed "Akoben" in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of the EPA, Mr Daniel S. Amlalo, said although generally there had been an improvement in how mining operations were conducted in the country, the ratings for 2012 showed the performance of some mining companies was very poor.

For instance, he said, AngloGold Ashanti Limited, Obuasi, had a red under ‘toxic releases' and orange under 'non-toxic releases’, ‘monitoring and reporting', and environmental best practices, which accounted for their overall poor performance.

“There can be improvement in waste management, but once legal issues have failed it is automatic red," he said.

Presenting the results for the EPA s 2012 assessment invohing 16 mining companies, Mr Amlalo listed Chirano Gold Mines Limited and the Ghana Manganese Company Limited as having attained green(very good);Golden Star Wassa Limited and Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, blue (good); Abosso Goldfields (Damang)Limited, Adamus Resources Limited, AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem) Limited, Newmont Golden Ridge Resources - New Abirem and Noble Gold Bibiani Limited - orange (satisfactory).

The seven other companies - AngloGold Ashanti Limited (Obuasi Mine), Ghana Bauxite Company Limited - Awaso, Gold Fields Ghana Limited (Tarkwa Mine), Golden Star (Bogoso Prestea) Limited, all had the red

Sanctions

Disclosing that companies which had consistently attained red would receive sanctions, Mr Amlalo said the EPA was still negotiating the extent of the sanctions with the Ghana Chamber of Mines.

He said from next year assistance would be offered to the mining companies that had consistently been graded red.

The help would involve taking environmental officers of the companies through certification process, new techniques, methodology and compliance systems.

Source: Daily Graphic/Ghana