20974 29Metals AR23 WEB V1 - Flipbook - Page 51
2023 key
results
Chair letter and
CEO report
About
29Metals
Our
assets
Responsible use of natural resources
We are dedicated to responsibly
managing our use of finite natural
resources and safeguarding
the environment throughout all
phases of our business, including
exploration, development, operations,
rehabilitation, and closure.
Sustainability
& ESG Report
■
The responsible and efficient management of water
at our operations is a high priority.
Golden Grove
In 2023, technical experts were engaged to update the site Water
Balance Model (‘WBM’) for Golden Grove to include upcoming key
projects such as the poten琀椀al development of the Gossan Valley
project. The purpose of a WBM model is to allow forecas琀椀ng and
es琀椀ma琀椀on of on-site water movements and to minimise the poten琀椀al
for non-compliance with condi琀椀ons rela琀椀ng to water supply.
In addi琀椀on, the WBM updates will allow 29Metals to include
site observa琀椀ons through the Group-operated dashboard. The
WBM will be a key tool for Golden Grove to inform future water
management ac琀椀vi琀椀es and needs at the site. The project is in
its 昀椀nal stages with the model and dashboard expected to be
completed in early 2024.
A water storage op琀椀ons assessment project was also completed
in 2023 to iden琀椀fy alterna琀椀ve loca琀椀ons for water storage on
site. The assessment compared the feasibility of all water storage
op琀椀ons and recommended the best placed for 琀椀mely design,
permi琀�ng, procurement and construc琀椀on. The report was
completed in 2023, with implementa琀椀on to commence in 2024.
During the Repor琀椀ng Period, a new licence was obtained
which allows for abstrac琀椀on of groundwater from a new water
produc琀椀on bore at the future Gossan Valley project site.
The current groundwater monitoring schedule was modi昀椀ed in
2023 to eliminate regional monitoring bores, as the historical
data indicated that there is no impact or risk to water quality
and quan琀椀ty.
Dust suppression materials have been inves琀椀gated and assessed
for implementa琀椀on on-site as another means to reduce reliance
on water resources.
25. Water reduc琀椀on performance cited is to 31 December 2023 and prior to the
impact of successive tropical cyclones referred to in 29Metals’ announcement
regarding the suspension of mining and milling opera琀椀ons. Refer to page 3 for
further informa琀椀on.
26. Informa琀椀on regarding the Capricorn Copper Recovery Plan was set out in
29Metals’ Investor Presenta琀椀on en琀椀tled “Strategic Update” released to the
ASX Announcements pla琀昀orm on 23 May 2023.
27. 2022 water consump琀椀on and recycling data for Golden Grove has been
restated to align with updated data sources from 昀氀owmeters.
47
Water management strategies implemented during the Repor琀椀ng
Period as part of the Capricorn Copper Recovery Plan26 included:
Water
Several water management programs were implemented at
29Metals’ opera琀椀ons in 2023, as described below:
Annual
Financial Report
Capricorn Copper
Water reduc琀椀on and management ini琀椀a琀椀ves25, including
prepara琀椀on of the interim water treatment solu琀椀on and increasing
mechanical evapora琀椀on capacity on-site, progressed as part of
the Recovery Plan26. On-site water treatment contributes to a
reduc琀椀on of overall water levels and is intended to transi琀椀on
the site to a more sustainable long-term water balance, enhance
water management 昀氀exibility and signi昀椀cantly reduce reliance on
freshwater abstrac琀椀on.
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To guide this process, water management plans (‘WMPs’) that
outline the correct procedures for water abstrac琀椀on, reuse and
discharge are in place at both opera琀椀ons to support compliance
with the regula琀椀ons and stakeholder expecta琀椀ons. The WMPs
safeguard water resources used by or interac琀椀ng with mining
ac琀椀vi琀椀es to mi琀椀gate the risk of signi昀椀cant impact to environment.
Mineral Resources
and Ore Reserves
■
procuring and commissioning a signi昀椀cant increase in the
high-e昀케ciency mechanical evapora琀椀on on site;
implemen琀椀ng water treatment recycling in disused se琀琀ling
ponds for use in mining and mineral processing opera琀椀ons,
enabling 29Metals to accelerate plans to discon琀椀nue abstrac琀椀on
of raw water from environmental sources for opera琀椀ons; and
evalua琀椀ng op琀椀ons for automated on-site water treatment
plant solu琀椀ons for long term management.
Throughout 2023, Capricorn Copper has focussed on establishing
processes and infrastructure for recycling water for use in processing
and mining, with the aim of achieving 100% recycled water for future
mining and milling opera琀椀ons.
Total water use, reuse, and recycling at Golden Grove
and Capricorn Copper for 2023 compared to the prior
corresponding period is set out in Table 4, and shows that:
■
■
water use at Capricorn Copper decreased signi昀椀cantly,
principally due to the suspension of opera琀椀ons (March to
August) and phased restart of opera琀椀ons (from August); and
Golden Grove water use increased year-on-year, primarily due
to increased evapora琀椀on combined with decreased rainfall.
Table 4 Water data at 29Metals operations in 2022 and 2023
Capricorn Copper
2023
Total Water Withdrawn (ML)
760
Golden Grove
2022
2023
1,492
1,741
202227
1,010
Total Water Returned to the
Environment (ML)
227
1,060
87
259
Total Water Consumed (ML)
351
723
1,173
740
1,028
2,292
1,408
1,318
0
0
2,481
2,803
Total Water Recycled from
within the process (ML)
Total Water Reused from
Tailings Facility (ML)
Capricorn Copper water reduction
Update
29Metals implemented a number of measures to reduce the
volume of water held on site following the Extreme Weather
Event in March 2023, as part of the Capricorn Copper
Recovery Plan.
Rainfall associated with successive tropical cyclones from late
January 2024 resulted in further accumula琀椀on of water held
on site. Refer to page 3.
