Evaluation of impact on the Surface water and Ground water Quality

Project Operation in the normal situations shall not have impact on the surface water quality due to there is management of water drainage in the Project. Tailings pond by using lining material can prevent water seepage. Regular inspections can help to find damage or defect of the liner on the tailings pond area and can follow the remedial plans to prevent the tailings from spreading out of the project area. Thus, the impact on the environment from contamination of tailings in the surface water is at the low level.

Mitigation Measurement

The project has mitigation measurement on surface and ground water quality as follows:

• The project has prepared the area of about 5,600 rais to use as the tailings pond area, which only 2,500 rais  can support tailings from mining throughout the mine-life. Preparation of the large area is to make the tailings piles not too high to avoid the winds and not to lose the scenery.
• Build soil ramparts around the pond and line the pondl area with HDPE leak proof sheets having 1.5 mm thickness with the double liner system.  
• Install the system of examination of leak of the tailings pond by placing fishbone pipes in the pond area between the pond liners spread out the pond area. If there is a leak of saline solution at any point in the pond, the saline water may be trapped by the leak proof material sheets on the bottom and flow to perforated pipes. The saline water shall be carried out of the pond to store in the holding pond scattered around the pond. Then it shall accelerate repairing the torn mark on the leak proof material sheet immediately to make sure that the tailings pond shall not be leaked to outside for certainty.
• Plant fast-growing perennial trees and can withstand high salinity such as acacia, eucalyptus and neem trees, etc. to use as a wind break and create beautiful landscape.
• As soon as there is a gap in the underground mine sufficient to backfill the tailings into the underground gaps promptly to reduce impact on the environment permanently and help to promote stability of the underground tunnels. So at the end of mining there are no tailings left on the ground anymore.