Minerals West Coast Environment Award 2014

Minerals West Coast Environment Award 2014

CRL Energy is the winner of the 2014 Minerals West Coast Environment Award, announced today at Minerals West Coast’s annual conference in Greymouth.

“This work showcases the advances that are being made in predicting and managing the environmental effects of mining,” Minerals West Coast Manager Peter O’Sullivan said today. “Mining today has to be environmentally responsible, both during mining operations, and long after mining is finished. That is what New Zealanders expect, and that is what is being increasingly delivered.”

“The tools and systems that the CRL Energy-led consortium of research providers have developed to ensure that the residual effects on water quality of mining are minimal, will be of particular benefit to coal and gold mining companies throughout New Zealand.”

This year two award entries were received by the Minerals West Coast judging panel of: Mr O’Sullivan; Straterra policy manager Bernie Napp; and Judi Brennan, Permissions/SLM Manager at the Department of Conservation. The Award was first offered in 2013.

The judges assessed each finalist looking at their commitment to environmental excellence; the success of the project; innovation and research employed; knowledge created, and their contribution to industry best-practice.

The winning entry, The New Zealand Minerals sector environmental research and mine drainage decision-making framework, was submitted by CRL Energy, Landcare Research, and the Universities of Canterbury and Otago.

The other finalist was from OceanaGold: the Globe Progress mine restoration monitoring programme.

Mr O’Sullivan said demonstrations of long-term environmental responsibility are an important part of a mining company’s gaining a social licence to operate in a community.

“New Zealanders expect businesses to operate in a way that is legitimate, accountable to the public, and consistent with our resource management legislation. The Minerals West Coast Environment Award was developed to answer that expectation at a regional, and national level.”

Minerals West Coast (MWC) held its first forum in 2005, when a small group of West Coast-focused minerals companies came together for a day to discuss the issues affecting the future of the mining industry in New Zealand. By 2013 the forum had grown to 232 delegates attending from the majority of New Zealand’s leading minerals sector companies and organisations.

The 2014 Minerals West Coast Forum is themed: 'It's All About The People'.

The minerals sector’s challenge as an industry is to change the public discourse around mining in New Zealand to create a fit-for-purpose environment for the mining industry in relation to:

• Gaining access to Crown land for mining activities.

• Creating acceptance for mining in communities.

• Raising capital for investment.

• Obtaining informed and balanced media coverage.

• Encouraging increased understanding and acceptance of the NZ minerals sector across the political spectrum.

• Working constructively with stakeholders.

• Generating the required skill bases within the industry.

This forum will focused on actions, activities and attitudes at the 'coalface', and how the way we work with our people and communities affect the New Zealand public’s perceptions of a modern mining industry.

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