Section 1.0 - Background and Legal Framework .................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 History of Operations Carried Out in Conga ................................................................................. 1-2 1.3 Current Activities at Conga ........................................................................................................... 1-2 1.4 Legal Framework Supporting the EIS ........................................................................................... 1-2
1.4.1 General Peruvian Regulations ...................................................................................... 1-3 1.4.2 Specific Rules Applicable to the Conga Project ............................................................ 1-4
Section 2.0 - General Description of the Project ..................................................... 2-1
Section 3.0 - Delimitation of the Environmental and Social Area of Direct Influence and Area of Indirect Influence ................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Areas of Environmental Influence ................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 Areas of Socio-economic Influence .............................................................................................. 3-3
3.2.1 Determination of the Area of Direct Influence ............................................................... 3-3
Section 4.0 - Geographical, Environmental and Human Interest Characteristics 4-1 4.1 Physical Environment .................................................................................................................... 4-1
4.1.1 Location ......................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Geomorphology and Relief ........................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.3 Climate and Meteorology .............................................................................................. 4-2 4.1.4 Air Quality ...................................................................................................................... 4-2 4.1.5 Noise and Vibration ....................................................................................................... 4-3 4.1.6 Geology and Seismicity ................................................................................................. 4-3 4.1.7 Soils ............................................................................................................................... 4-3 4.1.8 Surface Water ............................................................................................................... 4-4 4.1.9 Groundwater.................................................................................................................. 4-4
7.2 Solid Waste Management Plan ................................................................................................... 7-13 7.3 Emergency and Contingency Response Plan ............................................................................ 7-14
Section 8.0 - Social Baseline Summary .................................................................... 8-1 8.1 General Study Area ....................................................................................................................... 8-1
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8.2 Specific Study Area ....................................................................................................................... 8-6 8.2.1 Demography .................................................................................................................. 8-6 8.2.2 Characteristics of Household Members ........................................................................ 8-6 8.2.3 Housing Characteristics ................................................................................................ 8-6 8.2.4 Education ...................................................................................................................... 8-7 8.2.5 Health ............................................................................................................................ 8-8 8.2.6 Employment .................................................................................................................. 8-9 8.2.7 Economic Activities ....................................................................................................... 8-9 8.2.8 Perceptions ................................................................................................................. 8-10 8.2.9 SSA Water Sources .................................................................................................... 8-11
8.3 Stakeholders ............................................................................................................................... 8-11 8.4 Area of Direct Influence............................................................................................................... 8-11
Section 9.0 - Summary of the Community Relations Plan ...................................... 9-1 9.1 Specific Community Relations Plan .............................................................................................. 9-1
9.1.1 Infrastructure and Basic Services for Development ...................................................... 9-2 9.1.2 Economic Development ................................................................................................ 9-2 9.1.3 Health and Nutrition ...................................................................................................... 9-2 9.1.4 Education ...................................................................................................................... 9-2 9.1.5 Institutional Strengthening ............................................................................................. 9-3
9.2 Social Impact Management Plan .................................................................................................. 9-3 9.2.1 Construction of the New North-South and East-West Corridors ................................... 9-3 9.2.2 Road Safety Plan .......................................................................................................... 9-4 9.2.3 Land Acquisition Social Support Program (LASSP) ..................................................... 9-4 9.2.4 Code of Conduct for Workers, Contractors and/or Consultants ................................... 9-4 9.2.5 Culture and Local Customs Promotion Policy ............................................................... 9-4 9.2.6 Local Contracting and Purchasing Policy ..................................................................... 9-4 9.2.7 Local Employment and Training Plan (LETP) ............................................................... 9-5 9.2.8 Government capacity building in design and management of local development projects 9-5
9.3 Social Communication Plan .......................................................................................................... 9-5 9.3.1 Internal Communication Plan ........................................................................................ 9-6 9.3.2 External Communication Plan ....................................................................................... 9-6
9.4 Participatory Social and Environmental Monitoring Plan (PSEMP) .............................................. 9-6 9.4.1 Phases for the PSEMP Preparation and Implementation ............................................. 9-6
Section 10.0 - Conceptual Closure Plan ................................................................. 10-1 10.1 Progressive Closure .................................................................................................................... 10-1 10.2 Final Closure ............................................................................................................................... 10-1
10.2.1 Dismantling.................................................................................................................. 10-1 10.2.2 Demolition, Salvage and Disposal .............................................................................. 10-1 10.2.3 Physical Stability ......................................................................................................... 10-1 10.2.4 Chemical Stability ........................................................................................................ 10-2 10.2.5 Land Shape Restoration ............................................................................................. 10-3 10.2.6 Revegetation ............................................................................................................... 10-3 10.2.7 Social Programs .......................................................................................................... 10-3 10.2.8 Maintenance and Monitoring ....................................................................................... 10-3
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List of Charts Chart 1 Area of Direct Influence (ADI) Chart 2 Area of Indirect Influence (AII) Chart 3 Modifications in the Storage Capacity of Lentic Streams Due to the Project Chart 4 Population, Surface Area, And Population Density Chart 5 Housing Water Supplies Chart 6 Illiteracy Rate Chart 7 Number of Health Facilities Chart 8 Population Distributions According to the Employed EAP, Unemployed EAP, and Non-EAP Chart 9 Hamlet Populations According to the Scope of the Study Chart 10 Heads of Household Distributions According to Gender Chart 11 Types of Housing Water Supplies Chart 12 Education Level Achieved in Population Over 15 Years Old Chart 13 Numbers of Sick People in the Last 15 Days Chart 14 Population Distributions According to WAP, EAP and Non-EAP Chart 15 Numbers and Average Size of Agricultural Units (AU)
Tables Table 1 Environmental Impact Matrix – Construction Stage Table 2 Environmental Impact Matrix – Operation Stage Table 3 Social Impact Matrix Table 4 Summary of Mitigation Measures Table 5 Environmental Monitoring Plan
Graphics Graphic 1 Preliminary Schedule of Project Development
Figures Figure 1 General Location of the Project Figure 2 General Layout of the Project Figure 3 Area of Direct and Indirect Influence of the Project Based on the Environmental Component
of Greater Relevance – Construction Stage Figure 4 Area of Direct and Indirect Influence of the Project Based on the Environmental Component
of Greater Relevance – Operation Stage Figure 5 Area of General Study (AGS) Figure 6 Area of Specific Study (ASS) Figure 7 Area of Social Direct Influence (ASDI) Figure 8 Area of Social Indirect Influence (ASII)
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Minera Yanacocha S.R.L. Conga Project
Environmental Impact Study
Executive Summary
Section 1.0 - Background and Legal Framework
1.1 Introduction The Conga Project is located approximately 73 km northeast of the city of Cajamarca and 585 km from the city of Lima, in the districts of Sorochuco and Huasmín in the Province of Celendín and in the District of La Encañada in the Province of Cajamarca (Figure 1). The area associated with the development of the mining project is located in the region of Jalca, at an elevation that ranges between 3,700 to 4,262 meters. The owner of the Conga Project (the project) is Minera Yanacocha S.R.L. (MYSRL). The following companies are partners in the project: Compañía de Minas Buenaventura (CMB), Newmont Mining Corporation (Newmont) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). For the purposes of this document the owner of the project shall hereinafter be referred to as Minera Yanacocha S.R.L., or its abbreviation MYSRL. As it is currently defined the Conga Project consists of two porphyry deposits, Perol and Chailhuagón which will be mined using traditional open pit methods. The copper-gold-bearing ore will be processed by conventional crushing, milling, and flotation processing methods at the plant with a nominal capacity of 92,000 tons per day (tpd). The current resource identified is 3.1 billion pounds of copper and 11.6 million ounces of gold. The projected mine life is 19 years including 2 years of pre-stripping and 17 years of processing. Concentrates will be transported by truck to Salaverry port, located on the north coast of Peru for dispatch to the international market. The proposed infrastructure includes the Perol and Chailhuagón pits, the Perol and Chailhuagón waste rock facilities, ore processing facilities, tailings management facilities, water reservoirs, borrow material areas, and topsoil stockpiles, among other ancillary facilities, which will comprise a total area of approximately 2,000 hectares. Power will be distributed via the construction of a 220 kV power line from the Cajamarca Norte sub-station. Mining of the Chailhuagón pit will start the first year of the project’s operation and will last approximately 14 years, during which 160 million tons (Mt) of ore will be processed. Mining of the Perol pit will be carried out during the entire life of the project and mining will last approximately 19 years, during which 344 Mt of ore will be processed over 17 years. The main access road for the project construction and operations will mostly use the same alignment as the road currently being used for Conga Project exploration activities. For development of the Environmental Impact Study (EIS), MYSRL hired the services of the company Knight Piésold Consultores S.A. (Knight Piésold), which is listed in the register of authorized consulting companies to prepare Environmental Impact Studies for the mining sector of the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM), by means of Directorial Resolution N° 169-2009-EM/AAM.
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1.2 History of Conga Operations The first exploration activities at the Conga Project began with the purpose of discovering additional gold deposits near the Yanacocha complex. In 1991 the Chailhuagón and Perol deposits (25 km northeast of the Yanacocha complex) were discovered by CEDIMIN (Compañía de Exploraciones, Desarrollo e Inversiones Mineras). Between 1994 and 2000, CEDIMIN carried out additional exploration activities for both deposits. In 2001, after the acquisition of CEDIMIN by CMB, the Conga Project joined the operations of the Yanacocha complex under the administration of MYSRL. Since then, MYSRL conducted the necessary geotechnical and hydrogeological studies and managed the permitting and land acquisition necessary for the start-up of the complete exploration campaign. These permits involved research projects and the rescue of archaeological sites in the project area, as well as those permits for the use of water, energy, and fuel supply during execution of exploration activities and construction of a camp with an induction and training program for the workers of the project. By 2004, exploration activities resulted in positive economics for both the Chailhuagón and Perol deposits, and based on such results the development of the Conga Project was decided. Initial environmental baseline studies were conducted from 2005 to 2007 and updated from 2008 to 2009. The feasibility study for the project was also completed between 2008 and 2009. In 2008 by means of Directorial Resolution N° 243-2008-MEM/AAM, the semi-detailed Environmental Impact Study (sdEIS) for the Conga Exploration Project was approved. Subsequently, in April 2009, by means of Directorial Resolution N° 081-2009-MEM/AAM, the First Modification of the semi-detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (sdEIS) for the Conga Exploration Project was approved, and then a Second Modification was submitted.
1.3 Current Activities in Conga Much of the area where the Conga Project is located (and areas surrounding the project) is near an active mining area. Currently, MYSRL is operating in two geographic zones, the west zone (Cerro Negro, La Quinua and Cerro Yanacocha) and the east zone (Carachugo and Maqui Maqui). Open pit mining is carried out in these five mining zones using a heap leaching process. In addition, there is a production plant, called the Gold Mill, which processes a sand deposit in the La Quinua mining zone. Currently, MYSRL is gradually closing three pits. The Conga Project zone will be accessed via the Maqui Maqui mining zone. This access road, which is currently being used for exploration activities, will be upgraded to serve as the main access road for construction and operation of the Conga Project. The Conga Project is part of the mining district that contains different copper and gold deposits, most of which belong to MYSRL. There are other deposits such as El Galeno and Michiquillay, owned by companies Lumina Copper S.A.C. and Anglo American, respectively.
1.4 Legal Framework Supporting the EIS Within the national legislation, the most important laws related to environmental protection for mining projects correspond to Title Fifteen of the “Single Amended Text of the General Mining Law” (Supreme Decree N° 014-92-EM) and the “Regulations on Environmental Protection in Mining Metallurgical Activities” (Supreme Decree Nº 016-93-EM, amended by Supreme Decrees N° 059-93-EM, 029-99-EM, 058-99-EM and 022-2002-EM). Likewise, the “Regulations on Citizen Participation in the Mining Sub-sector” (Supreme Decree Nº 028-2008-EM, supplemented by Ministerial Resolution Nº 304-2008-MEM/DM), the “preliminary commitment to develop mining activities” (Supreme Decree Nº 042-2003-EM) and the requirements of the General Bureau of Mining Environmental Affairs (DGAAM in Spanish), the General Mining Bureau (DGM in
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Spanish) and the General Office of Social Management of the MEM were considered. The guidelines from the “Guide to prepare Environmental Impact Studies” of the MEM were also considered. There are general rules applicable nationwide to different productive activities, such as the Water Resources Law (Law N° 29338), National Environmental Quality Standards for Water (Supreme Decree Nº 002-2008-MINAM), the Regulations on National Environmental Quality Standards for Air (Supreme Decree N° 074-2001-PCM, Supreme Decree N° 069-2003-PCM, Supreme Decree Nº 003-2008-MINAM), the Regulations on National Environmental Quality Standards for Noise (Supreme Decree Nº 085-2003-PCM) and the Natural Protected Areas Law (Law Nº 26834), which have been quoted in each relevant section of the EIS. Additionally, MYSRL environmental and social responsibility policies and guidelines are considered, based on the commitment to improve its safety, occupational health, and environmental performance through the ongoing implementation, operation, and improvement of its management system. The following is the legislation that applies to the EIS. For educational purposes, the evaluated rules are divided as follows: General Peruvian Regulations and Specific Regulations applicable to the Conga Project.
1.4.1 General Peruvian Regulations
Constitution of the Republic of Peru (1993)
General Environmental Law (Law N° 28611)
Legal Framework for Private Investment Growth (Legislative Decree N° 757-1991)
Law on Environmental Impact Assessment of Works and Activities (Law Nº 26786)
Organic Law for the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (Law Nº 26821)
Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity Law (Law Nº 26839)
Law that establishes the National Environmental Impact Assessment System (Law Nº 27446)
Legal Framework of the National Environmental Management System (Law Nº 28245)
Cases in which the approval of Environmental Impact Studies and Environmental Management and Enhancement Programs requires the technical opinion of the INRENA (Supreme Decree N° 056-97-PCM, amended by Supreme Decree N° 061-97-PCM)
National Environmental Assessment and Auditing System Law (Law N° 29325)
Act of Incorporation, Organization and Duties of the Ministry of Environment (Legislative Decree N° 1013)
National Environmental Policy (Supreme Decree N° 012-2009-MINAM)
Title XIII of the Criminal Code, Crimes against Ecology (Legislative Decree Nº 635)
Water Resources Law (Law Nº 29338)
National Environmental Quality Standards for Water (Supreme Decree Nº 002-2008-MINAM)
It is ordered that the Water Authority controls the use of materials that water hauls and deposits in its riverbeds or channels (Law N° 26737)
Regulations of the Law that governs the use of materials that water hauls and deposits in its riverbeds or channels (Supreme Decree N° 013-97-AG, amended by Supreme Decree N° 017-2003-AG)
General Health Law (Law Nº 26842)
Law that states the obligation of preparing and submitting contingency plans (Law Nº 28551)
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Guidelines for the preparation of contingency plans to be used in mining metallurgical activities related to the handling of cyanide and other toxic or hazardous substances (Directorial Resolution Nº 134-2000-EM/DGM)
Law that governs Land Transport of Materials and Hazardous Waste (Law Nº 28256)
National Regulations on Land Transport of Materials and Hazardous Waste (Supreme Waste Nº 021-2008-MTC)
National Cultural Heritage General Law (Law Nº 28296) and its regulations (Supreme Decree N° 011-2006-ED)
Archaeological Research Regulations (Supreme Resolution Nº 004-2000-ED)
Amendment of Supreme Decree Nº 004-2009-ED, which establishes terms for the preparation, approval of final reports of archaeological assessment projects and the certification of Inexistence of Archeological Remains (Supreme Decree Nº 009-2009-ED)
Special procedures for the implementation of Supreme Decree Nº 009-2009-ED (Guideline Nº 004-2009-DN/INC)
Approval of the Agreement on Biological Diversity adopted in Rio de Janeiro (Legislative Resolution Nº 26181)
Forest and Wildlife Law and its regulations (Legislative Decree Nº 1090 and Supreme Decree Nº 014-2001-AG)
Approval of the National Wetland Conservation Strategy in Peru (Administrative Resolution Nº 054-96-INRENA)
Farming Communities Law and its regulations (Law Nº 24656 and Supreme Decree Nº 008-91-TR)
Private Investment Law for the Development of Economic Activities carried out in the National Territory and on the Lands of Farming and Native Communities (Law Nº 26505, amended by Law Nº 26570 and Law Nº 29261)
Law on the Foundations of Decentralization (Law Nº 27783)
Municipal Organic Law (Law Nº 27972)
Regulations on Land and Urban Development (Supreme Decree Nº 027-2003-VIVIENDA)
General Law on Solid Waste (Law N° 27314) and amendment (Legislative Decree Nº 1065)
Regulations on the General Law on Solid Waste (Supreme Decree Nº 057-2004-PCM)
Regulations on the National Environmental Quality Standards for Air (Supreme Decree N° 074-2001-PCM, Supreme Decree N° 069-2003-PCM, Supreme Decree Nº 003-2008-MINAM)
Regulations on the National Environmental Quality Standard for Noise (Supreme Decree Nº 085-2003-PCM)
Classification of Endangered Species of Wild Flora (Supreme Decree N° 043-2006-AG)
Classification of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and the Ban on Animal Hunting, Capture, Ownership, Transport or Export for Commercial Purposes (Supreme Decree Nº 034-2004-AG)
Organic Law governing Hydrocarbon Activities in the National Territory (Law Nº 26221)
Investment Promotion Law in the Agriculture Sector (Law Nº 26797)
Regulations on the Supervision of Explosives for Civil Uses (Supreme Decree Nº 019-71-IN)
1.4.2 Specific Rules Applicable to the Conga Project
Single Amended Text of the General Mining Law (Supreme Decree Nº 014-92-EM)
Regulations for Environmental Protection during Mining Metallurgical Activities (Supreme Decree N° 016-93-EM, amended by Supreme Decrees
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Nº 059-93-EM, 029-99-EM, 058-99-EM and 022-2002-EM)
Regulations for Citizen Participation in the Mining Sub-sector (Supreme Decree N° 028-2008-EM)
Rules regulating the Citizen Participation Process in the Mining Sub-sector (Ministerial Resolution Nº 304-2008-MEM/DM)
Regulations on transparency, access to public environmental information and citizen participation and consultation in environmental matters (Supreme Decree Nº 002-2009/MINAM)
Maximum Allowable Levels of Elements and Compounds existing in Gas Emissions from Mining Metallurgical Units (Ministerial Resolution Nº 315-96-EM/VMM)
Maximum Allowable Levels of Liquid Effluents in Mining Metallurgical Activities (Ministerial Resolution Nº 011-96-EM/VMM)
Law on Mine Closure (Law Nº 28090, amended by Law Nº 28234 and Law Nº 28507)
Regulations of the Law on Mine Closure (Supreme Decree Nº 033-2005-EM, amended by Supreme Decree N° 035-2006-EM and Supreme Decree N° 045-2006-EM)
Regulations on Mining Safety and Hygiene (Supreme Decree Nº 046-2001-EM)
Law for Electrical Concessions and its regulations (Decree Law Nº 25854 and Supreme Decree Nº 009-93-EM)
Rule on Easement Imposition (Ministerial Resolution Nº 111-88-EM)
General Law on Transport and Road Traffic (Law Nº 27181, amended by Legislative Decree Nº 1051)
Maximum Allowable Limits of Contaminant Emissions for Motor Vehicles in the Road System (Supreme Decree Nº 047-2001-MTC)
Regulations on Weight and Dimensions of Vehicles in the National Road System (Ministerial Resolution Nº 375-98-MTC)
Commitment as a preliminary requirement for the development of mining activities and supplementary rules (Supreme Decree Nº 042-2003-EM)
The EIS of the Conga Project is submitted to the MEM, the General Bureau of Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG), the Regional Bureau of Energy and Mines of Cajamarca (DREM – Cajamarca), the Regional Government of Cajamarca, the Provincial Municipalities of Cajamarca and Celendín, the District Municipalities of La Encañada, Sorochuco and Huasmín and the Farming Community of Huangashanga. Through these institutions, the complete text of the EIS, in which this Executive Summary is included, may be reviewed at the following institutions: General Bureau of Mining Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of Energy and Mines (DGAAM – MEM),
located at Av. Las Artes N° 260, San Borja – Lima.
General Bureau of Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG), located at Calle Diecisiete N° 355, San Isidro – Lima.
Regional Office of Energy and Mines of Cajamarca (DREM – Cajamarca), located at Jr. Miguel Gonzáles Lt. 5, 3er piso, Urbanización Horacio Zevallos – Cajamarca.
Regional Government of Cajamarca, located at Jr. Santa Teresa de Journet N° 351, Urbanización La Alameda – Cajamarca.
Provincial Municipality of Cajamarca, located at Jr. Cruz de Piedra N° 613, Cajamarca – Cajamarca.
Provincial Municipality of Celendín, located at Jr. José Gálvez N° 614, Celendín – Cajamarca.
District Municipality of La Encañada, located at Jr. Jorge Villanueva N° 1740, La Encañada – Cajamarca.
District Municipality of Sorochuco, located at Jr. Amazonas s/n, Plaza de Armas, Sorochuco – Cajamarca.
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District Municipality of Huasmín, located at Jr. Arequipa N° 047, Plaza de Armas, Celendín – Cajamarca.
Office of the Farming Community of Huangashanga.
Information and Culture Center of Minera Yanacocha, located at Jr. El Comercio N° 251, Cajamarca – Cajamarca.
All the opinions and queries regarding this study, submitted through the official channels and within the terms established by the laws in force, are considered in the decision-making process of the MEM. G:\202\00165.17\External\POL\FromContractor_KP\0025-T_DV10_0590\Conga_EIA.doc
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Section 2.0 - General Description of the Project
MYSRL plans to develop the Conga Project, which will consist of developing two gold-bearing (Au) porphyry copper (Cu) deposits located east of the area where MYSRL currently operates the Yanacocha complex. The area contains a series of other porphyritic deposits in a well-defined mineralization belt. The project contains approximately 1,085 Mt of material (ore, waste rock and low grade ore), equivalent to 504 Mt of material projected over 19 years of mining (including pre-stripping). The ore processing rate will be 92,000 tons per day. To date, geological explorations and the mining plan have determined that the Perol deposit contains a reserve of 344 Mt of ore and the Chailhuagón deposit has a reserve of 160 Mt, with an average copper grade of 0.28 percent and an average gold grade of 0.72 grams per ton. As previously mentioned, the Conga Project consists of an open pit mine with copper and gold reserves, located north of the Peruvian Andes, in the districts of Sorochuco and Huasmín in the province of Celendín and in the district of La Encañada in the province of Cajamarca, department of Cajamarca (Figure 1). The ore to be extracted from the pits will be transported to the crushing and processing facilities. The ore will be crushed and ground and will then be sent to a conventional flotation circuit to produce a gold-and-silver-bearing copper concentrate. The concentrate will be trucked to the Salaverry port, located on the north coast to be dispatched to the international market. In the following sections, the activities planned for the construction and operation of the Conga Project will be described, as well as the labor requirements in these stages. Figure 2 shows the general layout of the project. Graph 1 shows the activities schedule foreseen for the various execution stages of the Conga Project.
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Section 3.0 - Delimitation of the Environmental and Social Area of Direct Influence and Area of Indirect Influence
3.1 Areas of Environmental Influence Two areas of influence have been defined for the Conga Project: the area of direct influence and the area of indirect influence. The Area of Direct Influence (ADI) is defined as the area in the footprint of the project where the most significant impacts, either negative or positive, will occur (usually associated with direct impacts). The Area of Indirect Influence (AII) is defined as the area where less significant impacts (typically associated with indirect impacts) will occur. It is worth mentioning that in order to measure the areas of influence of each component, an impact assessment was carried out in the entire area of study of the Conga Project, and based on such results the areas of influence specific to each component were prepared. The areas of influence have been identified taking into account the effect of the mitigation measures foreseen to counteract the effects of the foreseen environmental impacts identified. The mitigation measures identified for each sub-component analyzed are described in the Environmental Management Plan (Section 7 of this Executive Summary). Figures 3 and 4 show the areas of direct and indirect influence of the project based on the environmental component of greatest importance, which in the case of the Conga Project is water (both surface water and groundwater), for the construction and operation stages of the project. A description of the methodology related to the identification of the areas of influence for each component is presented below. Taking into account that it depends on the location of the infrastructure, the ADI for the relief and geomorphology, soils, and vegetation components comprise the surfaces that will be directly affected as a result of the location of project infrastructure. Due to the nature of these environmental components and the project characteristics, and considering that no impact has been foreseen beyond the direct location area, the ADI matches the AII. Both for the construction and operation stages, the ADI for air quality is defined as the area between the emission sources and the isometric line that represents a particulate matter contribution of 5 µg/m3. In the specific case of the operation stage, during the ADI definition, the areas to be potentially impacted during year 8 and year 13 of this project stage were the main focus as these are the years that are predicted to have the heaviest emissions. This limit has been considered based on the recommendations included in the Emission and Air Quality Monitoring Protocol published by the MEM. According to the Air Quality Impact Assessment Guide for Mining Metallurgical Activities published by the MEM, an impact is considered insignificant when particulate matter represents 10 percent of the guideline value. In the case of the PM10, this guideline value is 50 µg/m3 (Supreme Decree Nº 074-2001-PCM), and thus the isometric line that represents the AII is equal to the isometric line of the ADI (5 µg/m3). The noise ADI is comprised of the significant sound emission sources of activities such as stripping and earthworks, among others, during the construction stage, and ore crushing, grinding, etc., during the operation stage; and the isometric line that includes those places where the base line situation is considered to be significantly disturbed. Considering the modeling of noise levels and the recommendations of the Environmental Guide for Noise Management in the Mining Industry published by the MEM, the area between emission sources and the isometric line of 60 dB(A) was delimited as the ADI of impacts due to the noise produced by operations and blasting. To delimit the AII, the isometric line of 40 dB(A) was considered with a conservative approach. This value corresponds to a quiet urban area according to the MEM Environmental Guide.
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In the specific case of the increase in noise levels produced by the blasting in the Perol and Chailhuagón pits, it will be managed precisely (one blasting per day) and the noise coming from them would produce impacts on an area similar to the one corresponding to the rest of the activities in the construction and operation stages of the project; that is to say, its areas of influence are included in the areas previously described. The ADI for surface water quantity is comprised of the drainage systems that will be affected by project infrastructure, which are located in the following five basins: Alto Chirimayo, Chailhuagón, Toromacho, Alto Jadibamba, and Chugurmayo. The ADI for surface water includes not only the actual facilities themselves, but also the ancillary water control structures associated with them (i.e. the TSF and the area influenced by associated diversion channels). The ADI was determined as the area in which there would be no significant downstream impact after the implementation of mitigation measures. Due to the expected effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures, the impacts outside the ADI are insignificant and the AII will include the same zones as the ADI. The project philosophy for water quality is to discharge water that meets all applicable standards. The ADI for surface water quality has been defined as the area where there will be discharges from the project, which is the same ADI defined for quantity of surface water. Using the same philosophy as surface water quantity, there is no impact beyond the direct area of influence after mitigation and the AII will be the same as the ADI for surface water quality. Regarding the relation between surface water and groundwater it is assumed that the ADI for groundwater quantity is the same as the ADI for surface water, mainly due to effects of changes in the catchment and filtration areas and the interception of surface and groundwater flows due to the project infrastructure. However, taking into account that pits have a different scope of influence between the underground sub-component and the surface sub-component, the ADI for groundwater will comprise the ADI related to surface water plus the area formed by the cone of depression of the pits, which is deemed to occur quite locally. As in the case of surface water quantity, the AII for groundwater is the same as the ADI since the potential impacts outside the ADI are deemed insignificant, and due to the expected effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures, the AII will not include additional areas. Regarding groundwater quality, it is expected that due to the geochemical characteristics of the Chailhuagón waste rock facility (this is a non-acid generating facility) there will be no impacts to groundwater in this area. With respect to the Perol waste rock facility, although this is an acid generating facility, the geologic nature of the basin will allow for capture of any potential seepage from this facility. As such, although there could be localized impacts to groundwater in this area, any infiltration will be captured and treated prior to discharge. Likewise, the ADI for groundwater quality will be defined as the zone named ADI for groundwater quantity. Moreover, consistent with the analysis, both the quantity and the quality of groundwater will share the same AII and ADI. It is necessary to highlight the fact that the definition of the areas of influence, both direct and indirect, for the quality and quantity of surface and groundwater corresponds to the project operation stage, but are also applicable, in a conservative approach, to the construction stage. Impacts to fauna during the construction stage are related to the direct occupancy of the area and noise emissions. Activities such as stripping will have an impact on the footprint of the project, due to the loss of food and shelter zones, and thus the ADI is restricted to this footprint. Additionally, impacts resulting from frightening fauna away by noise emissions associated to construction activities will result in a greater area of influence that is defined by the isometric line of 40 dB(A) which delimits the AII. As there will be no increase in the project footprint as defined by the construction ADI and AII, the operations ADI and AII is the same. Project operations and construction will impact both the quality and the availability of aquatic life habitat. Because of this, the area of direct influence (ADI) for the hydro-biological component included the micro-basins, bofedales and lakes where the project will potentially affect water quality and quantity.
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The ADI for the landscape is defined, both for the construction and operation of the project, based on the components of the project (direct occupancy in the facilities) and the critical areas of visual accessibility contained within the visual threshold. It is important to mention that the ADI for landscape is considered based on human perception, and therefore it has been defined taking into account the visual accessibility from densely populated areas, the project distance from these areas and atmospheric conditions. The visual accessibility zones, which are areas of land seen from the facilities and vice versa (for instance villages where project facilities are visible), were defined from the main project facilities. Likewise, for the baseline evaluation, the project was determined to be visually inaccessible from some villages close by, and at these locations the impact assessment only included one receptor per evaluation sector. It is well known that as objects move away from the observer, their details start to fade away until reaching a point where they are not seen anymore. Visual thresholds depend on the light of day and the lightness of the atmosphere so that the most used values are between 2 and 3 km (Ramos et al., 1976; Seinitz et al., 1974). In the case of the project, a distance of 2 km from the project border has been considered based on the details of the area of assessment and atmospheric conditions. The landscape ADI for both stages is defined as the visual basin estimated within the 2-km threshold. In the case of archaeological remains, an area of influence has not been considered because work is planned prior to construction to prevent impacts on archeological remains with tasks including the rescue of some identified elements described in Section 3. Additionally, most of the project area has a Certificate of Inexistence of Archaeological Remains (CIRA). However, as of the date of preparation of this document, there is one sector (the Minas Conga II Sector) for which a CIRA is in process. The road traffic sub-component only has an ADI and it is defined by the following section: “Maqui Maqui – Totoracocha lagoon – Conga Project,” for the project main access road and the road corridors crossing the area of the project.
3.2 Areas of Socio-Economic Influence
3.2.1 Determination of the Area of Direct Influence
The socio-economic baseline study included an analysis of two levels, which are described below. The first level was focused on the regional context characterization, or a general study area (GSA) which includes the department of Cajamarca, the provinces of Celendín and Cajamarca, and the districts of Huasmín, La Encañada and Sorochuco (Figure 5). The second level was focused on the local characterization, up to the village level, or a specific study area (SSA) which included the following hamlets (Figure 6): Alto No. 8, Bajo Coñicorgue, Chilac No. 8, Cruz Pampa, El Alumbre, El Lirio, El Tingo, El Valle, Faro Bajo, Huangashanga, Jadibamba Baja, Jerez – Shihuat, La Chorrera, Quinuapampa, San José de Pampa Verde, San Juan de Hierba Buena, Shanipata, Tablacucho, Uñigán Lirio, Uñigán Pululo, Yerba Buena Chica, Quengorío Bajo, Huasiyuc Jadibamba, Piedra Redonda Amaro, Chugurmayo, Namococha, El Porvenir de la Encañada, Lagunas de Combayo, Agua Blanca, Quengorío Alto, San Nicolás and Santa Rosa de Huasmín.
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Residual impacts that the Conga Project generates on each receiver (village) were evaluated and classified. From these analyses it can be concluded that the villages making up the project’s Area of Direct Influence (ADI) are as follows:
Chart 1 Area of Direct Influence (ADI)
Quengorío Bajo Huasiyuc Jadibamba Piedra Redonda Amaro Chugurmayo Namococha El Porvenir de la Encañada Lagunas de Combayo Agua Blanca Quengorío Alto San Nicolás Santa Rosa de Huasmín Ten of these villages coincide with the hamlets in which the project infrastructure is located (CAEP, by its initials in Spanish), and the last one borders on this area. These hamlets have been selected within the ADI because of the residual impact magnitude associated with land use related to project infrastructure and activities carried out by MYSRL. Unlike the rest of the Specific Study Area (SSA) hamlets, during the pre-construction stage, these hamlets present additional impacts: reduction of agricultural activities and decrease in long-term land investments. In subsequent stages, additional negative impacts are generated, which affect certain hamlets to a greater extent, such as reduced access to some resources in the area (e.g. trout) and the perception of potential decreases in agricultural yield resulting from increased dust. Likewise, although all the SSA villages are affected to a certain extent by road disruptions (disarticulation of economic corridors and rural road change), greater impacts are felt by those villages located at or very close to the project area. The classification of the ADI results in the identification of the AII, which are the remaining 21 hamlets in the SSA (Figure 8), due to the fact that impacts of considerable significance will not affect them. In addition, because the provinces of Celendín and Cajamarca could have potential negative impacts during pre-construction due to perception, these were also included in the AII (Chart 2).
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Chart 2
Area of Indirect Influence (AII)
Alto No. 8 Bajo Coñicorgue Chilac No. 8 Cruz Pampa El Alumbre El Lirio El Tingo El Valle Faro Bajo Huangashanga Jadibamba Baja Jerez – Shihuat La Chorrera Quinuapampa San José de Pampa Verde San Juan de Hierba Buena Shanipata Tablacucho Uñigán Lirio Uñigán Pululo Yerba Buena Chica Districts of Sorochuco, La Encañada and Huasmín Provinces of Celendín and Cajamarca Taking the foregoing into consideration, it can be concluded that the areas of direct and indirect influence defined for the socio-economic subcomponent include all receivers on which the occurrence of some significant negative impacts is estimated. Additionally, it is important to indicate that the most significant positive impacts on the socio-economic subcomponent are likely to occur within these same defined areas of influence.
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Section 4.0 - Geographical, Environmental and Human Interest Characteristics
The environmental baseline area for the Conga Project is summarized below. This baseline involves both the project’s direct area of influence (ADI) and the areas environmentally related to the ADI depending on each environmental component evaluated. Neighboring areas that are not necessarily within the project’s area of influence have also been included in this characterization. The rationale for selecting the project’s ADI and the AII were presented in Section 3 of this Executive Summary. The total study area for each environmental component (receiver) refers to the environmental baseline study area. The social baseline summary is discussed in Section 8 of this Executive Summary.
4.1 Physical Environment
4.1.1 Location
The Conga Project is located in the districts of Encañada, Huasmín and Sorochuco, in the provinces of Cajamarca and Celendín, department of Cajamarca, in the Andean north of Peru, about 73 km northeast of the city of Cajamarca (Figure 1) and 585 km from the city of Lima. The project is located in the catchment area of the Toromacho, Alto Jadibamba, Chugurmayo, Alto Chirimayo and Chailhuagón basins, with elevations between 3,700 and 4,262 meters. The area evaluated for the environmental baseline will be mainly delineated by the Toromacho, the Alto Jadibamba, Chugurmayo, Alto Chirimayo and the Chailhuagón basins, as the impact to the Chugurmayo basin is so small as to not be readily quantifiable. Waters from these basins report to the Marañón River, a tributary of the Amazon River flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Another characteristic of the study area is the existence of several lakes, such as Chailhuagón, Mishacocha, Perol, Mamacocha, Alforja Cocha, Azul, Chica Mala, Cortada, among others. Five of these lakes are in the DAI; Chailhuagón, Perol, Mala, Azul, and Chica. Access to the project area will be established by a main access road; from Ciudad de Dios located at Kilometer 683 of the North Pan-American Highway, through Chilete, “Kilometer 24” in the MYSRL operations, and going through to the Maqui Maqui – Totoracocha – Conga Project road. Additionally, there are two alternative roads from Cajamarca that access the project area. One road goes through Baños del Inca – La Encañada – Michiquillay to the Conga Project exploration camp, with a distance of 66 km; the second road goes through Otuzco – Combayo, reaching the Conga Project exploration camp, with a distance of approximately 56 km.
4.1.2 Geomorphology and Relief
The geomorphological features in the study area are a result of tectonic factors, erosion and depositional processes that have modeled the relief to its current state. At the large scale landscape level, mountain and fluvial-alluvial plain units have been identified. The fluvial-alluvial plain landscape consists of plains, which are of fluvial and colluvial-alluvial origin. Despite the fact that these plains occupy small surfaces, they have been differentiated as a large scale landscape due to the contrast of their relief. This landscape includes the recent fluvial, colluvial-alluvial and glacial river high plain landscapes. The mountain landscape includes rugged and strongly corrugated geological formations. This landscape includes intrusive rock mountains, volcanic rock mountains, folded rock strata sedimentary mountains, plutonic rock mountains and sedimentary rock mountains.
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4.1.3 Climate and Meteorology
The information from the “Conga Project Climatological Data Analysis” report (Knight Piésold, 2008) was considered for the climatic characterization. This study was conducted in order to establish design criteria for the project and includes regional meteorological stations operated by the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service (SENAMHI, by its initials in Spanish), as well as several meteorological stations operated by MYSRL. The monthly average maximum air temperature ranges between 10.1°C and 13.1°C. In the case of minimum temperature, a monthly average from 2.5°C to 3.6°C is observed. In the project area, the coldest temperatures occur in the dry season (from May to September) and the highest temperatures in the wet season (from October to April). Likewise, the atmospheric humidity in the study area presents annual average values between 77.2 percent and 93.0 percent, in the analyzed seasons. The climate report (Knight Piésold, 2008) determined that the evaporation records from the stations operated by MYSRL do not have an adequate record period . Therefore, the project area potential evaporation was evaluated by means of theoretical formulas. By using the EPIC (Erosion-Productivity Impact Calculator) computational model, the annual potential evaporation was estimated between 1,110 m and 1,211 m. The highest levels would appear from September to January with values above 98 mm and the lowest level would appear in June with 78.6 mm. In order to predict the seasonal fluctuations of the project area monthly maximum precipitations, rainfall records were extended through the use of a regression analysis. Such analysis is used to extend the period of record of a specific station, by correlating it with data from other nearby stations with a more extensive period of record. According to this regression, the annual precipitation average was estimated between approximately 1,126.2 mm and 1,143.4 mm, while the minimum was estimated between 736.4 mm and 736.7 mm and the annual maximum was estimated between 1,699.4 mm and 1,865.4 mm. During the wet season, average precipitation was estimated between 893.5 mm and 916.0 mm and between 230.8 mm and 240.7 mm during the dry season. A specific analysis of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon was conducted with regard to the precipitation variability in the project area. The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States was used to determine the variability episodes. In general, it is observed that high precipitation values did not occur during the ENSO warm episodes. Upon comparing precipitation for ENSO and NON-ENSO months, the average precipitation in ENSO months exceeds the average precipitation, whereas precipitation in NON-ENSO months is limited. Average annual wind speeds range from 3.46 m/s and 4.3 m/s. The predominant direction is east-northeast and northeast, with a lower component in the north-northwest direction. According to the information from the Solar Power Atlas Map of Peru (SENAMHI, 2003), the radiation levels range from 4,500 Wh/m2 and 6,000 Wh/m2 in the project area, as a result of its latitudinal location, elevation and cloudiness level. The highest level for this parameter is recorded in October and November, while the lowest occurs in February.
4.1.4 Air Quality
Two permanent monitoring stations and seven intermittent sampling stations were set up for measuring baseline conditions. At the monitoring points installed, the air quality was measured in the area of the future operations and the villages closest to the project. In samplings carried out on a quarterly basis between 2006 and 2008, PM10 values above the applicable standard were not found. Likewise, PM10 values exceeding the applicable standard were not found during the permanent monitoring (2004 – 2007). As for the particulate matter metal content, only traces or values slightly above the equipment detection limit were found. Regarding gas content, all the carbon
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monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) records were below the respective standards.
4.1.5 Noise and Vibration
Noise level measurements were carried out during the day (07:01 – 22:00) and night (22:01 – 07:00) at eight monitoring stations within the sensitive sector environment in the study area, in April, July, and October 2006, February, June, September, and December 2007, June 2008 and November 2009. During the day period, the ECA for residential areas was exceeded twice, both times in the Montura area (MCMO-1), presenting a maximum value of 62.6 dB(A). During the night, the ECA established at 50 dB(A) for residential areas was exceeded six times, at the stations located in Quengorío Alto, San Nicolás, Montura and Agua Blanca, with a maximum value of 56.6 dB(A). Regarding vibrations, acceleration levels were monitored at 6 points located in the vicinity of the future project facilities, in the areas of San Nicolás, Huayra Machay, Amaro, Agua Blanca, and Quengorío Alto. Additionally, two speed level measurements were conducted in the San Nicolás area. As a reference, values registered with the ISO 2631 standard were compared, finding acceleration levels within the acceptable value range. Regarding the speed level, values established by the Federal Transport Administration (FTA) were used as a reference, obtaining results below the human perception threshold.
4.1.6 Geology and Seismicity
The local geology of the Conga Project area is composed of the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, Eocene volcanic rocks and Eocene/Oligocene/Miocene intrusive rocks. In the project area, the Cretaceous Goyllarisquizga, Chúlec, Pariatambo, Inca, Santa, Farrat, Pulluicana and Cajamarca formations can be found, as well as the Tertiary Volcánico Porculla and Volcánico Huambos formations and the Dacite Stock intrusive rocks. Quaternary (alluvial and glacial river) deposits cover the bedrock. Peru belongs to one of the regions with the greatest seismic activity, known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, where more than 80 percent of seismic events worldwide have occurred. The regional tectonic framework on a large scale is governed by the Nazca plate and the continental South American plate interaction, which occurs in a subduction plane on the Pacific Ocean on the Peruvian coast. It is worth mentioning that earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.5 or more on the Richter scale, have not been registered within a 100-km radius of the Project area. The potential deterministic design values of peak ground acceleration (PGA) for the project area range between 0.05 g and 0.21 g. These accelerations are produced by earthquakes (M equal to 8 on the Richter scale) located at around 100 km below the project area.
4.1.7 Soils
Fifty nine sampling points in the project area were evaluated through test pits, natural ground cuts, and road cuts. From the total analyzed points, 197 samples were obtained for characterization purposes, as well as 47 samples for heavy metals analysis. Twenty-three soil units, taxonomically grouped and described as a subgroup (Soil Taxonomy – USDA), to which a local name was assigned, were identified. These units were delimited through subgroup cartographic units, combined association, complex, and association. Edaphic units have been grouped in 16 combined associations (3 edaphic units and 1 miscellaneous area), 8 complexes, and 23 associations (edaphic associations with miscellaneous rock). Five groups with large use capacity were identified. The first corresponds to fertile lands suitable for cultivation (A). However not all A lands are amenable to agriculture as some of these lands are limited by poor soil quality and topographic factors. Furthermore, lands suitable for permanent cultivation (C) were
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found, presenting a limitation for perennial cultivation establishment. Likewise, two types of lands suitable for pasture (P) were found, with limitations of medium agrological quality by the edaphic and climatic factors, and low agrological quality by the topographic factor and the low natural fertility. The fourth group corresponds to lands suitable for forest production (F), with severe edaphic and topographic limitations (inappropriate for agricultural activities), but they do permit to carry out plantations or reforestation with timber-yielding species. Finally, protection lands (X) were found, with extreme limitations preventing their agricultural and/or forest exploitation. In accordance with the current land use classification of the International Geographical Union (IGU), the following were identified: natural meadow lands, forest lands, cultivated vegetation lands, non-use and/or unproductive lands, urban lands and/or governmental and private facilities. With respect to the soil metal content showing the area mineralization characteristics, values that exceed the CCME reference values were found with selenium (Se) and arsenic (As) being the most identified. For both of them, some sampling points that exceeded such guidelines are in the project area.
4.1.8 Surface Water
The characteristics of the surface water flow in the project area depend mainly on precipitation during the wet season (November to May) and on groundwater discharge during the dry season (June through October). Seasonal flows vary widely with large variations occurring during the wet season. While flows are lower during the dry season, they may significantly increase due to specific precipitation events in June through September. The base flow, mainly related to groundwater discharges, has been defined as the average value in August and September, which are the two months when precipitation does not have a significant influence on the surface flow. Generally the surface water quality in the study area basins meets ECA 3 standards. Regarding metal concentration, the ECA for Category 3 were met in the five basins. Likewise, dissolved oxygen levels were found to generate good anaerobic conditions. Coliform concentrations are also below the ECA for Category 3, except for the Alto Jadibamba River basin. PH ranges are similar, presenting neutral to alkaline conditions, with predominant calcium-bicarbonate type waters. The Alto Chirimayo basin presents an acidic pH in the areas close to the Perol bog, exceeding the ECA for Category 3.
4.1.9 Groundwater
Groundwater quantity in the project area is associated with seepage caused by precipitation and recharge. Data available on 96 wells were used to develop an interpretation of the groundwater levels and flow rates and directions, as well as the geological permeability and underlying controls. The tailings storage facility basin and the Perol waste facility areas are widely unsaturated but retain precipitation in fractures in the underlying bedrock. The primary locations of groundwater-bearing surface deposits include relatively narrow alluvial material strips along the bottom of the Alto Jadibamba River micro-basin and the thick moraine of the Mamacocha micro-basin forming the surface of the Toromacho micro-basin west ridge. Groundwater levels are mainly shallow, which are measured at 1.8 m below ground surface. Soils in test pits were mainly wet in bofedales and areas around them. The groundwater elevation contours generally imitate the basin topography, with groundwater gradients descending from the high plateau summits to the stream micro-basins. Another important characteristic of the hydrogeological component is the fact that the geology underlying the project area presents relatively low hydraulic conductivity values and limited fracturing, even in shallower areas; therefore, this geology does not bear significant groundwater volumes. Regarding groundwater quality, periodic monitoring of characteristics has been performed during the last 7 years (2003 – 2009). In general, points monitored in the Alto Jadibamba and Chailhuagón River basins
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and in the Toromacho and Alto Chirimayo micro-basin basins present similar characteristics. With regard to metal concentrations, ECA exceedances for aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn) and arsenic (As) are shown in the four basins. The Chailhuagón River basin presents ECA exceedance in mercury (Hg) concentrations as well. Likewise, coliform concentrations are also above ECA in the basins under study. PH ranges are similar, presenting neutral to alkaline conditions with pH ranges from 6.3 to 8.5.
4.2 Biological Environment
4.2.1 Flora and Vegetation
The biological baseline assessment area is composed of 5 sectors corresponding to the five watersheds, occupying an area of approximately 29,490 ha. The following vegetal formations were identified: bush, bog, grassland, riparian vegetation, and agriculture. Likewise, two types of special floral composition cover were evaluated: lagoon and rocky outcrop shores. In the case of vegetal formations in the study area, grassland occupies the larger area (57.8 percent), followed by agriculture (26.9 percent) and bushes (6.8 percent). Bofedales (wetlands in English) occupy only 0.9 percent of the assessment area. In other contexts, bofedales are more important due to their high biological and hydrological value, since they constitute habitats for several plant and animal (some endemic) species and act as water flow regulators by retaining water during the wet season and releasing it during the dry season. In comparison with the other vegetal formations, the bofedales in the area present a very low diversity of flora and are degraded due to overgrazing. A total of 460 vascular plant species and 60 bryophytes were registered. These species group together in 86 genera and 29 botanical families. The dicotyledons showed the greater number of species (Magnoliopsoda; 69.6 percent), followed by the Monocotyledons (Liliopsida; 25.2 percent) and the Pteridophytes (5.0 percent); while only 1 Gymnosperm (Ephedra rupestris) was registered in the assessment area. The botanical families with greater numbers of species were Asteraceae (97 species) and Poaceae (70 species). Vegetal formations showing greater specific richness values were bushes and grasslands, while bofedales showed the lowest specific richness. Among the flora species registered in the baseline study, 34 are considered under some national or international conservation category. From these species, 14 are under some endangered criterion in accordance with Supreme Decree No. 043-2006-AG (List of Endangered Flora in Peru). Among these species, 7 are considered “Critically Endangered” (CR), 4 are in the “Vulnerable” (VU) category, and 3 species are in the “Nearly Endangered” (NE) category. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) criteria, 5 species are considered in Appendix II. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, the Polylepis racemosa species is in the “Vulnerable” (VU) category and the Alnus acuminata and Distichia acicularis species are in the “Nearly Endangered” (NE) category. Likewise, 46 plant species were registered, which are considered endemic to Peru according to the Red Book on Endemic Plants in Peru (León, B., et al., 2006), of which 6 species are endemic to the department of Cajamarca, that is, they have a restricted distribution.
4.2.2 Terrestrial Fauna
In the biological baseline assessment area, 225 species of terrestrial vertebrates were registered; of which 205 correspond to the avifauna group, distributed in 15 orders and 41 families. The greater number of bird species were present in the Passeriformes order; with 27 species of Tyrannidae and 26 species of Trochilidae being the most representative families respectively. For the mammal group, a total of 13 species belonging to 5 taxonomical orders and 10 families were registered; moreover, 4 amphibian species and 3 reptile species were registered. From the vertebrate species registered in the biological baseline assessment area, 18 bird species are considered as high sensitivity (Stotz et al., 1996), among which are 7 Passeriformes, 3 Psitacids, 2 Strigiformes, 2 Charadriiformes, 2 Apodiformes and 1 Piciforme. According to the National Institute of
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Natural Resources (INRENA, by its initials in Spanish) categorization, 13 avifauna species registered during the assessments presented some type of conservation status; the Taphrolesbia griseiventris hummingbird presents the highest conservation “Critically Endangered” (CR) category, 4 species are in the “Endangered” (EN) category, 5 species are in the “Vulnerable” (VU) category and 3 species are in the “Nearly Endangered” (NE) category. One mammal species and 1 amphibian species were registered in the “Vulnerable” (VU) category of the INRENA categorization, while none of the reptiles registered present conservation status. Within the conservation categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are eight bird species registered in the assessment area, three species considered in the EN category, three species are in the VU category and the remaining two species are included in the NE category. One amphibian species is in the CR category. No mammal or reptile species were listed by the IUCN. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) considers the Vultur gryphus Andean condor within Appendix I, while 51 bird species are protected at family and/or order level and are included in Appendix II. One mammal species, the Lycalopex culpaeus Andean fox, is included in the CITES Appendix II. No mammal or reptile species were categorized by the Appendix I CITES. It is necessary to note that the assessment area where these species were registered is much larger than the direct project area.
4.2.3 Aquatic Life
Aquatic life was monitored in 6 lakes and 11 micro-basins close to the future facilities in the biological baseline assessment area. The habitat quality estimated in accordance with the biological parameters determined that stations downstream of Chailhuagón lake have good quality water. Very poor quality water was registered at one of the stations located in the Alto Chirimayo micro-basin, while the rest of the micro-basins evaluated have poor water quality. Benthic macroinvertebrates turned out to be relatively abundant organisms in micro-basins, where a total of 59 morphospecies, distributed in 4 phyla, 7 classes, 14 orders and 38 families, were registered; 9 species on average were registered in the lakes while the highest values were registered in the Azul and Perol lakes. Of the 11 micro-basins evaluated, the presence of fish was registered in 10 of them. Two fish species, the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and the catfish (Astroblepus sp.), were registered in the assessment area. In total, 61 trout and 291 catfish were registered in all the micro-basins evaluated; these numbers are considered low given the number of micro-basins evaluated. Micro-basins present in different sectors showed distinct abundances depending on their location; the micro-basins located in Chailhuagón and Toromacho had greater abundance. It is worth mentioning that the evaluated micro-basins mainly belong to areas close to the catchment area; therefore, they generally have a low water quantity. In the lakes evaluated, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were only registered in the Perol, Chailhuagón, and Huashwas lakes, with Huashwas having the greatest abundance. It is necessary to point out that trout is a species belonging to the salmonid group and native to North America, which was introduced in Peru and then planted in different Andean water bodies. It only reproduces in streams and cannot reproduce naturally in lakes; therefore, the registered individuals were assumed to be stocked.
4.3 Human Interest Environments
4.3.1 Landscape
Landscape was analyzed from the visual approach (visual landscape), which in consideration corresponds to the aesthetics or perception approach and involves a description of the landscape components (physical, biological and anthropic elements) as well as the spatial interaction of these
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elements and the main dynamics of landscape dimension. The visual quality analysis, the fragility analysis, and analysis of the landscape’s visual absorption capacity were also conducted. For the visual landscape, seven landscape units were established: bofedales, water bodies, high plateau grass/bushes, grasslands, rocky outcrops, woody areas and cultivation areas. Likewise, a landscape sectoring was carried out by applying the watershed concept, taking into account important physical aspects, such as the elevation and topographic trends related to local geomorphological processes. As a result, five sectors (Toromacho, Alto Jadibamba, Chugurmayo, Alto Chirimayo, and Chailhuagón) were obtained. The landscape visual quality analysis results showed two high visual quality areas: Toromacho and Alto Jadibamba, due to the singular features they present. Sectors showing a medium visual quality landscape, Alto Chirimayo and Chailhuagón, respond to the distinguished presence of water represented by lakes. The Chugurmayo sector presented a low visual quality, due to the fact that they turn out to be common landscapes in the area and the region. According to the fragility analysis, three sectors (Toromacho, Alto Jadibamba, and Chugurmayo) present a “medium” fragility and consequently a medium visual absorption capacity, mainly due to the relief with moderate slope and low inclination in some areas, as well as to the presence of almost imperceptible human action. The Alto Chirimayo and Chailhuagón sectors present visual fragility described as “little fragility” as a result of the relief. A considerable percentage of bog areas have been registered in the Alto Chirimayo sector and this type of vegetation is regenerated very slowly.
4.3.2 Archaeology
The Conga Project direct occupation area is divided by 4 large areas called archaeological sectors, which are: Minas Conga, Minas Conga I, Minas Conga II and Minas Conga III. The archaeological sectors have been established based on MYSRL work planning (facility location) and the consequent request to conduct Archaeological Assessment Projects with Restricted Excavations with Delimitation Purposes in order to obtain the respective Certificates of Inexistence of Archaeological Remains (CIRA). Initially, the main objective of the Archaeological Assessment Projects carried out in the Minas Conga (Silva, 1997), Minas Conga I (Aguirre, 2002) and Minas Conga II (Aguirre, 2003) sectors was to identify and delimit archaeological sites through restricted excavations, thus having a protection and preservation plan of cultural heritage from the company and complying with current legal requirements. Subsequently, through the execution of Archaeological Assessment Projects, complementary to the previous studies, the CIRAs of the Minas Conga, Minas Conga I and Minas Conga III sectors were obtained. Additionally, between 2006 and 2007, MYSRL managed to directly obtain several CIRAs of less than 5 ha, before the National Institute of Culture, from which the CIRAs corresponding to the Chailhuagón and Chirimayo sectors may be highlighted. The CIRA corresponding to the Minas Conga II archaeological sector is currently in progress.
4.3.3 Road Traffic
The access road to the Conga Project consists of the following sections: From Conga to the area below the Totorococha lagoon.
From the area below the Totorococha lagoon to Maqui Maqui, the eastern boundary of the MYSRL operations.
From Maqui Maqui to the MYSRL administrative offices at kilometer 24; this is the route through the MYSRL properties.
From kilometer 24, through the new Kunturwasi road, to Chilete.
From Chilete to Ciudad de Dios, at kilometer 683 of the North Pan-American Highway.
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Section 5.0 - Project Components
5.1 Infrastructure The Conga Project main infrastructure description summary is presented below.
5.1.1 Mine Facilities
5.1.1.1 Perol and Chailhuagón Pits
The Conga Project operation will involve the mining of approximately 504 Mt of ore and 581 Mt of low grade ore and waste for a total of 1,085 Mt of material. The Perol pit (344 Mt of ore) will be developed in 4 phases and will extend to the final pit limit indicated in Figure 2, centered at the UTM coordinates 9,235,134 N and 791,633 E. Upon completion of mining, this pit area will be roughly elliptical with a major axis of 1,950 m long oriented N45W, while the maximum pit bottom elevation of 3,432 m. The Chailhuagón pit (UTM coordinates 9,231,762 N and 791,025 E), located south of the Perol pit, will be developed in two phases and will extend to the final pit limit indicated in Figure 2. In the final phase, the Chailhuagón pit (160 Mt of ore) will occupy an area of approximately 143 ha, 1,800 meters long in a north-south direction with a maximum pit bottom elevation of 3,588 m.
5.1.1.2 Perol and Chailhuagón Waste Rock Facilities
Waste rock facilities, in which low grade ore is also stored, will be located in the vicinity of the respective pits (Figure 2). Disposal of 581 Mt of waste is estimated, both from the Perol and Chailhuagón pits. It is estimated that the Perol waste facility (UTM coordinates 9,236,966 N and 790,540 E) will have a final capacity of 480 Mt and will occupy an area of 289 ha. This facility will receive waste material from the Perol pit (407 Mt), bog material (6 Mt) and LoM material associated with the Perol pit (67 Mt). The Chailhuagón waste facility (UTM coordinates 9,233,299 N and 790,733 E) will have a capacity of 174 Mt and will occupy an area of 160 ha, being exclusively used for waste material from the Chailhuagón pit.
5.1.2 Processing Facilities
The ore to be processed will be moved by haulage trucks to the primary crusher, centered at the UTM coordinates 9,234,153 N and 791,526 E (Figure 2), and then moved via conveyor belt for about 2.4 km to the concentrator plant (Figure 2). The processing capacity of the concentrator plant (UTM coordinates 9,233,643 N and 789,061 E) is 92,000 tpd. Potable water and fresh water necessary for the processes will come from the upper reservoir. Processing facilities will separate the gold-and-silver-bearing copper concentrate by flotation process. These processing facilities include a mill, flotation, thickening, and filtering processes, as well as concentrate storage and transfer. The project currently includes concentrate transport by trucks to a port on the coast, most likely Salaverry. Tailings will be produced by the concentrator plant and will be thickened to between 62 to 65 percent (solid mass/total mass) and placed in the tailings storage facility, located in the Toromacho and Alto Jadibamba basins (Figure 2).
5.1.3 Tailings Storage Facility
The tailings storage facility (UTM coordinates 9,236,881 N and 788,159 E) will be located in the Toromacho and Alto Jadibamba basins, as shown in Figure 2. It is estimated that by the end of mine operations, the tailings storage facility will occupy an area of approximately 700 ha. The associated infrastructure for this facility includes the main dam, the Toromacho dam, and the seepage collection system, which includes elements for both dams.
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Dams will continue to be built during the project operating stage. In the case of the main dam, it will be built in stages to reach a final elevation of 3,796.5 m, requiring a fill volume of about 4.3 M m3, while in the case of the Toromacho dam, the main embankment will be built in stages to a final elevation of 3,796.5 m, requiring a fill volume of approximately 2.8 M m3.
5.1.4 Ancillary Facilities and Access Roads
Additionally, during the operating stage, the project will have ancillary facilities that will include: administrative offices, maintenance infrastructure, access roads (internal and external), water management facilities, solid waste disposal systems, electrical facilities, and fuel distribution facilities. The project will not have its own camp because it will use the same one currently used by MYSRL in the Yanacocha complex. The water management facilities considered in this section include process water and raw water tanks, contact and non-contact water management systems, raw, fresh and potable water treatment plants, and water distribution pipes. Additionally, the project facilities include construction of four reservoirs: Lower, Upper, Chailhuagón and Perol. From these, only the upper reservoir will be used as a source of water for the project, while the rest will be used to mitigate social and environmental impacts on different basins and habitats.
5.1.4.1 Access Roads
Fifteen (15) internal access roads (Figure 2) have been considered in the project area. In the case of haul roads, they will have a maximum width of 42 m to allow haulage truck traffic. All access roads will be constructed with proper drainage control and sediment management structures. Development of the Conga Project will include areas currently occupied by access roads that are used by local people for transit to and from different villages. In order to maintain traffic between these villages at the lowest possible variation level, the project has considered the construction of a road system (corridors) to maintain the possibility of circulation through the project area. An access road will be built from the Conga facility site to the Yanacocha complex (Figure 2). This access road will be designed to transport personnel, supplies, reagents, and products. The main access road (Figure 3) has four segments: Conga-Maqui Maqui-Km 24-Chilete-Ciudad de Dios. The construction of this access involves the development of extensions to the existing road sections and construction of new sections from the project concentrator plant to Maqui Maqui. Some other changes to the road from the Yanacocha complex to Ciudad de Dios may also be required if the associated assessments recommend their need.
5.2 Labor Requirement The Conga Project construction stage is scheduled for a period of 42 months and will employ around 900 people in the early months, reaching a maximum of 6,000 workers, both for the execution of skilled and unskilled tasks. Once mine operations begin, it is estimated that the required labor will be around 1,660 people, including 1,174 employees and 486 contractors during the first 11 years of operation. The labor requirement in the Conga Project will vary throughout the lifetime of the mine, reaching a peak of 1,800 people in year 2. The Conga Project will have a local hiring policy that will give priority to local personnel complying with the requirements of available jobs in the mine, to be applied at all project stages.
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Section 6.0 - Potential Environmental and Social Impacts
This section focuses on the analysis of environmental and social impacts, which provides the basis for developing control and mitigation measures that the project will implement to reduce these impacts to an acceptable level (which are summarized in the following sections). Although the impact analyses for each of the environmental components were quantitative, this report section presents the semi-quantitative evaluation of the relative importance of impacts on environmental and social receivers (or components) within the project Area of Influence (AI). This analysis was based on the proposed activities for each project stage and applies a systematized evaluation methodology using matrices. Section 6.1 of this Executive Summary presents the environmental impacts from the project activities, while the following section (6.2) indicates the main socio-economic impacts identified by Metis Gaia as a result of planned project activities. We must stress that the impact assessment has considered the mitigation, control, and/or compensation measures designed for the project, which is why impacts are called "residual”. Section 7 of this Executive Summary presents the main environmental management measures to counteract the project’s adverse effects, while section 9 presents the main social management measures proposed to mitigate or compensate for adverse effects and, as appropriate, enhance the positive impacts.
6.1 Environmental Impacts Analysis Tables 1 and 2 present the results of the environmental impact assessment matrices for construction and operation stages, respectively. The environmental impacts in each assessed subcomponent are presented below:
6.1.1 Relief and Geomorphology
The relief will not be affected significantly by the various project construction and operation activities because they will not generate significant changes in the zone as they are specific in the general relief context.
6.1.2 Soils
Construction activities that will have impacts on the soil subcomponent are topsoil removal and earthworks. It is important to note that a large part of soil, which must be removed to make project development possible, will be temporarily stored in topsoil stockpiles such that there is enough material to support final remediation activities.
6.1.3 Air Quality
Earthworks, transport, blasting, processing and ore extraction will generate particulate material (dust) and gases that will disperse to areas near emission sources. These emissions will be mitigated through an adequate dust suppression system, both on access roads and strategic emission points.
6.1.4 Noise and Vibrations
As a result of different construction and operation activities, noises and vibrations with a range restricted to the vicinity of project infrastructure will be generated. It is envisaged that the implementation of a series of measures to counteract these effects will be part of the project environmental management plan.
6.1.5 Surface Water
As a result of project development and alteration of the surface drainage system, the project will have an impact on water bodies that are within the project footprint, particularly in terms of micro-basins and lakes.
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Likewise, the project has the potential to have an impact on the quality and quantity of flows in nearby micro-basins. Potential impacts to water quality are associated with sediment increases and acid waters related to the Perol waste rock facility. Potential impacts to water quantity are a result of decreased flows in the downstream basins. Mitigation measures include base flow replacement in micro-basins impacted by the project through appropriate management of the four reservoirs and water treatment to acceptable quality prior to discharge.
6.1.6 Groundwater
For the same reasons as in the case of surface water, the project would represent a variation in the infiltration rates and a localized disruption of the hydrogeological flow pattern due to (1) site infrastructure (i.e. wells that intercept groundwater seepage), (2) project development (i.e. depression cones of pits) or (3) the occurrence of poor quality seepage. Taking the foregoing into consideration, it is estimated that the project has the potential to generate impacts on the environment. However, the envisaged mitigation measures, including the release of compensation flows from reservoirs, the effective containment of poor quality seepages through implementation of appropriate engineering measures, water treatment, and proper surface water and groundwater management, will allow adequate environmental protection.
6.1.7 Flora and Vegetation
The project will cause loss of areas with vegetation cover consisting of grassland, bog, bush and areas devoted to agriculture, among others. The most affected sectors will be Alto Jadibamba and Alto Chirimayo, where most of the facilities will be located. Loss of bofedales will be approximately 103 ha. It is important to indicate that the bofedales in the project area present degraded conditions due to overgrazing. Specific measures have been proposed as part of the project to offset the temporary loss of these vegetal formations in the area.
6.1.8 Terrestrial Fauna
The construction and operation stages are expected to generate impacts to fauna. It should be noted that the impact on habitats and frightening fauna away are not only restricted to the area of direct occupation, but they extend to the surroundings, depending on the magnitude of the disturbance. The main construction activity that will have impacts on fauna is stripping by causing habitat loss in the footprint or fragmentation and frightening fauna away. It is also estimated that operating activities will have effects on fauna mainly related to the frightening of individuals as a result of noise or visual contact. Within the Environmental Management Plan, we have considered measures to mitigate the impacts on terrestrial fauna. This plan includes the development of studies to identify regional habitat for an adaptive management strategy.
6.1.9 Aquatic Life
During the construction stage, occurrence of impacts on aquatic life is anticipated, both in quality and availability of habitat. This is mainly due to increased sediments in micro-basins, bog removal and transfer of water from lakes. In the operation stage, they will occur mainly due to discharges from the project and their effects on nearby micro-basins in the evaluated sectors. Nonetheless, a management plan has been provided that includes the planned reservoir management in order to mitigate impacts by providing suitable environments for aquatic life development in the area and discharging the necessary flows in potentially impacted micro-basins.
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6.1.10 Landscape
The presence of infrastructure in various basins, particularly in open pit and waste rock facilities, will generate changes in the landscape. These changes will be visible from the five visual basins evaluated; the tailings storage facility, pits and waste rock facilities are the more visible facilities. However, as indicated by specific modeling, project visibility is quite localized.
6.1.11 Pongo-Conga Corridor
Corridor construction and operation will generate impacts mainly resulting from stripping and increased road traffic. It is worth mentioning that the assessment of impacts associated with this corridor has been completed in a qualitative manner; nevertheless, MYSRL will generate more information allowing confirmation of the results presented and effective management of the environmental impact caused by construction and operation of this access road. The main mitigation measures for these impacts are summarized in Section 7 of this Executive Summary.
6.2 Socio-economic Impacts This section provides a socio-economic impact analysis for the Conga Project over its useful life. This study was performed for the pre-construction, construction, operation, and closure stages (Table 3). The analysis starts with identification of predictable impacts broken down into components of the socio-economic environment. The assessment of each component is subsequently made from a series of criteria that take into account the impact characteristics and their receivers. Finally, the impact rating is carried out to summarize their significance as being either positive or negative and in low, medium, and high levels for the various receivers, whether these are population groups or geographic areas. The impact analysis results are important as they determine the nature and extent of the project’s socio-economic influence on the population of the hamlets, provinces, and region in which it develops. From these results, the necessary management measures are proposed for any subsequent elements of the Community Relations Plan and the areas of influence are delimited.
6.2.1 Identification of Impacts
This section makes explicit all the potential impacts the project would generate in its various stages and in the local environment without a management plan. For this purpose, a matrix analysis framework was used for each project stage (pre-construction, construction, operation, and closure) which, from the activities and actions, allowed identifying the following impacts:
6.2.1.1 Pre-construction Stage
The expected impacts, activities and actions of the pre-construction stage would generate both positive and negative impacts arising from the service contracting and land purchase from the people of the hamlets located within the Project Site Area (hereinafter, CAEP1 , by its initials in Spanish). Likewise, negative impacts are identified as a result of disruption of communication pathways (disruption of trails connecting villages, the land use change, 1This geographic area comprises the following hamlets: Quengorío Bajo, Huasiyuc Jadibamba, Piedra Redonda Amaro, Chugurmayo, Namococha, El Porvenir de la Encañada, Lagunas de Combayo, Agua Blanca, Quengorío Alto and San Nicolás. the costs of adaptation and social integration of the former owner population and other socio-economic environment changes resulting from the occupation of lands acquired for the project). To that effect, it is important that there is a mitigation plan for these impacts which includes a land acquisition management plan for the former owner population.
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6.2.1.2 Construction Stage
Both positive and negative impacts were identified during the construction stage. The positive impacts would be related to the purchase of goods and contracting business and labor, including local procurement and contracting for construction works. The negative impacts would be generated due to immigration of labor in search for employment opportunities and the risks of over-expectations of employment, social investment and unsubstantiated environmental impact perceptions. To that effect, the proposed mitigation actions are related to appropriate plans of communication and information dissemination to the affected population.
6.2.1.3 Operation Stage
From the socio-economic impact analysis for the operation stage, positive impacts could be associated with the payment of obligations (i.e. taxes, royalties, and fees), procurement and contracting, and development programs, among others, which will have influence on the project environment, mainly locally but also on a more regional scale. The negative impacts would arise from labor and social investment over-expectations, environmental impact perceptions, migration impacts, and conflicts generated by the allocation of resources collected from MYSRL by the State.
6.2.1.4 Closure Stage
From the socio-economic analysis and sequential evaluation for the closure stage, positive impacts were identified resulting from the contracting company for employment generation for activities in this stage and the continued reservoir use by the population that would keep the benefits of the water regimes. The negative impacts would result from job cuts due to the cessation of operations and the decrease in economic activity in the area of influence. Upon considering this, it is anticipated that management plan measures should address situations such as those concerning former worker employability.
6.2.2 Impact Assessment and Rating
The impact assessment process considers two scenarios: one without the application of social impact management measures and one after their implementation. In the second case, the remaining impacts (residual impacts) show the effects arising after the implementation of the measures described in the Social Impact Management Plan. The impact assessment, both in the scenario without impact management measures and the one with management measures, is carried out through the three basic dimension analyses: direction, intensity, and amplitude. Each dimension is approached by specific criteria tailored to the methodology for the environmental impact assessment proposed by Conesa (1997) and extended to better fit the nature of socio-economic impacts. The global rating of the Conga Project impacts results in a slight net positive impact, in a context in which any impact management measure is not executed. However, a management plan is required to improve the conditions of the negative impact receiving agents and enhance positive impacts. Therefore, after the implementation of impact management measures in the case of the project, results change to a high net positive impact. The impact assessment results grouped according to their nature are described below.
6.2.2.1 Economic Component (Impacts on Income, Employment, Prices, Agricultural Production, Economic Activity and Property Rights)
The economic component is considered one of the most important of the five components analyzed. Its influence over the outcome of the project final net impact is the highest, both in scenarios with impact management measures and without them.
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The economic component impact assessment results in a high net positive impact, so in most cases, the impact management measures are intended to enhance these positive effects that fall within this component. The inclusion of these measures allows for significantly increasing the magnitude of the net impact. Therefore, in both scenarios, with or without mitigation measures, the net impact rating that is generated in this component is highly positive. The subcomponents that, after the implementation of impact management measures, undergo major changes are: income, employment, and agricultural production. The remaining three subcomponents: prices, economic activity and property rights, receive no significant influence of any impact management measure. In the first case, since it is not possible to intervene in normal price evolution, the market is the key determinant. And, in the following cases, because the resulting impacts are positive they do not strictly require impact management measures.
6.2.2.2 Social Component (Impacts on Communication, Education, Social Networks, Culture and Safety)
The social participation component in the previously identified results of the Conga Project evaluation is medium. The social component has, as in the case of the economic component, a high degree of relative importance compared to the other components. The social component impact assessment, in a scenario with impact management measures in relation to one without management measures, shows a variation of more than 50 percent in the net impact magnitude of this component. Consequently, we pass from a scenario with a high net negative or cumulative impact to one with a moderate net negative impact. This result is mainly explained by the effects that the impact management measures exert, in order of importance, on the following subcomponents: road safety, road communications, culture, and social networks. The education subcomponent, which has a positive impact rating, is not influenced by any impact management measure.
6.2.2.3 Psychosocial Component (Impacts on Perceptions and Expectations)
The psychosocial component is characterized by having a cluster of negatively oriented impacts, all linked to over-expectations of the benefits that the project could bring and perceptions of possible negative environmental impacts. Therefore, its participation in the aggregate result of the Conga Project negative impacts is high but is significantly reduced after the implementation of impact management measures. The impact assessment of this component shows as a result a net negative impact of high magnitude. Moreover, even with the implementation of impact management measures, mainly consisting of specific communication programs, the rating of this result does not change significantly. It is worth mentioning that the high negative rating represents the accumulation of minor negative impacts that, in some cases, are almost zero, so the result is explained more by the number of impacts than by their magnitude. In terms of magnitude changes, the impact management measures achieved a reduction in the negative impacts of the expectation and perception subcomponents greater than 40 percent, making the reduction in the first subcomponent (80 percent) greater than the second one (40 percent).
6.2.2.4 Environmental Social Component (Impacts on Water and Other Natural Products with Socio-economic Importance)
The social component derived from environment does not exert much influence on the final Conga Project effects.
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The impact assessment of this component shows that, in a scenario without impact management measures, its net impact is slightly positive and through the implementation of impact management measures, a net increase of 160 percent is achieved. Even so, its rating remains slightly positive. From the two subcomponents (natural products with socio-economic importance and water), only one shows a negative residual impact of minor significance. This is the subcomponent of natural products with socio-economic importance. The changes generated by the inclusion of impact management measures are: a 40 percent reduction in the magnitude of the negative impact on the natural product subcomponent with socio-economic importance and a 20 percent upgrading of the positive impact of the water subcomponent (due to the reservoir operation that represents a reduction in the uncertainty of this resource).
6.2.2.5 Political Component (Impact on Conflict Situations)
The political component has one of the lowest participations with respect to the final project results. Although this component has a net negative impact of minor magnitude, it is the only one of all the components that shows no substantial changes after the inclusion of impact management measures. Practically, the mitigation measure has zero effect on this component. This is due to the fact that its impacts are related to tensions or conflicts that may arise between the districts and provinces adjacent to the project for the participation in fees and royalties.
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Section 7.0 - Preventive, Control, and Mitigation Measures
The preventive, control and mitigation measures are provided in the Environmental Management Plan for the project. The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is a dynamic tool to ensure that project impact mitigation performs the way it is intended. The EMP’s main objective is to reduce negative impacts and to maximize benefits, using mitigation, monitoring and contingency measures to be implemented during project activities. After identifying the potential impacts of an activity, the EMP provides the mechanism to monitor whether the proposed mitigation is effective. This section presents the actions and initiatives proposed by MYSRL for implementation through the EMP, so that Conga project activities are carried out in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner in order to prevent, control and reduce negative impacts due to project activities. These measures are presented in the EIS main document with the appropriate level of detail, considering that they are subject to change according to particular conditions or circumstances that may occur during their implementation and in accordance with a process of continuous improvement. The design of the EMP takes the following into consideration: To incorporate environmental controls from the earliest stages of design of works, facilities and
processes. This is the reason that during the current stage of the project (feasibility stage), it is difficult to separate the environmental component from the engineering design itself.
To implement the Environmental Protection, Health and Safety Policies of MYSRL.
To provide regular and ongoing training to workers regarding risk prevention and environmental protection.
To have appropriate plans to mitigate environmental impacts, minimize risks and contingencies, control erosion and sediment generation, manage waste, and implement environmental monitoring.
Given that the design of the EMP should allow easy access to information, this document has been formulated in five interrelated plans, whose objectives are listed below: Prevention and Mitigation Program: its purpose is to prevent or reduce negative environmental impacts
identified from the EIA. It includes actions and recommendations to reduce or prevent the adverse effect of work or activity on the environment
Environmental Monitoring Program: its purpose is to follow up over time and in a systematic way, using certain parameters that are indicators of the status of the environment in the project area of influence
Contingency Plan: defines the specific actions to take in the unlikely event an emergency occurs, so as to minimize the damage to the environment, communities and facilities
Solid Waste Management Plan: aims to conduct comprehensive waste handling to ensure proper management subject to the principles of reduction, prevention of environmental risks and public health protection, in accordance with current legislation
Conceptual Erosion and Sediment Control Plan: aims to provide guidelines to prevent unnecessary exposure of bare soil and to display a range of materials and techniques to reduce the accelerated loss of soil during project development
A brief description of the measures employed to adequately mitigate environmental impacts is given below and Table 4 presents a summary of mitigation measures for each subcomponent evaluated.
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7.1 Impact Mitigation Measures
7.1.1 Impact Mitigation – Geomorphology and Relief
The mitigation measures, both for the construction stage and operation, are listed below: To the extent practical, site preparation works for the various facilities will use the smallest disturbance
area possible.
Wherever possible, construction activities that involve removal of vegetation and soil will be scheduled during the dry season so as to reduce sediment generation of these activities
Construction of erosion and sediment control structures.
The disturbed areas will be temporarily or permanently remediated through reshaping, leveling, and/or revegetation with natural and/or compatible vegetation.
Appropriate design criteria will be considered for slopes, based on the geotechnical characteristics of the area, to ensure stability of the infrastructure.
7.1.2 Impact Mitigation – Air Quality
The following measures are proposed to prevent and mitigate air quality impacts: The exhaust emissions of diesel engines, mainly carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), will
be controlled through a program of regular maintenance of vehicles and machinery.
The primary crusher will have a water spray system and will also have dust controls at the discharge on the transfer belt, including sprinklers and capture hoods at transfer points.
The emissions of particulate matter will be controlled on roads inside the project, through a road watering program.
According to internal safety standards of the project, the speed of vehicles will be monitored.
7.1.3 Impact Mitigation – Noises and Vibration
The following measures will be implemented in order to prevent and mitigate impacts: During construction and operation stages, a program of blasting activities will be implemented in areas
particularly sensitive due to proximity to populated areas, notifying in advance the populations concerned, in order to concentrate the disturbance in the shortest time possible.
Large explosives charges will be subdivided into smaller and sequential charges. Also, the depth of boreholes will confine the explosion.
There will be regular technical maintenance of machinery to be used and the information from each piece of equipment will be reviewed.
During the blasting, the area around the pit will be cleared considering a radius of 500 m from the center of blast as a reference distance.
Since milling and related activities will be carried out within a closed environment, this will reduce noise impacts from the plant. However, the results of noise monitoring generated by these activities and those associated with the rest of the concentrator plant will determine the need to implement additional measures for noise abatement.
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7.1.4 Impact Mitigation - Soils
The following measures are planned to prevent and mitigate these impacts: All project works will be planned in such a way as to reduce disturbance areas. Special attention will be
given to critical erosion areas.
Machinery and vehicles will travel only over authorized access ways to avoid compaction of the soil in other sectors.
The Best Management Practices of the International Erosion Control Association (BMP-IECA) will be taken into consideration.
In addition to these measures, specific mitigation measures are presented for the main activity of soil protection in the ADI. Topsoil removed from the disturbed areas will be stored and used for closure activities. As construction activities and preparation of topsoil stockpile are carried out, temporary measures will
be implemented to control erosion,
As a permanent erosion control measure, revegetation of topsoil stockpile will be made to establish a permanent cover and reduce the erosion potential and particulate material emissions.
7.1.5 Impact Mitigation – Surface Water
Mitigation measures for surface water impacts have been divided into three groups that correspond to major impacts on surface water resulting from project development. These mitigation measures can be grouped into: Mitigation measures for modification of the drainage system and changes in water storage capacity.
Mitigation measures for changes in water quality.
Mitigation measures for changes in water quantity.
These mitigation measures have been aimed at restoring the environmental services provided by water bodies and bofedales to the ecosystem related to water. The environmental services analyzed in this section that were the basis for design of the mitigation measures, are: Storage capacity and regulation of lentic water bodies provided by the Azul, Chica, Mala, Perol, and
Chailhuagón lakes.
Sediment control services of hydromorphic vegetation in bofedales.
Water flow regulation services of bofedales.
It is understood that mitigating the impacts in terms of water quantity and quality from an environmental perspective, would in turn mitigate the potential social impacts that would occur if the project were to negatively affect water resources.
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7.1.5.1 Mitigation Measures for Modification to Drainage System and Changes in Water Storage Capacity
According to management plans considered by the project, the objectives are as follows: To reduce the amount of contact water (water that requires specific management), by intercepting non-
contact surface water before entering into the area of influence or its mixing with contact water.
To reduce the generation of sediment at the sources by implementing BMPs during construction and operation stages, and actively reclaiming the project area during the operation stage.
To collect and manage contact water by channeling runoff and drainage from project facilities to a treatment system or to project facilities that use water.
Water Diversion Structures The project site will generate variation of natural drainage systems so special measures have been taken into account to prevent contact waters (i.e., those which come in contact with the infrastructure) from mixing with natural waters. Reservoirs In view of the above described impacts, project development will affect environmental services related to water resources in the project area. These environmental goods and services can be summarized as follows: Areas of effective catchment of rainfall: formed by the surfaces of the study area.
Storage and flow regulation by presence of lakes.
Storage and flow regulation by the presence of hydromorphic vegetation, especially in the area of bofedales.
Taking into account these environmental services, as well as the socio-economic importance of water in the zone, one of the objectives in the design of the water storage systems has been to efficiently mitigate potential negative impacts. To that end and in accordance with the project description, MYSRL will build reservoirs in order to offset the impacts mentioned above. These impoundments will allow water to accumulate during the wet season and guarantee its release during the dry season so as to ensure supply of the resource for project demands and to replenish the estimated lost flows due to project development. From the distinctly hydrological point of view, the water impoundment in these reservoirs is an effective measure to offset the loss of lentic water bodies represented by the Perol, Mala, Azul, and Chica lakes. The following is a summary table (Chart 3) with the estimated storage capacity of the original lakes located in the project area and the estimated water storage capacity considering the strategies of reservoir implementation. Also, this table shows the type of change that will be exerted on the volume of water as a result of project execution.
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Chart 3
Changes in the Storage Capacity of Lentic Water Bodies as a result of the Project
Original Lagoon Capacity (m3)2 Reservoir Capacity (m3) Type of change Perol Lagoon 800,000 Perol 800,000 Transfer Chica Lagoon 100,0003 Upper 7,600,000 Transfer Azul Lagoon 400,000 Transfer Mala Lagoon 100,000 Chailhuagón 1,430,000 Transfer Chailhuagón Lagoon
Notes: 2 These values are estimates. The storage capacity may be somewhat less than that, due to fluctuations resulting from the variability in rainfall and projected discharges. 3 It should be noted that for this comparison a volume of 100,000 m3 was considered for Mala and Chica lakes, which is a very conservative estimate. While it is true that the Upper Reservoir will be the main source of water for mining operations, by the end of the useful life of the project this storage capacity will be available in the drainage networks for more convenient use according to future needs in the area. The storage capacity of the Chica and Azul lakes will be compensated and exceeded as a result of the location of this reservoir and the lower reservoir. As to the storage capacity of the Perol lake, this will be compensated with the same storage capacity in the Perol reservoir, so it is expected that this environmental service will be maintained. The strategy to compensate for the loss of storage capacity of Mala lagoon will be part of the compensation scheme for increasing the storage capacity of the Chailhuagón lake. The total storage capacity of the original Mala and Chailhuagón lakes (1.3 million m3) is lower than that of the Chailhuagón reservoir (1.43 million m3 over the current capacity of Chailhuagón lake), so it is considered that the compensation is adequate. Finally, the Lower Reservoir will transform the Jadibamba River into a lentic water body by creating additional storage capacity in the system. This new storage capacity will be about 1,000,000 m3.
7.1.5.2 Mitigation Measures for Changes in Surface Water Quality
To prevent the alteration of surface water quality there are a number of measures specifically designed as part of the project description. These measures are particularly aimed at: Construction of treatment infrastructure according to requirements.
Treatment of flows to control sediment content.
A summary of these measures is given below for each of the basins involved. Sediment Management Plan for Basins of the Alto Jadibamba River and Toromacho Micro-basin It is expected that sediment sources in the area will mainly be the Perol waste facility, erosion of the beach of the tailings storage facility and the topsoil stockpiles. All sediments will be retained in the tailings storage facility or be stored behind the main tailings dam or the Toromacho dam. Sediment Management Plan for the Basin of Alto Chirimayo Micro-basin The need for sediment control facilities in this basin is mainly due to the location of the haul road, the topsoil stockpile, and the Chailhuagón waste facility, among others. For the Perol bog and the Perol pit,
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sediment control will not be necessary because surface water will be collected and pumped to the tailings storage facility. Sediment Management Plan in the Chailhuagón River Basin In the Chailhuagón river basin, sediment control will be required for the Chailhuagón pit, topsoil stockpile and for any non-contact water that may report to the Chailhuagón River. This facility will be modified over the life of mine, when the Chailhuagón pit is expanded. The characteristics of this facility are detailed in Section 4 of the EIS. Acid water treatment plant According to studies performed and as described in the section dealing with the operational stage, the characteristics of water in the tailings storage facility (supernatant pool), which consists of a mixture of contact water with material from the Perol waste facility and from the tailings storage itself, will not allow an environmentally safe discharge of these waters, so the Conga project includes the construction and operation of an acid water treatment plant. Mitigation Measures for Changes to Water Quantity Because of the loss of infiltration area and pit dewatering, there will be impacts to the amount of water available in the dry season. Listed below are the main attributes of the compensation schemes of each of the reservoirs proposed. Upper reservoir: This reservoir will be located at the upper part of the Alto Jadibamba River basin and is planned to provide: community water to the drainage of Toromacho micro-basin basin, fresh water to processing facilities and potable water for the mine and plant. This reservoir will have a storage capacity of 7.6 M m3. Lower reservoir: This reservoir will have a storage capacity of 1.0 M m3. The water from this storage will not be used in the mining process, but will allow mitigating potential impacts on base flows in the basin and for social development. Perol reservoir: The Perol reservoir will have a total capacity of 800,000 m3, equivalent to the lagoon water volume. The water from this storage will not be used in the mining process, but will allow mitigating potential impacts on base flows in the basin and for social development. Chailhuagón reservoir: this work will increase the lagoon capacity from approximately 1.2 M m3 to 2.6 M m3. Water from this reservoir will not be used in the mining process, but will be exclusively used to mitigate potential impacts on base flows in the basin and to support social development. Regarding the flows that will be discharged from each reservoir to mitigate the potential impacts due to variation in the amount of water, they have been established according to the reduction of base flows in the different basins of the sphere of influence during the dry season and have been estimated using the HFAM model, which was calibrated with the monitoring results and validated using the hydrogeological model MODFLOW. Flows to be discharged in order to achieve adequate mitigation are: Alto Jadibamba River Basin: 33.1 L/s
Toromacho Micro-basin Basin: 1 L/s
Alto Chirimayo Micro-basin Basin: 7.3 L/s
Chailhuagón River Basin: 9.7 L/s
The water balance of the project, completed using the GOLDSIM model, indicates that it is feasible to discharge these flows through proper management of reservoirs as proposed by the project.
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7.1.6 Impacts Mitigation – Groundwater
7.1.6.1 Mitigation Measures for Changes to Groundwater Flows
In regard to the effects on groundwater flows, the project includes compensatory measures by providing base flows to each of the basins from the four reservoirs. It should be indicated that the hydrogeological resource in the study area is quite limited because it is essentially reduced to flows through the alluvial material in quite shallow layers outcropping in the vicinity of the project. Considering this, the strategy for mitigating the impacts on this subcomponent is presented as part of the management scheme for impacts on surface water.
7.1.6.2 Mitigation Measures for Changes in Groundwater Quality
Similar to the mitigation measures for impact on groundwater flows, the project has been conceived so that proper management of surface water reduces the possibility of impacts on groundwater quality. The existence of a contact water management circuit prevents mixing with surface water from surrounding basins, and also reduces the possibility of seepages that affect the quality of the hydrogeological resource. This circuit was presented in the previous section concerning the measures for mitigation of impacts on surface water. Regarding PAG contact waters that could affect water quality, all facilities will be designed to reduce the risk of seepages into groundwater. In general, the concept of PAG contact water management includes its control in a "closed system", in hydrological and hydrogeological terms, to reduce the risk that these contact waters reach groundwater resources beyond the limits of the project. For this reason the Perol waste rock facility is located in the TSF basin. All other acid waters will be directed to this basin for treatment prior to discharge. In the case of the tailings storage facility, the following characteristics allow appropriate control of seepages: The main dam and Toromacho dam will have a central clay core on bedrock with injection treatment.
The supernatant pond will be lined with geosynthetic liner, which will also have a drainage system that will inhibit the hydraulic pressure of the tailings.
A seepage collection system for each of the dams involved. While the main dam and the Toromacho dam were designed to facilitate seepage control, the probability that it happens is not zero, so the project includes the implementation of a seepage control system for both the main dam and the Toromacho dam.
For the main dam, a seepage management system has been planned associated with the seepage collection pond, which will collect these flows to be pumped to the TSF, while for Toromacho dam there will be a water collection system below the dam, which will have a structure to intercept seepage for further recirculation through a pumping system. In the particular case of the Perol waste facility, underdrains will be installed before placing waste to capture seepages and channel it through a pipeline to the tailings storage facility, specifically to the supernatant pool.
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Furthermore, due to the characteristics of the geologic material found in the northeast of this facility, the following measure options have been proposed: Seepage collector wells installed in the northeast of the Perol waste facility.
Lining of the karstic area.
A minor change in the final contours of the proposed footprint for the Perol waste facility.
Alternative drainage configurations that divert seepages going to the east of Perol waste facility.
With regard to water management in the Chailhuagón area, underdrains will be installed in the Chailhuagón waste facility to capture seepages and discharge them to the Chirimayo sediment pond. However, as most of the Chailhuagón waste is considered non PAG, it is not expected that seepages from this facility will compromise the quality of groundwater in the area. Likewise, it is not expected that dewatering of the Chailhuagón pit will pose a risk to groundwater quality.
7.1.7 Impacts Mitigation – Flora and Vegetation
The measures envisaged reducing impacts on flora and vegetation are detailed below. Construction activities will be planned in such a way as to minimize the areas to be disturbed.
The areas affected by the location of infrastructure will be revegetated in the best possible manner after their reclamation subsequent to reshaping works.
The existing MYSRL nurseries will be used, which are currently in operation as part of its facilities at Maqui Maqui. These nurseries will be used for the propagation of native species. Among the species to propagate will be those protected species that may be affected during construction activities and that will be used later during remediation and closure works.
With regard to bofedales, due to the location of infrastructure approximately 103 ha of this vegetation type will be lost; therefore, the execution of a specific plan has been considered and is presented below.
The compensation for environmental services generated by bofedales has been discussed in previous sections (i.e. compensation of water storage volumes), and compensation strategies for ecosystem goods and services are presented in the section on mitigation measures for impacts on fauna.
Bofedales that are not lost as a result of the placement of infrastructure within the project area will be preserved and studies will be carried out to determine the best alternatives for their reclamation.
These studies will serve to implement a suitable vegetal cover for the closure stage of the tailings storage facility. According to the description of the project, the tailings disposal area will be a wetland for the closure stage. Research works will provide the information necessary to establish the type and optimal distribution of vegetal cover for the closure stage.
7.1.7.1 Management Plan for Species in Conservation Status
The management program includes: Collection of botanical seeds and vegetative parts
Propagation tests
Transplant of seedlings
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Among the objectives of the propagation and subsequent planting of trees in both genera are: To generate environmentally derived goods and services for the ecosystem: wildlife refuge,
thermoregulation, pollination, among others.
To increase landscape quality.
7.1.7.2 Bog Management Plan
In order to compensate for the loss of bofedales, the environmental services generated by this form of vegetation were established so that special management strategies may be designed for each of them. The environmental services of bofedales considered in the study area are: Water regulation and sediment sump (biogeochemical functions)
Generation of fauna habitat
Visual quality
Food source for livestock
Environmental services related to water resources were already treated as part of the mitigation of impacts on surface water, so project-derived impacts have appropriate compensation measures. This section discusses the environmental management of bofedales with a focus on the last three environmental services. The loss of bofedales in the area will be offset by establishing a wetland in the location of the tailings storage facility at the closure stage. Reclaimed tailings are susceptible to the creation of wetlands due to the physical properties of tailings and hydrology of containment structures. The construction of wetlands, given their economic feasibility and ability to reduce the environmental cost of tailings facility storages are a frequently used alternative in operations in the USA, Canada, and Australia. In addition, water from the upper reservoir will be used during the dry season whenever necessary, in order to maintain the saturation of the portion of wetlands in the reclaimed storage facility. As to the compensation for environmental services linked to food sources for the introduced livestock, the project includes specific social management plans involving the startup of programs related to the following: Studies of load capacity in places additional to those made in the baseline studies
Animal sanitation studies in the area of social influence of the project
Studies and programs for the cultivation of improved pastures
Genetic improvement programs for local livestock breeds
Animal nutrition programs
Selection of the most suitable livestock by zones in the area of social influence based on specific load capacity studies.
The connotations associated with environmental services of habitat offer for fauna and aesthetic or visual quality are discussed in the following sections of the Environmental Management Plan (mitigation measures for impacts on fauna and landscape).
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7.1.7.3 Revegetation Plan
The revegetation plan considers the efforts necessary to reestablish the ground vegetal cover conditions similar to the original ones, to the extent possible. This plan is aimed both at final closure activities and the reclamation of temporarily disturbed areas.
7.1.8 Impacts Mitigation – Terrestrial Fauna
The main general measures to mitigate these impacts are described below: The projected works will be planned in such a way as to reduce, as far as possible, the area to be
disturbed.
In areas near the lakes and bofedales (most active zones of wild fauna), an inspection will be conducted before starting construction activities.
The entry of outsiders into working areas will be restricted so as not to increase human presence in little disturbed habitats.
This plan includes specific management measures for major ecosystems in the area and for particular cases of species with priority conservation status. Management measures are divided into three specific management plans. Conservation Plan for Aquatic Habitats and Bofedales
Management Plan for the Eleutherodactylus Simonsii Frog
Management and investigation plan for the Cajamarca Oldfield Mouse (Thomasomys praetor)
7.1.8.1 Conservation Plan for Aquatic Habitats and Bofedales
The conservation plan for aquatic habitats includes the creation of water reservoirs and the generation of a wetland ecosystem in the tailings disposal area at the closure stage.
7.1.8.2 Management Plan for the Eleutherodactylus Simonsii Frog
In order to reduce adverse effects on the frog and increase knowledge of it, it is proposed as a mitigation measure to make a pilot survey before the construction stage in order to define the best strategy for managing the species in the area. The pilot survey will identify the current status of the species in the area due to the expected high temporal variability in their populations.
7.1.8.3 Management and Investigation Plan of the Cajamarca Oldfield Mouse (Thomasomys praetor)
During the stripping of vegetal cover, care will be taken not to cause damage to individuals who might be in the area. As part of this plan, MYSRL will conduct investigations of this rodent population both within and outside the project area of influence. The main objective of this research is to contribute to knowledge of the current state of their population in areas near the project inside and outside its area of influence as well as the characteristics of their habitat and the natural history of the species.
7.1.9 Impacts Mitigation – Aquatic Life
Regarding mitigation measures related to aquatic life, they are extended to mitigation of water quality due to their close relationship.
7.1.10 Impacts Mitigation - Landscape
The following general measures will be considered:
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In parallel with mining operations and where feasible, revegetation of exposed areas will be carried out using, as far as possible, local species so that the landscape is affected as little as possible.
The basic concept around the improvement of the landscape during the closure stage will be, to the extent practical, to remediate remaining project structures so that they are as compatible as possible with the environment. It should be noted that not all project infrastructure will show this visual improvement because structures such as the pit represent a substantial change of the visual basin that cannot be mitigated.
7.1.11 Impacts Mitigation – Road Traffic
The aim of this management plan is to manage the potential impacts of transport of equipment, machinery, supplies and personnel during construction and operation of the project. This program will be effective along all routes on which MYSRL or its contractors have vehicles in circulation. Measures that will be implemented to mitigate or reduce impacts are as follows: The schedule of vehicular traffic will be limited to the daytime period to the extent practical
There will be an annual routine maintenance and periodic maintenance of roads
Traffic signs will be posted in the project area
The speed of vehicles will be controlled in accordance with national regulations or those set by MYSRL
In addition, subcontractor companies participating both in the construction and operation stages shall demonstrate that they have and practice health and safety measures appropriate for transport activities.
No impacts have been identified on this subcomponent, only risks, so an impact mitigation plan for this subcomponent is not included. The EIS also presents the Environmental Monitoring Program designed for the Conga Project, which will be performed during, before and after the construction stage and during project operation and closure. Monitoring to be completed after the implementation of the closure plan, that is, post-closure monitoring is presented in the Conceptual Closure Plan. The purpose of the Environmental Monitoring Program is to monitor those parameters that have been identified as potentially affected by activities associated with the project. The results of this monitoring program will be used as a mechanism for measuring the effectiveness of the Environmental Management Plan. The implementation of the plan will follow a scheme of adaptive management, so that it will be evaluated periodically and modifications will be applied to increase its effectiveness, also considering changes in related legislation, the categories of conservation of flora and fauna, and the environmental sensitivity of the parameters. The implementation of the Environmental Monitoring Program will also provide the information necessary to form the basis of environmental data for project development activities. This database will be an essential tool for the organization and systematization of information obtained during the implementation of the environmental monitoring plan and the preparation of reports to be submitted to the authorities and other parties. It is important to note that the monitoring plan designed for the Conga project does not end at data collection. While, the systematic generation of good quality data over time is one of the most important points of monitoring, data analysis and the generation of information allows a good capacity of early response and valuable support in project environmental management. For the foregoing reasons, this
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plan will be closely linked to an efficient interpretation center that maintains the database, standardizes data and provides information oriented to subsequent decision making. Since this plan was developed prior to construction and start of the project, it may require updates. These future updates could include changes in the location of monitoring stations, recorded parameters, frequencies, protocols and data management. The objectives of the Environmental Monitoring Program are: To determine the real effects, at spatial and temporal scales, caused by activities of the project through
measurement of the environmental relevant parameters outlined below.
To check the effectiveness of prevention, mitigation and control measures proposed.
To verify compliance with applicable environmental standards and commitments assumed by the company.
To early detect any unforeseen and unwanted effects, resulting from execution of the project, so that it is possible to control it by defining and adopting appropriate and timely measures or actions.
The monitoring program considers the following environmental components: Geotechnics (related to the geomorphology and relief subcomponent)
Meteorology
Air quality
Noises and vibrations
Surface water
Groundwater
Revegetation and vegetal species management programs
Terrestrial fauna
Aquatic life
The monitoring program includes the following scope for each of these components: Aspects: provide subcomponent information relative to its importance for the project.
Parameters: they correspond to the physical, chemical, biological, or cultural variables that are measured and recorded to characterize the status and progress of environmental subcomponents.
Environmental regulation or criterion: indicating the limits and standards established in the corresponding regulations, which will be used to compare the results of monitoring. It also specifies environmental practice guidelines contained in technical standards, environmental guides, or protocols. In the absence of national regulations, criteria may be applied that make reference to the project baseline studies or international criteria that are deemed necessary.
Monitoring stations: corresponding to the measurement and control sites selected for each environmental subcomponent.
Methodology: refers to the measurement methodology, data collection and information analysis, in each case.
Frequency: refers to the frequency with which measurements are made, samples are collected, and/or each parameter is analyzed.
Information management and reporting: refers to the methodology and the frequency with which the reports will be prepared.
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Table 5 describes each of the evaluated environmental components and details the parameters, methodology, location of monitoring points and sampling frequency. Finally, it is important to note that the mitigation of potential impacts of elements representing particular manifestations of environmental subcomponents, such as that of the hydrogeological resource through springs, or the characteristics of infrastructure elements that facilitate the exploitation of natural resources, such as water channels or systems, assist in the restoration of affected flows or volumes by using the water stored in reservoirs. Therefore, since the effectiveness of the measures proposed in these cases is associated with the verification of mitigation provided through the surface and groundwater components, and since monitoring of the characteristics of the springs and channels outside the area of influence can make up a social requirement, the specific monitoring of these elements may be included within the Participatory Environmental and Social Monitoring Plan (PESMP) or other particular monitoring effort agreed to with the authorities and population, such as the one completed by the Irrigation Channel Monitoring Commission of Cajamarca (COMOCA for its acronym in Spanish), for example.
7.2 Solid Waste Management Plan The Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) has been prepared in the Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan (SHWMP) already established for MYSRL, updated through 2007. The SWMP establishes guidelines for optimal management of system components, from the generation of waste to its proper final disposal, passing through the stages of storage, collection, and transportation. Also, the SWMP was developed considering the requirements of environmental and social responsibility of MYSRL and the current environmental legislation. The main objective of the SWMP is to establish guidelines for the effective control, management and disposal of solid waste generated during the construction and operation stages of the Conga Project, preventing potential impacts to the environment and health, as well as to the safety of workers and surrounding villages. The SWMP has specific application for MYSRL operations including the entire scope of the Conga Project where solid waste generation is identified. It also includes the internal transport and the final disposal of solid waste similar to urban and inert waste. The project is not considering permanent storage of solid waste (non-hazardous) inside the boundaries of the project. The management of hazardous solid waste requires special attention, for which we will use the services of a specialist company providing solid waste services (EPS-RS), duly registered with the General Directorate of Environmental Health (DIGESA). For managing non-hazardous inert waste, a specific management plan has been developed according to the type of waste, oriented to its trading or proper final disposal. Currently, MYSRL is characterizing the solid waste generated on site, for which it uses containers that have been distributed throughout MYSRL property and will be used for temporary storage of solid waste generated by the Conga Project. According to the estimated number of workers for the construction stage (6,000 persons), and considering an average value of waste generated per worker (per-capita generation), the annual amount of non-hazardous solid waste will be 7,056 tons produced during the entire construction stage. Also, for the operation stage it is estimated that 19,216 tons of non-hazardous solid waste will be generated. Once the operation of the project is started, field work will be conducted to adjust the parameters established in a preliminary way in this SWMP. The central storage area is the one in which waste generated at different points will be collected. Large volume containers will be installed in this central warehouse, in which waste will be temporarily stored, until its final disposal or trading. An internal record of solid waste management will be carried in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations of the General Law of Solid Waste (Supreme Decree N
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º 057-2004-PCM). Records and reports will be reviewed by the managers to improve, if necessary, the effectiveness of the SWMP. The transport of solid waste outside the area of operations will be conducted through an EPS-RS or EC-RS duly registered with DIGESA. In the case of recyclable waste to be traded, transport may be performed by an EC-RS, also registered in DIGESA, which has the proper authorization. To remove hazardous solid waste, a company specialized in its collection and transport will be hired, said contractor will be an EPS-RS registered in DIGESA. All non-hazardous solid waste generated within the project will be transferred from the central storage area to the Yanacocha Central Waste Station, located at kilometer 39 (by Serpentine # 1 of La Quinua at MYSRL facilities). For final disposal of recyclable and saleable waste an EC-RS licensed by DIGESA will be hired. Hazardous waste generated during the construction and operation stages, after temporary storage, will be disposed of by an EPS-RS and oils and lubricants will be sent to the lime plant for reuse or otherwise returned to the supplier for recycling or sent to a recycling facility through a trading company authorized to handle recyclable materials (EC-RS).
7.3 Emergency and Contingency Response Plan This plan has been developed in order to respond appropriately in the event of accidents and/or states of emergency that may affect the workers, process, facilities, or the environment surrounding of the Conga project. Planning for the prevention, identification, and response to contingencies aims at preserving the integrity of workers and the environment and is within the framework of the corporate policy of MYSRL. It also provides appropriate preparation for a timely and effective response to emergencies that may arise as a result of earthquakes, possible fires, chemical spills, landslides, medical emergencies, and/or motor vehicle accidents, among others. Thus, a comprehensive plan is required that includes teams of skilled and motivated workers in charge of specific functions in prevention management to ensure an effective response to emergencies. Because this plan was developed prior to construction and the start of the project, it may require updates prior to commencement of operations and, if needed, during operations. These future updates could include specific responsibilities, protocols, and management of contacts information based on conditions at the time of commencement of operations.
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Section 8.0 - Social Baseline Summary
8.1 General Study Area The General Study Area (GSA) of the Conga Project is composed of the districts of La Encañada, in the province of Cajamarca, and Huasmín and Sorochuco, in the province of Celendín, department of Cajamarca (Figure 5). This area is defined as the potential indirect impact area of the project.
8.1.1 Demography
The department of Cajamarca is the fourth most populated in the country, with 1,387,809 inhabitants (5.1 percent of the total population) (Chart 4). To that effect, it is remarkable to note that the population growth rate from 1993-2007 is 2.3 percent on average per year, mainly due to the increased urban component.
Chart 4 Population, Surface Area and Density
Geographic Area Population Surface Area (km2) Density (pop./km2) Department of Cajamarca 1,387 809 33,317.5 41.7 Province of Cajamarca 316,152 2,979.8 106.1 Province of Celendín 88,508 2,641.6 33.5 District of La Encañada 23,076 635.1 36.3 District of Huasmín 13,282 437.5 30.4 District of Sorochuco 9,826 170.0 57.8 Source: INEI. 2007 National Population and Housing Census At the district level, a reflection of this pattern is seen, where except for La Encañada, the GSA districts were characterized as predominantly rural in 1993 (about 95 percent of their population), and they have had a population decrease by 2007, with a slightly larger urban proportion. The population pyramid of the department of Cajamarca presents a structure of traditional features, concentrated in the lower age groups. This is explained by some persistent high fertility and mortality rates typical of the Peruvian Mountains. This traditional population pyramid structure is more evident at the district level.
8.1.2 Characteristics of Household Members
The percentage of male household heads ranges between 73 percent and 79 percent, and the upper range is more prevalent at the district level. Most household heads in the GSA have completed elementary studies. Except for the province of Cajamarca (40 percent), the percentage of household heads with complete elementary education always exceeds 50 percent in other geographic levels. Most household heads in all the GSA areas are above 45 years old. Regarding the origin in each one of the studied areas, most residents have lived in the study area over the past five years. Immigration mainly occurs in the province of Cajamarca, coming from Lima or the other provinces.
8.1.3 Housing Characteristics
The predominant construction material on the house walls is adobe or mud in all geographic levels studied: the department of Cajamarca (76.7 percent), provinces of Cajamarca (65.9 percent) and
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Celendín (94.5 percent), districts of La Encañada (96 percent), Huasmín (96.5 percent), and Sorochuco (97.4 percent). Regarding the floor construction material, over 95 percent of houses in the districts of La Encañada, Sorochuco and Huasmín have dirt floors, while the department of Cajamarca and the provinces of Cajamarca and Celendín have 74.2 percent, 58.3 percent, and 87.9 percent dirt floors, respectively. Unlike the wall and floor construction material, the roof material varies geographically. In the department of Cajamarca, most roofs are made with corrugated metal sheets, cement fiber, or similar (54 percent). In the provinces of Cajamarca and Celendín, most homes are built of tile (47.7 percent and 56 percent, respectively). At district level, most roofs in La Encañada are built of corrugated metal sheets (46.3 percent), while in Huasmín and Sorochuco, roofs are primarily built of tiles (56.4 percent and 82.3 percent, respectively).
8.1.4 Basic Services
Most houses within the department of Cajamarca and in the provinces of Cajamarca and Celendín have a potable water supply. At the district level, the majority of houses get water through a public network inside the house (potable water) as compared to other sources: La Encañada, 25.2 percent; Huasmín, 43.4 percent; Sorochuco, 20.3 percent.
Chart 5 Water Supply in Houses
Supply Department
of Cajamarca
Province of Cajamarca
Province of Celendín
District of La Encañada
District of Huasmín
District of Sorochuco
Public network inside the house (potable water)
36.7% 59.3% 41.7% 25.2% 43.4% 20.3%
Public network outside the house but inside the building (potable water)
18.8% 16.9% 14.1% 25.9% 8.6% 32.6%
Public use fountain (potable water)
2.4% 2.2% 3.8% 3.1% 5.0% 6.5%
Tank truck or similar
0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0%
Well 15.8% 7.0% 28.5% 12.7% 34.7% 23.0% River, irrigation channel, spring or similar
21.5% 9.8% 6.6% 27.6% 3.6% 9.9%
Neighbor 3.5% 3.8% 3.9% 5.2% 4.1% 7.5%
Other 1.3% 0.9% 1.3% 0.2% 0.3% 0.2% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Source: INEI. 2007 National Population and Housing Census With regard to sanitation, it is found that in each area surveyed, the highest percentage of homes have latrines or pit latrine. This percentage is high at the district level where 64.2 percent (La Encañada), 70.3 percent (Huasmín), 71.5 percent (Sorochuco) of houses use latrines as a toilet.
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Most homes in the study area, with the exception of the province of Cajamarca (62.8 percent), do not have electric lighting from a public grid. At the district level, only 10 percent (La Encañada), 15.3 percent (Huasmín), and 33.4 percent (Sorochuco) have electric lighting from the public grid.
8.1.5 Education
Seventeen percent of the population over 15 years old in the department of Cajamarca qualifies as illiterate (Chart 6). In the studied districts, the illiteracy rate is higher than the department average with an illiteracy rate of 28.1 percent, 25.6 percent, and 27 percent of the population in the departments of Encañada, Huasmín and Sorochuco, respectively.
Chart 6 Illiteracy Rate
Geographic Area Illiteracy Department of Cajamarca 17.1% Province of Cajamarca 13.8% Province of Celendín 18.6% District of La Encañada 28.1% District of Huasmín 25.6% District of Sorochuco 27% Source: INEI. 2007 National Population and Housing Census Grade repetition rate increases considerably in passing from first grade to second grade of elementary school, which is caused by the high drop-out rate in the first year (most entrants to first year withdraw before the end of the academic year.) In the department of Cajamarca, an average 5.7 percent of the population is in elementary school and 7.3 percent of the high school population has the status of withdrawn. At district level, we observe that the average school drop-out rate at elementary level (10 percent), and at the secondary level (7.8 percent), exceeds the department average. According to official information from the Ministry of Education (MINEDU), there are 7,047 schools and/or educational programs in the department of Cajamarca. Most schools and educational programs are located in rural areas, in the levels of initial education (2,143) and elementary school (3,343). At district level, La Encañada has more schools and educational programs (131), compared to its counterparts in Huasmín (87) and Sorochuco (41).
8.1.6 Health
The main disease in the population of the department of Cajamarca is acute respiratory infection (ARI), which has been the cause of death of 12.8 percent of the population under study. At district level, it is also observed that respiratory diseases like influenza (flu) and pneumonia are the main causes of mortality in La Encañada (12.15 percent), Huasmín (24.25 percent), and Sorochuco (25 percent). The majority of medical care (59.1 percent) and treated persons (41.6 percent) in the department of Cajamarca were performed at health clinics. Medical care and treated persons in hospitals represents the minority of cases; that is, only a small number of medical consultations are carried out at hospitals and represents 20 percent of treated persons and 7.4 percent of total medical care. At district level, health clinics are generally the only type of facility providing health services. For the three districts under analysis, on average, 87 percent of the treated population and 90 percent of the medical care were performed in a health clinic. At department level, it is observed that Cajamarca has 3 hospitals, 37 health centers, and 271 health clinics. Both Huasmin and Celendin have hospitals; however, the province of Cajamarca has 7 more
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health centers and 23 more health clinics than the province of Celendín. None of the districts under analysis has a hospital, and only the La Encañada district has a health center. For the districts of Sorochuco and Huasmín, the only health facility available are health clinics (Chart 7), explaining why clinics supply all the health demand existing in these districts.
Chart 7 Number of Health Facilities
Facility Department
of Cajamarca Province of Cajamarca
Province of Celendín
District of La Encañada
District of Huasmín
District of Sorochuco
Hospital 3 1 1 - - - Health Center
37 10 3 1 - -
Health Clinic
271 46 23 8 5 2
Source: Ministry of Health – General Office of Statistics and Information Technology. Updated as of December 31, 2008
8.1.7 Employment
Seventy-eight percent of the GSA population is of working age (WAP), of which approximately half are performing an economic activity (busy EAP), while the rest are devoted to housework, consisting of mainly women, or students, which are mainly young people. At the department level, the education level of the busy EAP presents a significant proportion of higher education (around 40 percent) in urban areas, while in rural areas it is predominantly elementary level (62 percent) or no education (14 percent). The same pattern can be observed at the district level, with a relatively lower rate of higher education levels in urban areas and a greater proportion of busy EAP (Chart 8) without education in rural areas, which is due to the low development level. Forty-eight percent of the busy EAP in the department of Cajamarca are independent workers, while 15 percent are unpaid family workers; these features are typical in areas with large numbers of independent agricultural production family units. Because of this, these features are emphasized at the district level of the GSA due to their higher rural population proportion. Fifty-seven percent of workers are devoted to agricultural activities in the department of Cajamarca, while at the district level this increases to around 80 percent.
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Chart 8
Population Distribution according to Busy and Idle EAP and Non-EAP
Busy EAP Idle EAP Non-EAP Total WAP Total % Total % Total % Total %
- Urban 188 36.9 19 3.7 303 59.4 510 100 - Rural 2 572 42.2 95 1.6 3 434 56.3 6 101 100 Source: INEI. 2007 National Population and Housing Census
8.1.8 Economic Activities
The department of Cajamarca has one of the most dynamic growth rates nationwide in the last decade, with an average annual growth rate around 7 percent. For the most part, this growth rate is attributed to the mining sector, which accounts for about 22 percent of the GDP of Cajamarca. The department mining sector contributes a significant amount of foreign currency to national accounts, which was more than US$1.6 billion in 2006. The main economic activity in terms of jobs is agriculture, due to its intensive use of unskilled labor, although with little generation of added value which is usually meant for self-consumption. Another development source is tourism, for which it has Historic-Cultural Resources such as Cumbemayo, Otuzco Windows, Combayo, Inca Rescue Chamber, among others.
8.1.9 Perceptions
In general terms, the GSA leaders and local authorities assume that mining activity will cause significant negative impacts on water and soils, and consequently on agricultural activity. They mention that the mining project development brings harmful immigration effects, such as theft, prostitution and alcoholism. They also showed concern over the land sale and the effect on the economic sustainability of the former owner population.
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8.2 Specific Study Area The Specific Study Area (SSA) is comprised of 32 hamlets in which the main effects of Conga Project development are expected. They belong to the districts of La Encañada, Sorochuco and Huasmín that are described in general terms in the GSA.
8.2.1 Demography
In the SSA, there are 7,350 inhabitants, mainly distributed in the hamlets of the district of Huasmín (53.9 percent), and followed by the hamlets of the district of Sorochuco (28.9 percent) and La Encañada (17.2 percent) (Chart 9). In a more pronounced manner than in the GSA, the SSA hamlets present a traditional population pyramid, with a remarkable concentration in the lower age groups due to high birth and mortality rates. Likewise, most people from the SSA hamlets were born in the same district (88 percent), while a minority comes from other provinces or districts of Cajamarca (12 percent)
Chart 9 Hamlet Population, according to Study Areas
Geographic Area Absolute % of SSA % of the district Hamlets of the District of Huasmín 3,964 53.9% 29.8% Hamlets of the District of Sorochuco 2,122 28.9% 21.6% Hamlets of the District of La Encañada 1,264 17.2% 5.5% Total SSA hamlets 7,350 100% 15.9% Source: 2009 SSA Population and Housing Census, INEI
8.2.2 Characteristics of Household Members
Eighty-eight percent of household heads are men (Chart 10), ages ranging from 31 to 45 years old (36 percent) or more than 45 years old (40 percent). Heads of households are characterized by having elementary school level (69 percent) or no education (15 percent).
Chart 10 Distribution of Household Heads by Gender
Geographic Area Male Household Heads Female Household Heads
Absolute % Absolute % Hamlets of the District of La Encañada 252 88.1% 34 11.9% Hamlets of the District of Huasmín 785 86.6% 121 13.4% Hamlets of the District of Sorochuco 454 87.6% 64 12.4% Total SSA hamlets 1,491 87.2% 219 12.8% Source: 2009 SSA Population and Housing Census, INEI Male household heads are in living together status (about 80 percent) or married status (around 20 percent), while most female household heads are widows (about 70 percent). Family sizes in SSA households range from having one child (24 percent), two children (24 percent) or more than four children (20 percent).
8.2.3 Housing Characteristics
The construction materials of the SSA houses are predominantly characterized by having adobe or mud walls (94 percent), dirt floors (98 percent) and corrugated sheet roofs (50 percent).
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Regarding access to basic services, 10 percent have access to potable water compared to 50 percent who have access to public non-potable water systems. Seventy percent have access to latrines; none have access to a public sanitation system; 20 percent have access to electric power and 52 percent use candles as a source of lighting (Chart 11).
Chart 11 Type of Water Supply in Houses
Hamlets of
the District of La Encañada
Hamlets of the District of Huasmín
Hamlets of the District of Sorochuco
Total SSA Hamlets
Public network inside the house (potable water)
0.4% 4.2% 0.0% 2.3%
Public network outside the house but inside building (potable water)
23.4% 0.8% 4.4% 5.7%
Public fountain/faucet (potable water) 3.5% 1.2% 2.5% 2.0%
Piped non-potable public network 44.1% 49.1% 56.6% 50.5%
Tank truck 0.4% 0.1% 0.2% 0.2%
Well water 3.5% 18.5% 7.9% 12.8%
Spring 19.2% 19.1% 20.7% 19.6%
River, irrigation channel 3.2% 1.9% 2.9% 2.4%
Neighbor or other 2.5% 5.1% 4.8% 4.6%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100%
Source: 2009 SSA Population and Housing Census, INEI
8.2.4 Education
Of the population over 15 years old in the SSA, the majority have an elementary education level (58.4 percent) and the other large group is uneducated (22 percent). This last situation occurs most notably in the case of women, since they are involved in a greater proportion of household chores (Chart 12).
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Chart 12
Education Level Reached by Population over 15 Years Old
Hamlets of the District of La Encañada
Hamlets of the District of Huasmín
Hamlets of the District of Sorochuco
Total SSA Hamlets
Abs. % Abs. % Abs. % Abs. % No level 206 25.0% 491 22.0% 272 20.5% 969 22.1% Initial/Pre-school 0 0.0% 3 0.1% 0 0.0% 3 0.1% Elementary School 394 47.8% 1322 59.2% 842 63.5% 2558 58.4% High School 203 24.6% 368 16.5% 202 15.2% 773 17.6% University Higher Educ. 15 1.8% 15 0.7% 4 0.3% 34 0.8% Non-university Higher Ed. 6 0.7% 34 1.5% 6 0.5% 46 1.1% Total 824 100% 2233 100% 1326 100% 4383 100% Source: 2009 SSA Population and Housing Census, INEI For the population under 16 years old, 60 percent have completed elementary education level and the other large group is uneducated (22 percent). These percentages are similar to the previous age group but do show improvements in the population education level in recent generations. Twenty-nine percent of the SSA population is illiterate, with a significant proportion of women in this category (about 77 percent). In the SSA, there are 5 pre-schools or PRONOEI, 25 elementary schools, and 9 high schools. The construction materials are predominantly adobe or mud walls, cement floors and corrugated sheets on roofs. Only 43 percent of the SSA schools have an adequate supply of desks, 35 percent with an adequate supply of blackboards; however every school has at least one library with its own room.
8.2.5 Health
Regarding the SSA morbidity level, it is found that 42.3 percent of the total had at least one sick member in the last 15 days, of which 69 percent went to a health center (Chart 13).
Chart 13 Number of Sick People in the Last 15 Days
Geographic Area Households with Sick
People Households without Sick
People Absolute % Absolute %
Hamlets of the District of La Encañada 134 46.9% 152 53.2% Hamlets of the District of Huasmín 365 42.6% 492 57.4% Hamlets of the District of Sorochuco 204 39.4% 314 60.6% Total SSA Hamlets 703 42.3% 958 57.7% Source: INEI. Final Report on Educational Infrastructure. Conga Project 2009. Eighteen percent of women are in childbearing age, of which almost all underwent prenatal controls. Likewise, 46.3 percent stated they use contraceptive methods. As for diseases in children under 5 years old, it is found that diseases of the acute respiratory infection (ARI) type affected 45 percent of that population in the SSA in the two weeks prior to the census, while 10 percent had acute diarrhea (10 percent). Moreover, 43 percent were in a condition of acute malnutrition and 38 percent were anemic.
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As to the number of health centers, it is observed that for the SSA hamlets, there are 6 health clinics, 5 are type I-1 (with technician) and 1 of type I-2 (with doctor). In these facilities, the status of medical equipment is mostly regular (50 percent) or good (38 percent).
8.2.6 Employment
In general terms, the economically active population (EAP) represents approximately 69 percent of the working age population (WAP); there is also a specialization of the population in performing agricultural activities in independent production households sharing work between men and women. Many of the men also have a second job and the women are also involved in domestic work, and have sacrificed in their education level (Chart 14).
Chart 14 Population Distribution according to WAP, EAP, Non-EAP
Hamlets of the
District of La Encañada
Hamlets of the District of Huasmín
Hamlets of the District of Sorochuco
Total SSA
Absolute % Absolute % Absolute % Absolute % Total Population 1,264 100
The SSA agricultural family units are characterized by jointly performing agricultural activities, largely for self-consumption, along with livestock raising activities for marketing of dairy by-products. In addition, the SSA agricultural units work mostly in small plots of about 1 ha per plot, where each family has 2 plots on average (Chart 15).
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Chart 15
Average Number and Size of Agricultural Units (AU)
Total AU % AU Average
Size
Average Number of Plots per
AU
Average Plot Area
To
tal
Mini-farm (0 to 2 ha) 1,037 70% 0.9 1.6 0.6 Small family (2 to 5 ha) 280 19% 3.5 2.1 1.6 Medium family (5 to 10 ha) 84 6% 7.4 2.3 3.1 Medium (10 to 50 ha) 72 5% 22.3 2.5 8.9 Large (50 to 500 ha) 9 1% 155.9 2.2 70.2 Total 1,482 100% 3.8 1.8 2.1
La
En
cañ
ada
Mini-farm (0 to 2 ha) 146 72% 1.2 1.2 1.0 Small family (2 to 5 ha) 37 18% 3.8 1.7 2.2 Medium family (5 to 10 ha) 15 7% 7.0 2.8 2.5 Medium (10 to 50 ha) 5 2% 14.3 2.0 7.2 Large (50 to 500 ha) 0 0% Total 203 100% 2.4 1.4 1.7
Hu
asm
ín Mini-farm (0 to 2 ha) 506 64% 0.9 1.8 0.5
Small family (2 to 5 ha) 157 20% 3.4 2.2 1.5 Medium family (5 to 10 ha) 60 8% 7.4 2.3 3.2 Medium (10 to 50 ha) 61 8% 22.8 2.5 9.0 Large (50 to 500 ha) 6 1% 108.9 2.3 46.7 Total 789 100% 4.4 2.0 2.2
So
roch
uco
Mini-farm (0 to 2 ha) 385 79% 0.9 1.5 0.6 Small family (2 to 5 ha) 86 18% 3.5 2.2 1.6 Medium family (5 to 10 ha) 9 2% 8.0 1.9 4.2 Medium (10 to 50 ha) 6 1% 24.3 2.8 8.6 Large (50 to 500 ha) 3 1% 250.0 2.0 125.0 Total 489 100% 3.3 1.6 2.0
Source: 2009 SSA Population and Housing Census, INEI Most AUs use their plots for seasonal crops (83 percent), and to a lesser extent for natural pastures (11 percent) as the main use. The SSA plots mainly use irrigation methods of low efficiency, such as rainfall irrigation (83 percent) or gravity irrigation (12 percent). The SSA AUs consider that their main problems with regard to the agricultural production are low production (89 percent), lack of water (61 percent) and low technology (60 percent). The SSA AUs that received technical assistance represent a fairly small number.
8.2.8 Perceptions
In relation to the perception of the SSA household heads regarding living conditions of their homes, the majority (61.6 percent) considered that conditions have not changed in the last twelve months. If we consider perception by educational level, we can see that there is a tendency toward the lower the level of education, the greater the perception is that the living condition level has deteriorated. Fifty-five percent of the population within the Conga Project SSA does not know about the project and only 42 percent claim to know it. Only 31 percent of people surveyed stated that they considered that mining activity brings benefits. According to education level, it is observed that the higher the education level, the greater the acceptance that mining activity brings benefits.
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Ninety-four percent of the population considers that mining activity may be harmful. When age is considered, it is found that the younger the population, the greater the perception that mining activity brings harm. Among all those who believe that mining activity may bring harm, the main concerns are about possible damage to water (75 percent), damage to people (64 percent), damage to animals (62 percent), and damage to the environment (62 percent).
8.2.9 SSA Water Sources
The following basins were identified: Toromacho, Alto Jadibamba, Chugurmayo, Alto Chirimayo and Chailhuagón, for which a participatory inventory of springs, potable water catchments, flow measuring points, seepage, micro-basins and lakes was conducted.
8.3 Stakeholders For the Project GSA stakeholder analysis, positions, power level, and topic of interest of 194 stakeholders were processed, including, but not limited to: regional, province and local authorities, companies, educational institutions, health institutions, Church and NGOs. Stakeholders are defined as those persons, groups, neighborhoods and organizations that may affect or be affected by the implementation of the objectives of an organization, in this case, the Conga Project. The dominant position among all the project GSA stakeholders was of moderate support (37 percent). However, the expressions of support for the project were the result of coordination for project development. 33 percent of stakeholders showed a neutral position and 30 percent of stakeholders showed positions of moderate and radical opposition against the project. It is important to note that, out of the total of 194 stakeholders analyzed, 48 percent have a medium power of influence on population, and 14 percent have a high level of influence.
8.4 Area of Direct Influence Although the area of direct influence (ADI) for the socio-economic component is adequately represented by the characterization presented at the level of the specific study area (SSA), which includes the 32 hamlets described above, a characterization of this area is presented below. The ADI has a population of 2,403 inhabitants, representing 32.7 percent of the SSA population. At the district level, it is observed that 713 people belong to the district of Sorochuco, 420 to the district of La Encañada, and 1,270 to the district of Huasmín. Hamlets representing a significant portion of the ADI population are Chugurmayo with 392 people (16.3 percent), Santa Rosa de Huasmín with 378 people (15.7 percent), Agua Blanca with 321 people (13.4 percent), and Quengorío Bajo with 301 people (12.1 percent). In terms of education, 58.1 percent of the population over 15 years old has some elementary education, while 19.5 percent have achieved a year of high school education. Additionally, only 16 people in the population over 15 years old in the ADI have achieved at least one year of higher education (1.2 percent). In general, men’s education level is relatively better than women’s education level. There is also noticeable marginalization of women and gender inequality regarding educational availability. The ADI educational resources consist of 12 schools, mostly of primary level, which receive a total of 752 students distributed evenly between males and females. Most schools have a student/teacher ratio greater than what is recommended (25). Regarding employment, the population over 14 years old, or working age population (WAP), from the ADI represents 69 percent of the total population. In addition, 70 percent of the WAP is within the economically active population (EAP). This low unemployment rate is explained by the fact that in rural
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areas the economic activities are mainly conducted independently by households for agricultural production; therefore, impacts would not result in a decrease in unemployment, but a raise in expectations of finding a job. The ADI busy EAP receives an average income of 200 nuevo soles monthly. Nevertheless, this amount is underestimated since 32 percent of the busy EAP did not report agricultural income. Likewise, 24 percent of the busy EAP have no income as they are working as unpaid family workers. Consequently, the population with stated income represents only 39 percent of the busy EAP. With regard to household expenditure in the ADI, it appears that the largest expense item belongs to food expenditures, which represents about 64 percent of total expenditures amounting in absolute terms to 234 nuevo soles. The average expenditure on goods and services excluding food in the ADI is 128 nuevo soles per month. In order of priority, the item with higher spending (excluding food) is house maintenance (30 nuevo soles per month or 13 percent), followed by the health and education expenditure of 21 and 19 nuevo soles per month (9 percent and 8.3 percent), respectively. Health conditions are low. Within the ADI area, it is observed that in 40.3 percent of houses there was at least one sick person in the last 15 days, which means 206 people in absolute terms. Among those who were sick in the reference period, 67.5 percent were treated in a health center (139 people). Regarding the type of health insurance most of them are affiliated with Comprehensive Health Insurance (61.4 percent). Insurances used by a minority are the ESSALUD social insurance with 0.6 percent and other health insurances with 0.1 percent. The ADI population is mostly in poverty conditions (73.4 percent), measured by non-monetary poverty (at least one Unsatisfied Basic Need, or UBN) and 27.4 percent is in extreme poverty (more than one UBN). This shows the low levels of quality of life in the area in terms of access to education for children, household overcrowding, and access to potable water, among others. The ADI agricultural units (AU) are characterized by both agricultural and livestock raising activities. The first activity is mainly for household self-consumption (tubers, legumes, cereals, etc.) while the second activity is carried out for marketing of cattle milk production. Therefore, the milk sale is the main cash income source of the AUs. Likewise, even a small percentage of the AUs are dedicated exclusively to livestock raising activity (7 percent). Sixty-seven percent of the ADI household heads perceive that living conditions of their homes have remained unchanged in the 12 months prior to the survey. In addition, 17 percent of the population believes that living conditions have worsened and only 16 percent perceives that they have improved. There are similar results for the perception of living conditions in their community. Regarding the Conga Project, 50 percent of the ADI population indicated they know it. From this group, 62 percent disagrees with project development. There is a positive relationship between those who agree and the following characteristics: younger age and higher education.
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Section 9.0 - Summary of the Community Relations Plan
The Community Relations Plan sets out MYSRL guidelines for appropriate management of relationships with the communities in the area of influence of the Conga Project. Therefore, it is intended to build a relationship based on mutual benefits, communication, transparency, respect, and mutual confidence. Consequently, the objective of the Community Relations Plan is to suitably manage the relationships among the population, the company, and the State, who are identified as strategic partners for local sustainable development. In particular, the objectives pursued by the Community Relations Plan are the following: To make the programs and projects carried out by the company feasible, which are in line with
concerted development plans, towards the sustainable development of the area of influence and the improvement of the quality of life of the population.
To contribute to a relationship of mutual respect and confidence among the company, the communities and the different stakeholders present in the area of influence of the project.
To prevent and mitigate negative socio-economic impacts generated by the Conga Project, as well as to boost the positive ones.
To socially legitimize the programs and projects in line with the Community Relations Plan by effectively incorporating the population of the area of influence, its authorities and organizations into the monitoring of such programs and projects.
To encourage the establishment of mechanisms that enable a good, timely, and appropriate communication between the population and the company, taking into account different customs and social context.
The strategies and actions carried out by the company in order to achieve social development of its area of influence and which are explicitly set out in the Community Relations Plan, are supported by four main basic principles: sustainable development promotion, co-participation, shared responsibilities and dynamic and concerted planning. The description and justification of the strategies and guidelines that will guide the relationship of the company with the population of the area of influence of the Conga Project to achieve the specific objectives proposed, are in line with four plans aligned to each of objective: the Community Relations Plan, the Social Impact Management Plan, the Participatory Social and Environmental Monitoring Plan (PSEMP) and the Social Communication Plan (SCP).
9.1 Community Relations Plan The Community Relations Plan (CRP) sets out the courses of action for MYSRL with respect to the community of the area of influence of the Conga Project. In this sense, the plan identifies and describes the most important actions of social investment aimed at improving the quality of life of the population of the area of influence. Likewise, the plan is the result of a process of mutual agreements that is still in force and involves both the company and the local population. Therefore, it serves as an instrument to generate synergies for the optimal implementation of the Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP), the SCP, and the PSEMP. In other words, the CRP is a support for social sustainability in the Conga Project environment. The CRP is applied to the area of direct influence (ADI) and the area of indirect influence (AII) of the Conga Project. In the ADI, the company works directly in eleven hamlets that make up this area. In the
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AII, it works directly in twenty-one hamlets and works indirectly, through district and provincial municipalities, in the rest of the area. The courses of action included in the CRP act as guiding principles for the management of projects, programs and/or policies that will be developed with the community. Likewise, they provide a clear idea of the nature of the projects and programs that are currently being carried out and those that will be carried out in the future. Furthermore, in their description, the reasons by which their promotion is vitally important for local development, the objectives pursued, and the strategies that will be implemented in order to achieve such objectives are set out. The courses of action that will be encouraged by MYSRL, within the corporate social responsibility framework (CSR), to contribute to the sustainable development of the area of influence of the Conga Project have been designed taking into account the main problems found in the diagnosis of the local situation and act as a framework for action to define the type of actions that can be implemented in each hamlet. Depending on the content of the concerted development plans and on the agreements made with each hamlet, a set of projects will be implemented so that social investment decisions are in line with the objectives of local governments and of the population, making the CRP socially legitimate and the benefits sustainable. The courses of action are described below.
9.1.1 Infrastructure and Basic Services for Development
Access to basic services is one of the necessary conditions for community development and improvement of the welfare of families that are part of it. In that sense, this course of action is aimed, through the preparation of pre-investment and investment studies and agreements with competent authorities, at maintaining and restoring the road infrastructure of the towns of the rural ADI and AII, as well as encouraging electrification, increasing access to drinking water and sanitation services for resident families and providing them with an adequate irrigation infrastructure that optimizes the development of their agricultural activities.
9.1.2 Economic Development
Agricultural and forest activities in the rural ADI and AII of the Conga Project are the main income and work source for the families that live there. In this sense, it is very important to implement strategies that increase the efficiency and productivity of agricultural and forest activities. This course of action addresses these problems by means of two courses of action that deal with the development of agricultural and forest businesses and of local suppliers. The first course includes the provision of technical assistance, technological transference, and training to improve production, following a business approach. The next course complements the first by strengthening the producers’ business skills, since it boosts the development of local suppliers so that they do not only meet the requirements of the mine, but to be able to meet the requirements of a more extensive and diversified group of customers.
9.1.3 Health and Nutrition
The health characteristics of the rural ADI and AII of the Conga Project show serious problems that emphasize the presence of diseases. In this sense, the courses of action are focused on the reduction of chronic malnutrition, the promotion of a culture of prevention, the treatment of common diseases and the improvement of health services by entering into institutional agreements with the competent authorities. With this, it will be possible to improve health conditions of the population of the rural ADI and AII.
9.1.4 Education
Support to education, as well as to health, is crucial for the future development of the population of the rural ADI and AII. The resulting positive effects last for years and for this reason it is considered a long-term strategy.
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For the adult population, a course of action establishing measures to motivate an illiterate group of people to get out of such condition, despite their age, and have enough help available to do it, is included. For children, two courses of action are proposed, which involve the improvement of educational services and the reduction of school dropout and grade repetition. These strategies will be executed by entering into institutional agreements.
9.1.5 Institutional Strengthening
Social institutions are part of the community capital that carries out projects or activities aimed at development of communities as a whole. The objective of this course of action is to ensure the development of this human capital within the organizations and stakeholders, in such a way that their performance is planned, sustainable, democratic, and effective in the achievement of their objectives. Following this criteria, three courses of action are proposed. The first is aimed at improving local management of district and provincial municipalities due to the high level of distrust of the population with respect to their performance and their high level of influence on community development. The second is aimed at strengthening the existing local and provincial consensus capacity and the third is aimed at promoting active citizenship, in which people are aware of and responsible for their rights and duties as citizens committed to the development of their towns. These strategies will be implemented by entering into agreements with municipalities within the project sphere; in order to improve their local management, the following strategic development plans are prepared: Citizen Development Plan, Institutional Development Plan, and institutional agreements for strengthening interaction with other stakeholders.
9.2 Social Impact Management Plan The Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) describes the impact management measures that will be executed in order to mitigate negative impacts and strengthen positive impacts generated by the execution of the Conga Project, which have been identified in the Socio-economic Impact Analysis. For the preparation of the SIMP, the following were used as input elements: the analysis made in the identification, evaluation, and qualification of predictable and residual impacts of the project; the socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the population of the directly impacted area; and similar experiences of other mining companies, such as MYSRL and Newmont Corporation. The impact management measures are aimed at a specific target population. However, their benefits can extend beyond this group, since many of the problems that can be mitigated or strengthened are directly or indirectly associated with structural problems that need to be previously addressed in order to achieve a beneficial result for the population of the directly impacted area of influence. That is why it is closely related to the CRP. The measures set out below can be modified when there is a change in the socio-economic conditions or circumstances of the area of influence affecting their implementation. In this sense, their execution will be guided by a continuous improvement process to ensure the achievement of their objectives.
9.2.1 Construction of the New North-South and East-West Corridors
The objective is to mitigate negative impacts that arise from disrupting local-use roads and pathways or the disarticulation of economic corridors during the construction and operation stages. For that purpose, two roads will be built: a north-south road and an east-west road. The first section of the first road would connect the Santa Rosa and Piedra Redonda hamlets, using an existing stretch. The road would continue to the Quengorío Bajo and Alto hamlets through a new alignment and then it would be connected to the San Nicolás hamlet. Finally, it would be connected to a road located outside the project property. For the east-to-west road, it would connect the Agua Blanca hamlet with the San Nicolás hamlet through a new alignment located inside the project property.
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Likewise, these sections will be implemented before or parallel to the road disruption mentioned so that temporary road disruptions do not occur.
9.2.2 Road Safety Plan
The objective of this plan is to avoid car accidents and traffic congestion. For that purpose, the following has been established: processes for obtaining driving licenses, parameters establishing when cargo is over-dimensioned, regulations for drivers dedicated to the transport of personnel, rights of way, hours restricted for heavy-duty vehicle traffic, maximum permissible measures, which vehicles have priority in the use of roads, technical inspection protocol, internal regulations for personnel transport, loss prevention measures, training programs for drivers, vehicles and equipment maintenance processes, and mainly, a corrective measure system for traffic violations. In general, the scope of the plan applies to every employee of MYSRL, as well as to its contractors.
9.2.3 Land Acquisition Social Support Program (LASSP)
The objective of the LASSP is to strengthen the socio-economic capacities of former land owners so that they can obtain benefits after the land acquisition process is completed. For that purpose, different strategies have been prepared according to the specific needs of the population. Within these strategies, conditioned activities and incentive programs will be implemented to ensure families will have an active role in the objective fulfillment and for them to develop the necessary skills to increase their welfare in the long term. The LASSP is directed to all former land owners related to lands acquired for the Conga Project.
9.2.4 Code of Conduct for Workers, Contractors and/or Consultants
The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to establish behavioral patterns so that workers, contractors, and/or consultants can interact with the population of the area of influence in order to create a coexistence environment based on confidence, mutual respect, and respect to local culture and values. In this sense, the following rules will be established: (1) safety rules, (2) rules for interpersonal relationships, (3) traffic rules, (4) rules for community relations, and (5) rules for environmental relationships.
9.2.5 Culture and Local Customs Promotion Policy
The purpose of this policy is to promote the conservation and use of local customs of the area of influence in order to foster a stronger sense of local belonging that intensifies the search for development. This policy is complementary to the code of conduct for workers, contractors and consultants, since it mitigates culture shocks that would be generated by the arrival of people involved in the project with life styles different from that of the local people. This policy is implemented by promoting local activities that reinforce the historical, social and cultural resources of the communities of the area of influence; the promotion of local holidays and competitions that strengthen the sense of local belonging are among these activities.
9.2.6 Local Contracting and Purchasing Policy
The Local Contracting and Purchasing Policy is intended to contribute to business and economic development of the area of influence of the project. In this sense, priority is given to the contracting of local PYMES (Small and Medium Sized Businesses) that meet technical, business and safety requirements to perform the services required by MYSRL. The strategy guiding the policy is set out in seven key actions:
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Contractor segmentation, Specific training through ALAC (Asociación Los Andes Cajamarca), Demand for companies’ success; to that effect, their labor, tax and contract compliance will be
monitored and training will be given at the work site, Expectation management, Alternative work programs and sustainable development, Compliance with contractual agreements with each company, and Implementation of a standardized process for the administration of job applications, complaints
and claims. Categories, according to the total purchase amount, are established in the regulations with respect to purchasing preferences given to local suppliers over other suppliers. Each category indicates a maximum amount of difference in price that could be between a local and non-local company. That is, the proposal of a local company can be higher than a non-local company, up to the maximum amount of difference indicated by the category, and be accepted.
9.2.7 Local Employment and Training Plan (LETP)
The purpose of this plan is to contribute to the creation of job opportunities for the population of the area of influence according to the existing work demand in the Conga Project. The plan is developed in six stages: (1) collection and validation of the general population register of each hamlet in coordination with the local authorities of the ADI and AII, (2) preparation of a “prioritization list per hamlet” and setting up of criteria for job assignment, (3) recruitment and selection, (4) communication, (5) training according to the requirements of each project stage, and (6) hiring into the workplace.
9.2.8 Strengthening of Design Skills and Investment Project Management of Local Governments
The objective of this project is to improve the local management of district and provincial municipalities of the area of influence. To that effect, public entities will be provided with assistance and training, previous to coordination with them according to a work plan and institutional agreements with municipalities. The following points will be prioritized: Transfer of knowledge on project planning techniques, preparation of participatory budgeting, budget management, Comprehensive Financial Management System (CFMS), National Public Investment System (NPIS), among others.
9.3 Social Communication Plan The Social Communication Plan (SCP) identifies and describes the main communication strategies that will be implemented to provide the population involved in the area of influence with an efficient and timely communication about the development of the project, the impact management measures and the social responsibility activities included in the Community Relations Plan. The SCP is aimed at fostering dialog, preventing conflicts and strengthening the community-company relationship. These strategies will be applied during the EIS approval stages, construction, operation, and closure of the project. The SCP was prepared based on a diagnosis that allowed identifying the main communication trends among the stakeholders involved in project development (workers, contractors, and the population of the area of influence). The results show the need to design strategies aimed at solving communication problems identified inside and outside the project. Consequently, the SCP is composed of the Internal Communication Plan and the External Communication Plan. The level and frequency of communication activities can vary according to the development of project activities and the demands of the internal and external public. However, strategies are designed to meet the needs of each development stage of the project.
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9.3.1 Internal Communication Plan
The Internal Communication Plan presents strategies that will strengthen the communication channels between workers and contractors in each stage of the project. The application of these strategies will result in teamwork optimization, work environment strengthening, and reinforcement of project values among workers.
9.3.2 External Communication Plan
The External Communication Plan presents the strategies that will strengthen the communication channels between workers and the population of the area of direct and indirect influence of the project, informing activities development in a clear and transparent way. These strategies include different activities that fit the context of urban and rural zones of the population involved. In the same way, it will foster dialog and participation of local stakeholders, strengthening confidence in relations between the company and the population.
9.4 Participatory Social and Environmental Monitoring Plan The activities developed by MYSRL in different stages of the Conga Project are in line with international social and environmental management parameters. Therefore, participation of the population in the development of the Conga Project is an extremely important process for MYSRL, since it allows working jointly with the population and other stakeholders involved, generating synergies, and preventing possible or potential conflicts. Likewise, it is a lever to build, generate, or strengthen confidence and credibility in relations among the company, the community, and the State. For that reason, participatory monitoring is considered by the Conga Project as a process by which it is possible to build and strengthen relationships between the company and the population of the area of influence. In that course, the Participatory Social and Environmental Monitoring Plan (PSEMP) will take advantage of the most important scenarios that will be built during the pre-construction, construction, operation and closure process of the Project (i.e. monitoring process of environmental parameters (in its participatory component), the application of social management plans, such as the Community Relations Plan, the Social Impact Management Plan and the Social Communication Plan; as well as the Citizen Participation Plan). In these scenarios, the PSEMP will try to generate synergies, confidence, and identity among the population of the area of influence based on forming, involving and transmitting information, listening, giving opinions, and being transparent with the population of the area of influence in what remains of the pre-construction stage and in the construction, operation and closure stages to follow.
9.4.1 Phases for the PSEMP Preparation and Implementation
In order to implement the PSEMP as an organized participatory and solid-foundation process, a sequence of steps or phases that should be followed is shown below.
9.4.1.1 Phase I: PSEMP Communication and Explanation Process to the Community and Local Authorities
The importance and need to perform a series of actions and activities in order to achieve the objectives of the PSEMP will be communicated to the population and other stakeholders of the zone in a meeting called by the company. This phase involves the presentation of the PSEMP process where the establishment of the Participatory Monitoring Committee should be agreed upon.
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The Participatory Monitoring Committee will lead the PSEMP process, in which eleven Participatory Monitoring Committees (PMCs) related to each hamlet of the ADI and one central PMC in charge of collecting and systematizing the field-collected information by the PMC of the hamlets will be established. The PMC is a technical-social group formed by the Community Monitor, a representative of the company, a representative of the local government of each hamlet, and one or more representatives of the communities that are included in the social ADI and AII.
9.4.1.3 Phase III: Strategic Planning Workshop
Based on the Social Impact Management Plan, the Community Relations Plan, the Citizen Participation Plan and the Social Communication Plan established in the EIA, the PSEMP Planning Matrix of the Conga Project will be prepared. Each matrix will include the objectives, indicators, means of verification, assumptions, information collection frequency and persons responsible for social and environmental monitoring and will be validated in a workshop with each of the eleven PMCs.
9.4.1.4 Phase IV: Design of Information Collection Tools and Periodic Reports
Each piece of information collected on a regular basis will require a type of tool for such purpose. Tools that facilitate this process, such as monitoring forms are developed so that the required information can be easily recorded. Likewise, the PMC with the advice of the consulting company of the PSEMP process will be in charge of preparing reports with the description of variations of each indicator, if any, together with the relevant explanation.
9.4.1.5 Phase V: PSEMP Application and Management Training
In general, the people making up the PMC do not have specialized training about the issues to be monitored. In this sense, the building of skills related to the PSEMP is aimed at encouraging informed participation based on the creation of a base knowledge in the ADI population. This knowledge covers issues related to the operating aspects in the social and technical field of the project. This is carried out in order to guarantee the quality and transparency of the process and to improve response actions that will be taken with respect to the results.
9.4.1.6 Phase VI: PSEMP Implementation
Since it is a continuous adjustment process, the monitoring program will make the corresponding adjustments to the information collection forms, to the computer systems, or to both. It is applicable to the reports that will be mostly mechanized (graphics, tables, among others).
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Section 10.0 - Conceptual Closure Plan
This section includes a brief description of the Conceptual Closure Plan. Within the framework of the Mine Closure Regulations, MYSRL has prepared a conceptual closure plan for the Conga Project as part of the EIS. MYSRL considers that after closure activities are implemented, the site will remain in an active care condition (long-term maintenance). However, as it will be verified during project execution and based on the feasibility studies carried out as part of the closure plan, it is foreseen that most of the elements of the project will require the application of passive care measures in order to achieve the closure objectives.
10.1 Progressive Closure Under this scenario, the Chailhuagón pit and its respective waste facility are proposed to be mined by the end of 2027. This will facilitate early closure of the Chailhuagón pit and waste facility. Moreover, as mining and waste material disposal are carried out, progressive physical stabilization measures of the Perol pit and its respective waste facility are to be implemented. It is important to indicate that during the progressive closure stage and the development of mining operations, reclamation measures, which will be basically final closure measures for some of the Conga Project facilities, will be implemented. Therefore, the objectives and methods proposed for final closure also cover the progressive closure of project facilities. However, the facilities that will be part of progressive closure, as well as the reclamation areas to be included in the feasibility studies, will be subsequently determined in the Mine Closure Plan that MYSRL will present a year after the approval of the Conga Project EIS.
10.2 Final Closure
10.2.1 Dismantling
Disassembly, removal, transport and disposal of dismantle elements of the Conga Project facilities are included under this scenario. Dismantling will be carried out in the following facilities: Concentrator Plant
Soil stockpile area
Ancillary facilities
10.2.2 Demolition, Salvage and Disposal
Demolition, salvage, and disposal will take into account the following activities: Concrete structures that ensure ground stability (slope) will remain in situ so as to fulfill such purpose.
Underground concrete structures, such as building foundations, will remain in situ but covered with soil and they will be subsequently revegetated.
10.2.3 Physical Stability
10.2.3.1 Perol Pit
Upon closure (SWS, 2009), the Perol pit dewatering model, with respect to the pit water quality assessment, forecasts poor water quality in the lagoon that will be formed in the Perol pit (low pH and high metal concentration). In order to reduce potential impacts to groundwater in the post-closure stage, pit dewatering is proposed to be operated at an elevation of 3,775 m, in order to maintain a hydraulic
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sump. Water will be pumped to the treatment plant that will be located at the foot of the main dam. Likewise, in order to meet the chemical stability criteria, a wildlife exposure risk assessment of the pit is considered necessary for the final closure of the Perol pit.
10.2.3.2 Chailhuagón Pit
For the Chailhuagón pit closure, a physical stability analysis must be considered, taking into account a pseudo-static condition for a 500-year return period. Also, as part of the stability measures, a perimeter barrier will be constructed parallel to the final pit limit, which will ensure that in case of instabilities, they will be contained within the limit established by the barrier. This barrier will also help to control access of people and animals to the area.
10.2.3.3 Chailhuagón Waste Facility
The Chailhuagón waste facility has been designed taking into account closure conditions; therefore, the physical stability measures that will be implemented as part of the facility operation are considered applicable to the closure. It is worth mentioning that for the preparation of the Feasibility Closure Plan of the project, physical stability studies will be conducted for facility slopes, considering the final closure scenario.
10.2.3.4 Perol Waste Facility
The Perol waste facility has been designed taking into account closure conditions; therefore, the physical stability measures that will be implemented as part of the facility operation are considered applicable to the closure. It is worth mentioning that for the preparation of the Feasibility Closure Plan of the project, physical stability studies will be conducted for facility slopes, considering the final closure scenario.
10.2.3.5 Tailings Storage Facility
Among the general criteria that will be taken into account for the final closure of the tailings storage facility, remediation from the top of the facility will take place and progress towards the impoundment so as to allow drainage of water contained in the tailings. In addition, all remediated structures must comply with the minimum physical stability factors according to the MEM standards in order to be considered as final closure.
10.2.4 Chemical Stability
10.2.4.1 Perol Pit
Upon closure (SWS, 2009), the dewatering model of the Perol pit, with respect to the pit water quality assessment, forecasts poor water quality in the lagoon that will be formed in the Perol pit (low pH and high metal concentration). In order to reduce potential impacts on groundwater in the post-closure stage, pit dewatering is proposed up to be operated at an elevation of 3,775 m, in order to maintain a hydraulic sump. Water will be directly pumped to the treatment plant that will be located at the foot of the main dam. Likewise, in order to meet the chemical stability criteria, a wildlife potential exposition risk assessment in the pit is considered necessary for the final closure of the Perol pit.
10.2.4.2 Chailhuagón Pit
According to the hydrogeological studies, a lagoon is expected to be formed in the Chailhuagón pit upon closure. Geochemical testing and modeling conducted for the exposed pit walls indicated good water quality in the lagoon (neutral pH). Therefore, no treatment would be necessary upon closure.
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10.2.4.3 Chailhuagón Waste Facility
The Chailhuagón waste facility will be covered after implementing the physical stability measures. Although water coming into contact with the facility is expected to be of good quality, the construction of a cover is necessary in order to reduce erosion effects on the facility and subsequent sediment generation.
10.2.4.4 Perol Waste Facility
Waste characterization from the Perol pit indicates that it will be acid and seepage waters will require treatment. This seepage water will be diverted to a recovery pond for closure. The water quality model developed for the tailings storage facility (Alto Jadibamba river basin) for the post-closure stage includes two scenarios, involving water from the Perol waste facility. Forecasts for both scenarios indicate that the water quality in the tailings storage facility will require treatment before it is discharged into the environment. Upon closure, the water discharged from the tailings storage facility will be treated in the treatment plant installed at the mine site in order to comply with the ECA. For the Chirimayo basin, it is anticipated that the water draining from the Perol bog will require sediment control, as well as a water quality control (for acidity) before it is discharged into the Alto Jadibamba river basin. Therefore, it will be pumped to the acid water treatment plant.
10.2.5 Land Shape Restoration
At the end of operations and as part of final reclamation in situ, most of the access roads and corridors of the project will be reclaimed. Only the main access road from Cajamarca and a limited number of access roads will be kept. These access roads will be kept to enable future inspections, the monitoring and maintenance of remediated facilities, and also access to the reclaimed zones. At the end of mining and processing activities, some ancillary facilities will remain in use to support closure activities. However, once a facility or structure is not necessary anymore, it will be demolished and the associated area must be reclaimed. After the structures of a facility are removed, the land area will be ripped, leveled (in order to establish an effective drainage) and, as far as possible, the existing topography will be restored to how it was before mining activities, before revegetation activities begin.
10.2.6 Revegetation
The revegetation plan includes the establishment of vegetation on areas disturbed by the project. After their reclamation, through their physical and chemical stabilization and cover with topsoil, revegetation activities will be gradually carried out in some cases and for some components, while activities are being performed in other areas. Also, in the final closure stage, and in order to reclaim the lands according to the conditions previous to mining, vegetation will be reestablished in all disturbed areas, except on the roads that will remain operative during the post-closure period and the walls of the Chailhuagón and Perol pits.
10.2.7 Social Programs
The social programs to be implemented as part of the final closure will include the sustainability concept in their design. In this sense, all programs will have follow-up indicators and specific evaluation.
10.2.8 Maintenance and Monitoring
MYSRL will inspect the project area during and after implementing the final closure measures of the operations for a 5-year period or until the physical and chemical stability of the mining component that can generate negative impacts is demonstrated.
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10.3 Post-closure Conditions At the end of the project’s useful life, the areas where the main project infrastructure will be located will have the following characteristics: Relief, Geomorphology and Landscape Most project facilities will be re-graded and revegetated as part of the closure activities. These activities will be focused on reclaiming, to the extent possible, the disturbed areas so that they are restored to a condition compatible with pre-mining conditions. Reclamation of the tailings storage facility, the Perol and Chailhuagón waste facilities, the concentrator plant area, access roads and corridors, and most ancillary facilities is considered. Air, Noise and Vibrations A very low-significant residual impact is expected to be generated on the air quality after final closure has been carried out. These impacts are associated with the operation of the water treatment plant and the temporary use of light vehicles for maintenance and monitoring purposes. Soils Soils stored in the topsoil stockpiles will be used for the reclamation of closed facilities to subsequently revegetate them. For the post-closure stage, the base line conditions of the topsoil are expected to be recovered. Hydrology Surface water diversion channels that are considered for the operation stage will remain during the closure stage although sediment retention structures will be remediated as part of the final closure of the project. Since diversion structures will remain during the closure period, the original drainage systems of the project area will not be returned to their baseline conditions. Generally in the basins, these alterations will result in a minimum change for the hydrological patterns of the basins, except for the catchment area, where the project facilities are located. As well as during the operations, the reservoirs (upper or lower Perol, Chailhuagón) will be able to maintain flows during the dry season. In addition, after the operation stage, the upper impoundment will not be necessary for the process water required at the concentrator plant, so it could be used to maintain the wetlands created in the tailings storage facility, after an agreement has been reached with the communities, and provide additional water flows during the dry season. Surface Water Certain volumes of surface water will require management measures during the post-closure stage, due to acid generating potential. Mine waste characterization and the geochemical model of the pit lagoon (SWS, 2009) indicate that the pit walls and the waste material of the Chailhuagón facility will be neutral and will have a low metal dissolution potential. As stated in the Chailhuagón pit lagoon assessment study (SWS, 2009), the Chailhuagón pit will be filled with water and after 11 years, water could be discharged into the downstream drainage system. For the Alto Chirimayo micro-basin basin, the seeps of the reclaimed Chailhuagón waste facility and the haul roads will also have a water quality similar to the baseline conditions and they will drain directly into the river. Regarding the Perol pit, it will take more than 80 years to finish filling the pit and restrict groundwater entry into it. In order to manage acidic water, after about 55 years of filling, caring, and maintaining the pit, water will have to be treated. The seeps of the Perol waste facility and potentially those of the tailings storage facility will require continuous management to ensure the water quality in the Toromacho and the Alto Jadibamba basins. Hydrogeology and Groundwater Upon cessation of mining operations, a combination of surface water and groundwater will begin to fill the Chailhuagón and Perol pits. Once the pit is filled, there will not be residual impacts on the Chailhuagón basin groundwater, since it is expected that the conditions of the pit water discharge into the surface water and groundwater are similar to the base line conditions (SWS, 2009). The Perol pit, located in the Alto Chirimayo basin, will be filled with water, although it will take more than 80 years due to slow
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groundwater recharge in the basin. As it was mentioned above, the water level in the pit will have to be kept at such a height that a hydrologic sump is generated so that the acidic water does not produce impacts on the surface water or groundwater. As it was previously stated, seeps from the Perol waste facility and from the tailings storage facility will require management measures during the post-closure stage. Terrestrial Vegetation, Flora, and Fauna Revegetation activities that will be carried out especially with native species will return, to the extent practical, a condition compatible with baseline conditions to the closed facilities. Likewise, the reclaimed facilities will provide suitable habitats for development of local terrestrial fauna. The total surface of the reservoirs and lakes of the pits is 420 hectares. These facilities will offer a more extensive habitat for species such as water birds. Hydrobiology Mitigation measures to be applied during the operation and post-closure stages are related to compensation during the dry season, which will improve fish habitat and may generate potential-use opportunities for fishing in the water reservoirs of the project. Wetlands Opportunities for the creation of wetlands will increase during the closure stage. The main opportunity is the tailings storage facility closure that will provide a zone with the necessary characteristics for the creation of a wetland, since tailings are easily maintained in a saturation condition due to their physical characteristics. The upper reservoir will provide water for the creation of wetlands. Other areas that can allow the creation of wetlands in the closure stage are located between the Chailhuagón pit lagoon and the Chailhuagón reservoir, in the Chailhuagón river basin; and the area located above the haul road in the Alto Chirimayo basin.
MINERA YANACOCHA S.R.L.PROYECTO CONGA
ESTUDIO DE IMPACTO AMBIENTAL
Geomorphology and relief
Relief modificationDirect occupation by:
EarthmovingAll the facilities Direct site area -1 2 1 4 4 2 1 4 -23
significance0 0 0 1 0 1.0 Very low significance -20.0
Negative impact of very low significance
Note:
SlFacility
Project discharges due to: clearing/topsoil removal/earthmoving/civil works/bog
removal/material disposal/water use
Variation of surface water quality
Significance of final impactO Cr Ic Significance of final recipientP Significance of effect SnMo D R A
Loss of vegetation cover and impact on
flora specimens
Groundwater
± Ma Ex
Various facilities
Subcomponent Residual impact
Direct occupation by: clearing/topsoil removal/earthmoving/civil works/bog
removal/water transfer/material disposal
Direct occupation due to:Clearing/bog removal/water transfer/topsoil
removal/earthmoving
Terrestrial fauna
Surface water
Change of underground flows
(variation of catchment area)
Variation of surface water quantity (flows
downstream of Project)
Water diversion and demand by the Project due to: water transfer/bog removal/water use
Matrix of environmental impact assessment - Construction phase
Flora and vegetation
Impact on habitats
Final recipientAgent of potential impact due to specific
activity/activities
TABLE 1 (CONT.)
Traffic jams due to:transportation of equipment, machinery, supplies and personnel to the area/internal transportation
Sn: relative scarcity of the recipient at a national level; SI: relative scarcity of recipient at a local level; O: local , national or international conservation or preservation objectives; Cr: baseline quality of recipient or environmental component; Ic: relative importance of component in relation to the other components.
recipientSignificance of final impactR A P Significance of the effect Sn
Matrix of environmental Impact Assessment - Operation phase
Subcomponent Residual impactAgent of potential impact by
specific activity/activitiesFacility Final recipient ± O
Perol pit
Tailings storage facility
Leakages expected due to: ore extraction
Sl
Tailings storage facility
Perol pit
All facilities
Ma
Variation of groundwater quality
TABLE 2 (cont)
Ex Mo D
Sn: relative scarcity of recipient at a national level; Sl: relative scarcity of recipient at a local level; O: local, national or international conservation or preservation objectives; Cr: baseline quality of recipient or environmental component; Ic: relative importance of component in relation to the other components.
- Works to be performed, especially those involving removal of material, will be planned to reduce the area of disturbance. - Supervision and work planning for the opening of internal roads, access roads, water control structures and power lines to reduce areas of disturbance. - To the extent possible, activities that involve removal of vegetation and soils will be conducted in the dry season and will include implementation of erosion and sediment control structures. - Temporary or permanent remediation of disturbed areas by reshaping, grading and/or revegetation. - Consideration of the geographical, climate, soil type and topography to select appropriate techniques and materials for revegetation. - Use of appropriate design criteria for the slopes to ensure stability. - If explosives are used to remove rock material, there will be a preliminary assessment of natural slopes or slopes in landslide hazard areas, to determine appropriate charge sizes. - Enable proper management systems for water in streams to be intercepted (temporary bypass channels). - Implementation of temporary measures to control erosion (lower slopes, installing sediment barriers, energy dissipation). - Periodic inspection of temporary measures to control erosion (especially after the occurrence of rainfall). In the event problems are detected, the problems encountered will be corrected and the methods changed.
Operation - Before mining, selection of the mineral according to its grade, separating low-grade and waste rock material. - Physical stability of facilities at short, medium and long term to reduce environmental hazards or the physical integrity of persons. - Consideration of the geographical factors, climate, soils and topography to select suitable materials and techniques.
Closure
- Leveling of the ground while retaining the existing topography before the construction at each location (where practicable the nature of the activities carried out and the local conditions). Stabilization of the areas where structures, facilities and temporary access be removed, by implementing measures such as the selective earth-moving and installation of vegetation.
- Physical stabilization of the clefts, clearing deposits and deposit of tailings. Restoration of the shape of the terrain and rehabilitation of habitats. - Maintenance and monitoring post-closure.
Air Quality
Changes to Particulate
Matter
Construction
- Road watering; If necessary, use a chemical dust reducing agent. - Control of speed of vehicles inside and outside the premises of the project (giving greater importance to those roads shared with communities), and restriction of
movement outside of established trails. -
Operation
- The primary Crusher will feature a water spray system, heavy equipment will be have automatic ignitions ; In addition, control of dust will be achieved by dust suppressant systems at transfer points on the conveyor (such as sprinklers at. Identification of strategic points to install dust suppression systems.
- Road watering; If necessary, use a chemical dust reducing agent. - Control of speed of vehicles inside and outside the premises of the project (giving greater importance to those roads shared with communities), and restriction of
movement outside of established access roads.
Changes to Gas Concentrations
Construction - Implementation of a regular maintenance program for vehicles and machinery for control of emissions of combustion gases from diesel engines. Implementation
of a program of periodic equipment maintenance in general, for control of gaseous emissions. - Registration of inventory of emissions of large equipment.
Operation - Implementation of a regular maintenance program for vehicles and machinery for control of emissions of combustion gases from diesel engines. Implementation
of a program of periodic equipment maintenance in general, for control of gaseous emissions. - Registration of inventory of emissions of large equipment.
MINERA YANACOCHA S.R.L. PROYECTO CONGA
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINES
TABLE 4 (CONT.)
Mitigation Methods Established in the Mitigation and Prevention Program for the Conga Project EIA
- Implementation of a communication program for blasting activities in particularly sensitive areas due to proximity to populations. - Prior to the operation of the mine, a blasting timetable will be provided to neighboring communities - Signs of the blasting area. Training and authorization by the competent authorities of the staff who handled explosives. - Periodic technical maintenance of the machinery. - Confinement, to the extent possible, water pumps and generators in controlled acoustic environments.
Operation
- Implementation of a communication program for blasting activities in particularly sensitive areas due to proximity to populations. - Division of large explosives into smaller, sequential loads ; and confinement of the explosive wave according to depth of the holes. - Signs of the blasting area. - Training and authorization by the competent authorities of the staff who handled explosives. - Clearance of persons in the blast area of the pit of a radius of 500 m during blasting. - Periodic technical maintenance of the machinery. - Confinement, to the extent possible, water pumps and generators in controlled acoustic environments. - If the milling and accompanying activities produce more noise than predicted, special noise mitigation measures will be taken. - With respect to Aguas Blancas, nighttime activities that produce noise levels above the standards will be prohibited at a distance of 300 m from the nearest
receptor
Variations in Vibration
Levels
Construction
- Implementation of a communication program for blasting activities in particularly sensitive areas due to proximity to populations. - Prior to the operation of the mine, a blasting timetable will be provided to neighboring communities Signs of the blasting area. - Training and authorization by the competent authorities of the staff who handled explosives. - Periodic technical maintenance of the machinery.
Operation
- Implementation of a communication program for blasting activities in particularly sensitive areas due to proximity to populations. - Subdivision of large explosives into smaller, sequential loads; and confinement of the explosive wave according to depth of the holes. - Signs of the blasting area. - Training and authorization by the competent authorities of the staff who handled explosives. - Periodic technical maintenance of the machinery. - Clearance of persons for a radius of 500 m in the blast area of the pit during blasting.
MINERA YANACOCHA S.R.L. PROYECTO CONGA
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINES
TABLE 4 (CONT.)
Mitigation Methods Established in the Mitigation and Prevention Program for the Conga Project EIA
- Reduce to the extent practical the disturbance area. - Reduction of disturbance in areas of high erosion potential to the extent practical. - Machinery and vehicles will operate in authorized access areas only, to avoid soil compaction. - Best Management Practices will be implemented using guidance from International Association of Erosion and Sediment Control (BMP-ACEI). - Implementation of Surface Water and Sediment Management Plan, detailing strategies for erosion control. - Removing the topsoil only in areas that will be affected (by excavation, filling, construction of access or compaction equipment), and with emphasis to doing major construction during the dry season. - In areas where the soil horizon is thin, smaller equipment will be used to remove topsoil. Reduce traffic to the extent practical to reduce soil compaction - Four topsoil storage facilities will be constructed to store soils for revegetation - Implementation of temporary measures to control erosion during construction of topsoil stockpile facilities. Erosion control of topsoil stockpiles includes revegetation during operations. - Top soil stockpiles will be constructed according the environmental design criteria for slope stability - Sampling of the topsoil stockpiles with respect to the microbiological characteristics to determine if additional measures need to be taken to ensure successful revegetation - Soils that are stored for more than 1 year will be revegetated with species for fixing nitrogen (eg family Fabaceae). - During storage, the topsoil stockpiles will be sampled for pH, organic matter and nitrogen, to establish the initial nutrient composition and determine the requirements of macronutrients for plants. - Topsoil stockpiles will be recontoured to reduce compaction Prior to replacing topsoil for closure, the underlying area should be scarified to a depth of no less than 10 cm. Topsoil placement will not occur under freezing or inundated conditions. Topsoil replacement will not be conducted on slopes of greater than 2H: 1V.
Closure - Rehabilitation of the area, using topsoil stored in the topsoil storage facilities. Implementation of the revegetation plan. Maintenance and monitoring post-closure.
Surface Water
Modification of Drainage
Network and Changes in
Flows
Construction - Temporary Diversion Systems
Operation
- Operation of 4 reservoirs. - Non contact diversion channels to separate contact from non contact water to the extent practical - Collection and management of contact water, through contact water channels, culverts and drainage systems, channeling runoff and seepage from the mine to sediment ponds, the acid water treatment plant or back to the plant as appropriate. - In the Alto Jadibamba and Toromacho basins contact water will be contained in the TSF pond prior to treatment and discharge -Water will be recycled to the plant to the extent practical - In the Chirimayo Basin, all acid waters collected from the Perol Pit, the primary crusher and the ROM pad will be sent to the acid water treatment plant prior to discharge. All non-acid contact waters will be sent to the Chirimayo sediment pond prior to discharge -In the Chailhuagón River Basin, a water collection system contact (runoff and infiltration) to be transferred to the Chailhuagón sediment pond . -
Closure
- Installation of temporary diversion structures. - All discharges will report to the acid water treatment plant of a sediment pond prior to discharge as appropriate. - Closure of quarries and borrow areas to previous slopes to the extent practical. Rehabilitation of soil affected by temporary works according to the revegetation. - Operation of 4 reservoirs. - Maintenance and monitoring post-Closure.
MINERA YANACOCHA S.R.L. PROYECTO CONGA
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINES
TABLE 4 (CONT.)
Mitigation Methods Established in the Mitigation and Prevention Program for the Conga Project EIA
Minimize the generation of sediment sources through implementation of best management practices (e.g. inspect and maintain control of erosion and sediment, temporary settling ponds in construction, etc.).
Other best practices of management to implement will be: Construction of structures of non-contact water diversion structures prior to clearing and construction activities Maximize the transverse road slopes, to quickly remove the water during precipitation events. Leveling of construction areas and provide culverts, ponds or temporary contact water collection facilities to conduct the run-off.
Operation
- Non contact diversion channels to separate contact from non contact water to the extent practical - Collection and management of contact water, through contact water channels, culverts and drainage systems, channeling runoff and seepage from the mine to
sediment ponds, the acid water treatment plant or back to the plant as appropriate. - In the Alto Jadibamba and Toromacho basins contact water will be contained in the TSF pond prior to treatment and discharge. TSF water will be recycled to
the plant to the extent practical - - In the Chirimayo Basin, all acid waters collected from the Perol Pit, the primary crusher and the ROM pad will be sent to the acid water treatment plant
prior to discharge. All non-acid contact waters will be sent to the Chirimayo sediment pond prior to discharge - -In the Chailhuagón River Basin, a water collection system contact (runoff and infiltration) to be transferred to the Chailhuagón sediment pond . - Minimize the generation of sediment sources through implementation of best management practices (eg, inspect and maintain erosion control and sediment
settling ponds during construction, etc.). - Monitoring of water quality in the Toromacho and Main Tailings dam and at the Chailhuagon and Chirimayo sediment ponds. - Construction and operation of a water treatment plant.
Closure
- Implementation of the revegetation plan, to avoid generation of excess sediments from disturbed areas - Maintenance and inspection of sediment ponds, culverts and canals to remove accumulated sediment; repair sediment structures as necessary, removal of
sediments from reservoirs and sediment control structures as necessary - Operation of the acid water treatment plant. - Chemical stabilization of clefts, clearing deposits and deposit of tailings. Maintenance and monitoring post-Closure.
Variations in Surface Water
Quantity
Operation - Operation of four reservoirs, which discharges baseflow (mitigation flows) five months a year (between June and October). - Non contact water diversion channels.
Closure - Operation of four reservoirs to provide mitigation flows. - Continued operation of essential non contact water diversion channels. - Maintenance and monitoring post-Closure.
MINERA YANACOCHA S.R.L. PROYECTO CONGA
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINES
TABLE 4 (CONT.)
Mitigation Methods Established in the Mitigation and Prevention Program for the Conga Project EIA
Operation - Operation of four reservoirs, which discharges baseflow (mitigation flows) five months a year (between June and October).
Closure - Operation of four reservoirs to provide mitigation flows. - Continued operation of essential non contact water diversion channels. - Maintenance and monitoring post-Closure.
Variation in Groundwater
Quality
Construction - Separation of contact and non-contact water and diversion of non-contact water to existing streams and rivers.
Operation
- Non-contact diversion channels to separate contact from non-contact water to the extent practical - Collection and management of contact water, through contact water channels, culverts and drainage systems, channeling runoff and seepage from the mine to
sediment ponds, the acid water treatment plant or back to the plant as appropriate. - In the Alto Jadibamba and Toromacho basins contact water will be contained in the TSF pond prior to treatment and discharge. TSF water will be recycled to
the plant to the extent practical - In the Chirimayo Basin, all acid waters collected from the Perol Pit, the primary crusher and the ROM pad will be sent to the acid water treatment plant prior
to discharge. All non-acid contact waters will be sent to the Chirimayo sediment pond prior to discharge - In the Chailhuagón River Basin, a water collection system contact (runoff and infiltration) to be transferred to the Chailhuagón sediment pond . - Minimize the generation of sediment sources through implementation of best management practices (eg, inspect and maintain erosion control and sediment
settling ponds during construction, etc.). - Monitoring of sediment in Toromacho dam, main tailings dam and Chirimayo and Chailhuagón sediment ponds.
Water treatment plant for acid water treatment Closure - Operation of the acid water treatment plant. Chemical stabilization of Perol waste rock facility and tailings. Maintenance and monitoring post-Closure.
Flora
Loss of vegetative cover and decrease in species diversity
Construction
- The works will be planned to reduce the area to be disturbed. - Training of clearing on the preset limits of the stroke. - Placement of non-stripping material in areas of collection building or spread over denuded areas requiring protection against erosion. - Revegetation of areas affected by infrastructure location, after reshaping. - Propagation of native species (considering the protected species) in the nurseries of MYSRL at Maqui Maqui facilities. - Training of staff on importance of conservation of wild flora species, prohibiting the collection and marketing of the same by the workers. - Training of staff on the presence of protected species in the area of influence, according to lists of INRENA (DS No. 043-2006-AG). - The wetlands that no loss will be kept and performed to determine the best options for recovery. - Implementation of Management Plan for Species with Conservation Status (Ephedra rupestris and Solanum jalcae). - Implementation of Revegetation Plan for rehabilitation of areas disturbed temporarily.
Closure
- Implementation of the Bog/Wetlands Management Plan. - Implementation of the Revegetation Plan. - In the event of Temporary Closure monitoring continued the success of revegetation in areas with erosion problems. - Restoration, to the extent possible, of the shape of the terrain and rehabilitation of habitats. - Maintenance and monitoring post-Closure.
MINERA YANACOCHA S.R.L. PROYECTO CONGA
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINES
TABLE 4 (CONT.)
Mitigation Methods Established in the Mitigation and Prevention Program for the Conga Project EIA
Construction - The works are planned to reduce the area to be disturbed. Staff training through regular talks about the importance of preserving wildlife (especially of
species protected at the national or international level). Compensation penalties for workers outside designated areas. Implementation of the Plan of conservation of aquatic habitats and Bofedales (construction of reservoirs).
Displacement of Wildlife
Closure Implementation of the Plan of conservation of aquatic habitats and Bofedales (creation of wetland in the area of the deposit of tailings in the stage of Closure). Implementation of the Bog/Wetlands Management Plan. Implementation of the Revegetation Plan. Restoration, to the extent possible, of the shape of the terrain and rehabilitation of habitats. Mitigation and monitoring post-Closure.
Construction
- The works will be planned to reduce the area to be disturbed. - Inspection of areas near lakes and wetlands before beginning the activities of construction. - Training of staff through regular lectures on the importance of preserving wildlife (especially of protected national or international). - Prohibition of hunting or possession of wild animals in the area, as well as acquisition of wild animal products. - Restriction on entry of outsiders to work areas. - Maintenance of equipment, machinery and vehicles to reduce noise and emissions. - Vehicle Speed Control project as internal standards, and installation of signage. - Planning of blasts in frequency and duration, and coordination with the cattle herders to move away from the blasting area. - Implementation of Management Plan of the Frog Eleutherodactylus simonsii. - Implementation of Management Plan and Research of the Mountain Mouse praetor Thomasomys Cajamarca.
MINERA YANACOCHA S.R.L. PROYECTO CONGA
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINES
TABLE 4 (CONT.)
Mitigation Methods Established in the Mitigation and Prevention Program for the Conga Project EIA
Minimize sediment generation through implementation of best management practices (e.g. inspect and maintain control of erosion and sediment, temporary settling ponds during construction, etc.). Other best practices of management that will be implemented include: Construction of non contact water channels prior to construction activities Maximize the transverse slope of roads, to quickly remove the water during precipitation events. Leveling construction areas and install culverts, ponds or temporary contact water collection facilities to collect the run-off.
Operation
- Monitoring habitat quality in the Perol reservoir before the introduction of trout into the reservoir. - Collection and management of contact water, through contact water channels, culverts and drainage systems, channeling runoff and seepage from the mine to sediment ponds, the acid water treatment plant or back to the plant as appropriate. - In the Alto Jadibamba and Toromacho basins contact water will be contained in the TSF pond prior to treatment and discharge -Water will be recycled to the plant to the extent practical - All acid waters collected from the Chirmayo Basin from the Perol Pit, the primary crusher and the ROM pad will be sent to the acid water treatment plant prior to discharge. All non acid contact waters will be sent to the Chirimayo sediment pond prior to discharge -In the Chailhuagón River Basin, a water collection system contact (runoff and infiltration) to be transferred to the Chailhuagón sediment pond . Minimize the generation of sediment sources through implementation of best management practices (eg, inspect and maintain erosion control and sediment settling ponds in construction time, etc.) - Monitoring of water quality in the Toromacho and Main Tailings dam and at the Chailhuagon and Chirimayo sediment ponds. - Construction and operation of a water treatment plant. - All contact PAG water will be directed to the TSF and treated prior to discharge - Construction of underdrains to capture flows from the Chailhuagón waste rock storage facility and directing these flows to the Chirimayo sediment pond prior to discharge. - Use of thickened tailings and lining under the supernatant pond. - Construction of the seepage collection system at the Toromacho and Main Tailings Dam
Closure
- Implementation of the revegetation Plan, to avoid possible generation of excess sediments. In the event of Temporary Closure: maintenance and inspection of sediment ponds, canals and channels to remove accumulated sediment; immediate pozas of sediment and channel lining systems repair; and periodic removal of sediments in reservoirs. If necessary, operation of the pools of sediment. Operation of the acid water treatment plant. Chemical stabilization of clefts, clearing deposits and deposit of tailings. Maintenance and monitoring post-Closure.
Variation in Available Habitat
Construction - Temporary diversion of water systems. Implementation of the Plan of conservation of aquatic habitats and Bofedales (Constructión reservoirs).
Operation - Operation of four reservoirs operation to prevent the decline in the availability of habitat for impacted basins. Introduction of trout to the Perol reservoir: prior to
the introduction, there will be a monitoring to determine the quality of the Habitat of the reservoir; In addition, the trout to introduce criarán in fish farms. Derivation of non contact water channels.
Closure - Implementation of the Plan of conservation of aquatic habitats and Bofedales (creation of wetland in the area of the deposit of tailings in the stage of Closure).
Operation of 4 reservoirs.
MINERA YANACOCHA S.R.L. PROYECTO CONGA
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINES
TABLE 4 (CONT.)
Mitigation Methods Established in the Mitigation and Prevention Program for the Conga Project EIA
Construction - Construction activities will be limited to the specific area of each installation. To the extent possible, activities of Construction will keep the natural contours and
relief of the area. As far as possible, the infrastructure will have characteristics that diminish the contrast. Grading surfaces, replacing soil and revegetatiing disturbances. Implementation of the Plan of conservation of aquatic habitats and wetlands, which will promote the recovery of visual quality.
Operation - Revegetation of exposed areas using, to the extent possible, local species.
Closure - Stabilization of the areas where structures, facilities and temporary access is removed by implementing measures such as selective earth-moving and planting
vegetation. Grading surfaces, replacing soil and revegetating disturbances. Dismantling or demolition of structures.
Traffic Patterns Variation in Traffic Levels
Construction - Restriction, to the extent possible, of vehicular traffic to the daytime period . Annual and periodic routine maintenance of the roads. Installing additional signage
in the area. Speed control, as stipulated by national legislation or by MYSRL. Business subcontractors must demonstrate that they have and practice health and safety measures for transportation activities.
Operation - Restriction, to the extent possible, of vehicular traffic to the daytime period . Annual and periodic routine maintenance of the roads. Installing additional signage
in the area. Speed control, as stipulated by national legislation or by MYSRL. Business subcontractors must demonstrate that they have and practice health and safety measures for transportation activities.
Archeological Resources
Loss of Archeological
Resources
Construction
- The excavations will be carried out within a scheme of project submitted to the National Institute of Culture (INC). If necessary, the excavations will be supplemented by strategic cuts to determine the full extent of archaeological evidence. The registration system of archaeological sites established by the INC for the national inventory of archaeological heritage will be used. Registration of artifacts found during excavation; as well as a digital photographic record, and a video record. Floor plans and profiles of each excavation unit will be used for the written documentation.
Operation
- The excavations will be carried out according to the project plans submitted to the INC. If necessary the excavations will be supplemented by strategic cuts to determine the full extent of archaeological evidence. The registration system of archaeological sites established by the INC for the national inventory of archaeological heritage will be used. Registration of artifacts found during excavation as well as a digital photographic record, and a video record. Floor plans and profiles of each excavation unit will be used for the written documentation.
Table 5
Environmental Monitoring Plan
Component Parameters Monitoring Stations
Geotecnical - Stability Monitoring
- Waste rock facilities - Run of Mine (RoM) Pad - Tailings Storage Facility - Pits
Climate and meteorology
- Precipitation - Air Temperature - Barometric Pressure - Relative Humidity - Evaporation - Wind velocity and direction
- Old Minas Conga Station: Coordinates UTM 9 230 902 N and 790 608 E. - New Minas Conga Station: Coordinates UTM 9 234 970 N and 790 063 E.
Air Quality
- Atmospheric concentration of particulate matter (PM10) - Metal content in PM10 - Atmospheric concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5) - Nitrous oxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and Carbon monoxide (CO)
- Namococha station (mobile station): (9 236 129 N, 785 174 E). - Lagunas de Combayo station (mobile station): (9 232 232 N, 784 534 E). - Quengorío Alto (mobile station): (9 238 886 N, 785 306 E). - MCSN-1 (permanant): Chailhuagón (9 230 146 N, 789 276 E). - MCAB-1 ( mobile station): Aguas Blancas (9 233 354 N, 794 129 E). - MCAM-1 (permanent station): Piedra Redonda Amaro (9 240 630 N, 789 640 E).
Noise and Vibration Levels
- Level of sound pressure (NPSeq) - Velocity of vertical acceleration of particles
- Namococha: (9 236 129 N, 785 174 E). - Lagunas de Combayo: (9 232 232 N, 784 534 E). - Quengorío Alto: nombre (9 238 886 N, 785 306 E). - MCSN-1: San Nicolás de Chailhuagón (9 230 146 N, 789 276 E). - MCAB-1: Agua Blanca (9 233 354 N, 794 129 E). - MCAM-1: Piedra Redonda Amaro (9 240 630 N, 789 640 E).
Soils
- Texture (% sand, silt, and clay) - Apparent density -Hydraulic condcutivity - Structure - pH - Extractable N, P and K - catión exchange capacity (COC) - Perrcent relative humidity (%Hg) - total bacteria - Actinomicetos totales - Total fungus - fixed nitrogen bacteria - Microbiological Biomass - Biomass Carbon - Organic Carbon in soils
Species used for Revegetation Survival rates will be evaluated considering the total cover of the community, its fenology (development stage) and the average height of the dominant species.
Species with Conservation Status Propagation rates success will be evaluated as a function of the density, vigor, interspecific competitiveness (competition among individuals of the same specie), fenology and the average height of the plant
Species used in the bofedales management plan - Periodic evaluations in the composition of species in the revegetated zones in quebrada Lluspioc.
- Evaluation ex situ in areas that have been revegetated by MYSRL (Maqui Maqui) - Zones wihich have been closed and revegetated - Bofedales in quebrada Lluspioc.
Fauna
Birds - diversity index - Abundance index - Sensitive species - Distribution range Mammals - Abundance index - Sensitive species - Distribution range
- Biophysical Analyses of habitats (quality of habitat). - Phisiochemical Parámeters: pH, Electirc Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature. - Biologic Parameters: presence/absence of species, body length (mm), weight (g) and abundance (Nº fish/unit of effort - Parameters for invertebrate populations; diversity, abundance, richness, dominance and equity. - Índices: EPT, CA, EPT/CA, IBF and BMWP - Metals in water and sediment. - Xanthates in sediments - Nutrients
