20974 29Metals AR23 WEB V1 - Flipbook - Page 55
2023 key
results
Chair letter and
CEO report
About
29Metals
Our
assets
Golden Grove
Golden Grove developed an Interim Waste Rock Management
Plan (the ‘IWRMP’) as part of Gossan Hill WRD extension
design in partnership with geochemical subject ma琀琀er experts.
The IWRMP was developed to provide an understanding of the
nature of the waste rock to be deposited on the WRD and outline
methods for the management of the material to reduce risk to the
surrounding environment. The IWRMP was updated in Q4 2023.
The updated plan – the Opera琀椀onal Waste Rock Management
Plan (‘OWRMP’) – is a live working document. The OWRMP is
being implemented with the approval and construc琀椀on of the
proposed WRD extension.
Sustainability
& ESG Report
Mineral Resources
and Ore Reserves
Annual
Financial Report
51
A staged geochemical sampling and test work campaign started
in 2023 to characterise the waste rock, determine robust AMD
classi昀椀ca琀椀on criteria, and inform management on the IWRMP/
OWRMP. Stage 1 of the campaign, comprising a comprehensive
sampling program to determine the variability of sulphur and
carbon across the di昀昀erent lithologies associated with the
decline, waste rock and ore, was completed in Q3 2023. Stage 2
of the campaign started in Q4 2023 and involves the selec琀椀on
of a subset of samples from Stage 1 that was subject to both
standard and specialised geochemical test work as well as sta琀椀c
leachate test work. This will be used to develop an ini琀椀al set of
AMD classi昀椀ca琀椀on criteria for the iden琀椀昀椀ca琀椀on of Poten琀椀ally
Acid-Forming (‘PAF’) and Non-Acid Forming (‘NAF’) materials.
Stage 3 of the campaign is scheduled to commence in 2024.
Mining waste during the Repor琀椀ng Period is set out in Table 7.
Table 7 Mineral waste tonnage at 29Metals’ operations
Golden Grove
Capricorn Copper
Unit
2023
2022
2023
2022
Total waste mined
Tonnes
130,227
300,501
567,308
868,661
Solids in tailings
Tonnes
431,257
1,630,181
1,368,044
1,335,631
Total mineral waste generated
Tonnes
561,484
1,930,682
2,761,325
2,204,292
Total mineral waste reused
Tonnes
33,773
183,367
541,253
647,433
Percentage of mineral waste reused
Percentage
6%
9%
20%
29%
Other mining waste management
Industrial waste associated with mining operations
and surface activities are included in the category
of other mining waste at 29Metals’ operations.
Waste management plans at both of our opera琀椀ons serve as the
guiding framework for managing other mining waste in accordance
with our regulatory commitments. Our waste management
approach aims to reduce waste through the preven琀椀on, reduc琀椀on,
recycling and reuse of waste produced across our opera琀椀ons.
We con琀椀nue to inves琀椀gate op琀椀ons to minimise the volumes of
non-mineral general waste, while conduc琀椀ng waste educa琀椀onal
sessions with our workforce to ensure they are informed about
speci昀椀c waste management procedures.
Non-mineral waste, or general waste is segregated into materials
for land昀椀ll or for o昀昀-site recycling which is tracked by licenced
waste removal contractors with volumes reported in Appendix B5
to the standalone version of this Sustainability & ESG Report.
The Golden Grove non-mineralised waste management plan was
updated in 2023 to include legal requirements, iden琀椀昀椀ca琀椀on of
waste streams generated, demarca琀椀on of segregated material
disposal areas, and responsible personnel.
Waste management initiatives at Golden Grove
As part of the recycling program at Golden Grove, furniture
removed during the upgrade of the mess was donated to the
nearby Yalgoo Community in Q4 2023 for re-use; and
■
Golden Grove formulated a plan to review the waste disposal
and recycling procedures in 2023. As a result, poten琀椀al
vendors have been iden琀椀昀椀ed who can help to improve the
removal and recycling of all the waste streams. Conversa琀椀ons
with some of these vendors began in 2023 and the
collabora琀椀on is expected to start in 2024.
■
Case study
Collaborative partnership with Yalgoo Hospital
reduces wastage and cost
The Golden Grove Nursing team iden琀椀昀椀ed an opportunity to
work together with the Yalgoo Hospital in a shared resource
approach to reduce waste and cost.
“Under the new partnership, Golden Grove will acquire an
ini琀椀al stock of the di昀昀erent cartridges we require for our iStat
machine on site, which is used to analyse blood samples,”
explained Occupa琀椀onal Health Nurse Jessie Vanderelst.
“As the cartridges approach their expiry date we will swap
them with the hospital – who use the cartridges more
frequently – for newer cartridges.”
The new approach will reduce waste and cost with all
cartridges being used before their expiry date.
