How can you use environmental risk assessments to inform the EIA process for mining?

1 What is ERA?

ERA is a systematic and scientific method of identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the environmental risks associated with a mining project. Environmental risks are the potential adverse consequences of a project on the environment, such as air pollution, water contamination, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, or human health problems. ERA involves four main steps: hazard identification, exposure assessment, consequence assessment, and risk characterization. By applying ERA, you can estimate the probability and magnitude of environmental harm, compare different scenarios and alternatives, and prioritize the most critical issues and actions.

2 Why is ERA important?

Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) is essential for understanding the environmental implications of a mining project and making informed decisions. It can assist with complying with legal and regulatory requirements for EIA and environmental management, avoiding or minimizing negative impacts, enhancing reputation and credibility, reducing costs and liabilities, and optimizing resource use and waste management. In other words, ERA helps to ensure that a mining project is conducted responsibly and sustainably.

3 How to conduct ERA?

Conducting an ERA requires a logical and transparent process that involves several steps and tools. To begin, you must define the scope and objectives of your ERA, including the spatial and temporal boundaries, sources and receptors of environmental risk, and criteria and indicators for measuring risk. Afterwards, collect relevant information and data on your project activities, baseline environmental conditions, and potential hazards and exposures. Identify and characterize the environmental hazards your project may pose, such as chemical spills or dust emissions. Assess the exposure pathways and levels of the environmental receptors to these hazards. Additionally, assess the consequences of the exposure in terms of severity, duration, frequency, and reversibility of the environmental effects. Characterize the risk by combining the exposure and consequence assessments using qualitative or quantitative methods. Finally, communicate and report your ERA results in a clear manner by using graphs, maps or tables while highlighting any uncertainties or assumptions involved.

4 How to use ERA to inform EIA?

ERA is an essential component of the EIA process for mining, as it provides useful information for the EIA report and decision-making. It can be used to inform EIA in various ways, such as recognizing the major environmental impacts and issues that must be addressed in the EIA report and environmental management plan, comparing the environmental risks of different project alternatives and options to select the most environment-friendly one, developing and assessing mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate environmental risks, and estimating their effectiveness and feasibility. It can also be used to monitor and review the environmental performance and compliance of a project, while recognizing the need for corrective actions or adaptive management.

5 What are the best practices for ERA?

To ensure that your ERA is robust and reliable, you should follow some best practices and principles, such as involving relevant stakeholders in the process and seeking their input and feedback. Additionally, you should use the best available information and data, and update them regularly. Applying the precautionary principle means that you should take preventive actions even if there is uncertainty or lack of evidence about the environmental risks. Moreover, applying the adaptive management principle means that you should monitor and evaluate your environmental risks and mitigation measures, adjusting them as needed based on changing conditions and outcomes.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?