The Company understands the need to operate with a high level of environmental stewardship.
The need to to mitigate the impact of our operations through detailed reclamation and mine closure plans, adhere to the local and federal environmental laws in the regions we operate in, coupled with adherence to the WGC’s RGMP standards 8, 9, and 10 being: environmental stewardship; biodiversity, land use and closure; water, energy and climate change.
Our operations, through our health, safety, environment and community (‘HSEC’) teams are responsible to ensure strict environmental procedures and protocols are maintained and adhered to including: process water recycling; waste material recycling; cyanide detoxification procedures; raw water efficiency; greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emission reduction strategies; tailings facility storage monitoring and rehabilitation programmes.
With the development of our second operating mine Kouroussa in Guinea, implementing leading edge environmental technologies into the Project has been a key priority. Key initiatives include a +7 mega-watt solar plant and heat recovery systems at the processing plant in order to reduce our overall energy consumption and GHG emissions footprint at the mine.
It is estimated that embedding these technologies will lead to a reduction of tCO2 / Au oz emission versus normal power generation technologies and reduced fuel usage as detailed below based on our Kouroussa power contractor negotiations:
- The annual total m³ reduction in CO2 gases from the Solar PV system operation is estimated to be 10,768,703 kg / 5,865,306 m³ and with an estimated saving of c.$4.1 million per year in fuel usage
- The annual total m³ reduction in CO2 gases from the heat recover generator system operation estimated to be 1,206,946 kg / 657,377 m³ and with an estimated saving of c.$465,000 per year in fuel usage
Key statistics as detailed in our annual reports on key environmental metrics include:
Process water recycling
85% target rate
2021: 86%
Waste material reused/recycled
c.80% material
recycled in 2021
On site and locally
supported recycling
Cyanide Detoxification performance
Goal of <50ppm weak acid adonisation (WAD)
Cyanide in the tailing
2021: 6.05 ppm
FRESH WATER EFFICIENCY
Target of 0.50 m3/tonne ore
2021: 0.26
Hummingbird tree initiative
25 hectares, +10,000 trees planted in 2021
+170 hectares scheduled to be planted
Green House Gas Emissions
GHG emissions reduction strategies
2021: 0.82 tCO2e/Au oz
The Yanfolila Tailings Storage Facility (TSF)
The Yanfolila Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) was commissioned in December 2017. The TSF is located in a natural valley which is enclosed by a single, main embankment formed from locally excavated laterites. The embankment has both a natural impermeable clay liner and a poly liner on the upstream wall to prevent seepage and erosion. Each year the main embankment is raised, to accommodate additional tailings deposition, using the downstream method. Prior to each lift an independent assessment of the performance of the TSF is undertaken and this informs the next stage design and scope of works.
Tailings Facility Name | Yanfolila Tailings Storage Facility. |
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Location | The project is located in the southwest of Mali, bordering onto Guinea. 11ₒ 15’12 N : 8ₒ 25’10 W . |
Ownership | Société des Mines de Komana (SMK) SA (Subsidiary of Hummingbird Resources plc). |
Status | Active. |
Date of initial operation | 9 December 2017. |
Is the dam currently operated of closed as per the currently approved design | Currently operated per the approved design. |
Raising method | Downstream lifts. |
Current maximum height | Embankment 17.9m, tailings 15.4m |
Current tailings storage impoundment capacity | 5.51 mt |
Planned tailings storage impoundment capacity in 5 years’ time | 10.7 mt |
Independent expert reviews | Done quarterly |
Do you have full and complete relevant engineering records including design, construction, operation, maintenance and/or closure | Yes. |
What is your hazard categorisation of this facility, based on the consequence of failure | Hazardous classification consequence category is High according to both the Canadian Dam Association, Technical Bulletin: Application of Dam Safety Guidelines to Mining Dams and the South African National Standards, SANS 10286: Code of Practice - Mine Residue, 1998. |
What guideline do you follow for the classification system | South African National Standards, SANS 10286: Code of Practice - Mine Residue, 1998. |
Has this facility, at any point in its history, failed to be confirmed or certified as stable, or experienced notable stability concerns, as identified by an independent engineer (even if later certified as stable by the same or a different firm) | No. |
Do have you internal/in-house engineering specialist oversight of this facility? Or do you have external engineering support for this purpose | External engineering support. |
Has a formal analysis of the downstream impact on communities, ecosystems and critical infrastructure in the event of catastrophic failure been undertaken and to reflect final conditions? If so, when did this assessment take place | Yes, August 2017 (Golder). |
Is there a) a closure plan in place for this dam and b) does it include long-term monitoring | a) yes b) yes |
Have you, or do you, plan to assess your tailings facilities against the impact of more regular extreme weather events as a result of climate change, e.g. over the next two years | No. |
Any other relevant information and supporting documentation. Please state if you have omitted any other exposure to tailings facilities through any joint ventures you may have | No. |