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| The Harry Oppenheimer Environmental Centre
in Nova Lima, in Brazil, has been an extraordinary success, with
some 9,000 members of the community ? mostly children ? visiting
each year. |
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| The toucan is on display at the Ecological
Preservation Centre near Serra Grande in Crix?s in Brazil, where
birds that have been seized by the authorities for being kept
illegally are rehabilitated. |
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Case studies
South America |
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| 7.8 Contributing towards environmental
education in South America |
As part of its commitment to the communities
surrounding its operations and in the interests of preserving green
areas for future generations, AngloGold South America established
the Harry Oppenheimer Environmental Education Centre in the town of
Nova Lima, near Morro Velho.
This project has been an extraordinary success. Since opening in
October 2000, the centre has been visited by some 9,000 members of
the community at large each year, as well as by 3,000 students who
take part in a programme designed to develop greater environmental
awareness. The centre not only provides a valuable environmental
education facility but also contributes towards a richer way of life
for people from the surrounding communities. Located in an historic
building and surrounded by more than 140 hectares of natural
woodlands, the centre is open to the community every day, providing
much needed recreational space with ecological trails, steeped in
the history and culture of the region.
Following on from this success, the company opened the Ecological
Preservation Centre near Serra Grande, also in Brazil, in June 2001.
This centre was visited by more than 400 people from the
neighbouring city of Crix?s during 2003. Along with the centre, the
company maintains a seed-bed and a bird vivarium, which is
registered with and licensed by the Brazilian government?s
environmental authorities. Macaws, parrots, toucans, and other birds
native to the region, which had been seized by the environmental
police for being illegally held, are properly rehabilitated and
cared for here.
In the region of Santa Barbara, which is host to the C?rrego do
S?tio operations, the company has made a significant donation of
US$68,000 to establish an Environmental Education Centre. This will
be located at the Recanto Verde Municipal Park. Work is currently in
progress on the centre which will open its doors to the public at
the beginning of 2004.
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| 7.9 Rehabilitation at Mina
Velha |
| Beyond the life of mine – model decommissioning
plan at Mina Velha |
Most countries have a strict legislative
framework governing the closure of mines and associated
environmental liability. Mining at AngloGold?s Mina Velha Mine in
Brazil ceased in 2003. In operation for four decades, the mine is a
symbol to many locals of the years of effort to extract from the
earth?s core one of life?s most precious of metals.
While the exploitation of minerals at Mina Velha is drawing to an
end, much planning is going into the decommissioning of the
operation. Says Luis Afonso Cornuth, Technical Vice President
AngloGold (South America), ?We are assessing the best possible
closure plan, which should result in as little disruption to the
community as possible.?
As part of this process, the company has undertaken rock engineering
studies in the area (to verify the stability of the rock, its
dimensions, the pillar structure and the possibility of water
invasions into mined out areas). These studies were done in
conjunction with hydro-geological studies to measure the quality and
purity of underground water. Assessments of residential suburbs
close to the mine were also conducted to determine the possible
surface impacts. The technical company responsible for these studies
is Belo Horizonte-based Solutions and Environmental Technology (SETE).
Once completed, the studies will be presented to the relevant
environmental authorities for approval.
Says Luis Afonso: ?We do not intend closing the mine and leaving any
problems behind, whether they relate to landscape, water pollution
or surface topography. In fact, should conditions allow, we would
like to create a place of leisure and culture ? a ?gold city? of
sorts.?
A final report on the closure plan with the rehabilitating actions
and possible land use options will be presented to the AngloGold
Board by May 2004. |
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