Forestry and Landscaping

Under the Project plan 500 hectares of land will be redesigned and the existing contamination and main pollution source will be treated. After mining, three pits will be backfilled and revegetated and a lake of approximately 24 hectares will be created in one of the old pits.

Post mine closure all the affected areas under the Project footprint will be rehabilitated and the natural local flora and fauna will be reinstated via green "ecological corridors". It is planned that there will be a progressive environmental reconstruction and further measures will be taken to mitigate the impact on soils including fertilisation and conservation of the top soil, monitoring and treatment of acid soils as well as environmental rehabilitation of the soil profile.

Water

As a result of the historical, unregulated mining activities, the river waters currently suffer severe pollution from large concentrations of heavy metals at many times higher than permitted under Romanian law (110 times the legal limit of Zinc; 64 times the legal limit of Iron; and 3.4 times the legal limit of Arsenic). The contamination runs up to 40km downstream from the site due to the exposure of historic workings to the elements.

The Project will provide an immediate solution to clean water discharges, allowing the reintroduction of aquatic life and meeting the high standards of the EU Water Framework Directive.

Tailings Dam Safety

At Rosia Montana four pits will be exploited for gold and silver in two principal stages, with the pits and stockpiles to be closed progressively. During processing the mined ore is to be leached using conventional carbon-in-leach technology. Gold recovery using cyanide technology is used safely to obtain more than 90% of worldwide gold production.

Click here to find out more about cyanide usage in mining and other industries.

The tailings system which manages processed waste rock has been designed with excess capacity (250 million tonnes compared to the necessary storage capacity of 215 million tonnes) and is able to withstand extreme weather conditions such as resisting earthquakes of 8 degrees Richter and two consecutive 1 in 10,000 year rainfall events within 24 hours.

When designing the tailings management facility (TMF) a team was put together with experts from USA, Norway, Canada and Romania (including the former President of the International Commission of Large Dams - ICOLD). All scenarios were taken into consideration with regard to design and control measures against potential tailings and water spillages from the TMF, throughout its entire life cycle, and the probability for these scenarios to occur was quantified. The behavior of the dam in each of the scenarios was analyzed.

Other design and control measures include:

  • The close circuit processing plant will use special concrete tanks for cyanide. The tanks will be over designed by 110% for accidental spill capacity;
  • The process tailings will be treated (to reduce cyanide content to a maximum of 5-7 parts per million) before being stored in the TMF. This concentration is significantly below the level established by EU/Romanian legislation (10 ppm);
  • The water from the dam will be re-circulated. In normal operating conditions, the water from the dam will not be discharged. In case of discharge, the water will comply with the quality standards established for surface waters;
  • Any seepage from the main dam will be captured in a second containment dam. Water quality monitoring systems will be downstream of the main and secondary containment dam; and
  • The dam pH will be maintained between 9 to 11 to ensure an alkaline environment.

Noise and Vibration

Noise and vibration is expected to be low impact and only in the industrial areas, well within the limits required by legal standards. Overnight activity will be prohibited in the proximity of inhabited areas and protection barriers are to be pre-installed on machines. The noise and vibration situation will be monitored continuously.

Our Commitment to the Environment

Gabriel recognizes that the long-term sustainability of the mine development is dependent upon good stewardship in the protection of the environment and is committed to:

  • Integrating environmental considerations into all activities of the organization and ensure that employees fulfill their responsibilities in an environmentally sound manner;
  • Establishing and maintaining a management system to identify, monitor, control and improve the environmental performance of all activities;
  • Financing independent audits to assess environmental performance as part of the Company's objectives and targets;
  • Complying with all relevant Romanian and EU laws, regulations, reporting requirements and other obligations to which the Company subscribes, such as the EU Mine Waste Directive and EU Water Framework Directive;
  • Using Best Available Techniques (BAT) in all of our operations and activities in order to increase protection of the environment throughout all phases of the mine life and ensure that sufficient financial resources are available to meet all environmental obligations and commitments, including reclamation;
  • Implementing an effective and transparent communication strategy to enhance dialogue with interested and affected parties on the environmental aspects of our activities and encourage public debate to promote environmental awareness and protection;
  • Working with national and international institutions and organizations to develop effective, cost-efficient and equitable measures to protect the environment;
  • Meeting or exceeding all applicable Romanian, EU, and international standards at Rosia Montana, including new standards for cyanide; and
  • Educating residents about the nature of the facilities and training our workers in best practices for mining operations.