2014年-世界发展银行全球_Enhancing_Environmental_and_Social_Sustainability_of_Mining_in_Armenia_83页_2mb

Summary of "Armenia: Enhancing Environmental and Social Sustainability of Mining—Sector Issues Paper"

Core Content

This document, prepared by the World Bank in 2014, provides a comprehensive analysis of the environmental and social sustainability challenges and opportunities in Armenia's mining sector. It is the second thematic paper in a series aimed at guiding the government and stakeholders in applying global best practices to promote sustainable development in mining. The paper is structured into two main parts: Improved Environmental and Social Performance in the Mining Sector and Environmentally and Socially Sound Management of Mine Tailings.

Main Viewpoints

• Mining as an Economic Driver: Armenia has significant underground mineral resources, including copper, gold, silver, zinc, and others, which contribute to economic growth, exports, and employment. The sector has shown rapid growth in recent years, especially in gold and copper production.

• Need for Sustainable Practices: The mining industry in Armenia, while economically beneficial, poses serious environmental and social risks such as soil and water pollution, noise and dust, and the potential for toxic leaching from improperly managed tailings. These risks highlight the necessity for a sustainability framework.

• Legal and Regulatory Framework: The current legal framework in Armenia includes the Mining Code (2011) and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Law (1995). These laws aim to promote environmental and social sustainability through monitoring, mitigation, and transparency. However, they lack detailed provisions on tailings management and proper funding mechanisms for mine closure.

• Global Best Practices: The paper draws on international standards and guidelines from organizations such as the World Bank, IFC, United States EPA, and the European Union, emphasizing the importance of:

  • Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
  • Environmental Auditing
  • Self-monitoring
  • Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs)
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
  • Strategic Environmental and Social Assessments (SESA)
  • Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA)
  • Life cycle management and rehabilitation of mine sites
  • Proper tailings management facilities (TMFs/TSFs) and their siting, design, and stability

• Challenges and Limitations: The paper notes several limitations in Armenia's current data availability and management systems. There is a lack of a centralized, regularly updated database for mining activities and tailings depots. Additionally, the legal provisions on environmental charges and mine closure costs are insufficient, and the implementation of monitoring and mitigation plans is not fully developed.

• Recommendations: The paper proposes three main recommendations:

  1. Enhance cooperation and better staffing practices in responsible ministries.
  2. Improve monitoring practices, enforcement, and data collection, analysis, and disclosure.
  3. Develop specific guidelines for the management of mine tailings.

Key Information

1. Environmental and Social Impacts of Mining

• Mining activities in Armenia have significant environmental and social impacts, including pollution, degradation of natural resources, and health risks.
• The average grade of copper ores is between 0.6% and 2%, resulting in a high strip ratio (49 tons of waste rock and tailings per ton of copper extracted).
• The cumulative impacts of multiple mining projects in shared watersheds can severely affect environmental services and local communities.

2. Legal Requirements in Armenia

• Mining Code (2011): Governs mining planning, development, and operations, and requires environmental management plans, mine closure plans, and social programs.
• EIA Law (1995): Mandates EIA for individual mining projects but does not include provisions for cumulative impact assessments.
• Environmental Charges Law: Focuses on the use of environmental charges but lacks specifics on tailings disposal and closure costs.

3. International Best Practices

• EIA Process: A standardized process for evaluating and managing environmental impacts at the mine level.
• SESA and CIA: Strategic Environmental and Social Assessments and Cumulative Impact Assessments are essential tools for long-term planning and risk management.
• IFC Performance Standards (PS): Guide the environmental and social responsibilities of mining projects, emphasizing risk assessment, community engagement, and transparency.
• EU BREF: Provides best available techniques for sustainable mining and tailings management.

4. Tailings Management

• Tailings management is a critical component of sustainable mining. Poorly managed tailings can lead to acid rock drainage (ARD), acid mine drainage (AMD), and other environmental hazards.
• Best practices include the use of tailings management facilities (TMFs), proper siting, design, and monitoring of these facilities, and post-closure monitoring and remediation.
• The paper recommends the development of a mine tailings facility registry and the implementation of monitoring and remediation plans for existing facilities.

5. Recommendations and Conclusions

• Recommendation 1: Strengthen inter-ministerial cooperation and improve staffing in relevant government bodies.
• Recommendation 2: Enhance monitoring, enforcement, and transparency by improving data collection, analysis, and disclosure.
• Recommendation 3: Develop detailed guidelines for the management of mine tailings and closure processes.

The paper concludes that the adoption of global best practices and improved regulatory frameworks are essential for achieving long-term environmental and social sustainability in Armenia's mining sector. It emphasizes the need for open dialogue, participatory processes, and transparency in the sector to ensure that both the environment and local communities benefit from mining activities.