2014 Annual and CSR Report Switch to Spanish Language
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Environmental Stewardship

Every day, everywhere we operate, Hudbay commits to science-based measures to help us do a better job of reducing our environmental footprint, and contributing to sustainability and biodiversity. Our work includes documenting environmental conditions, incorporating environmental considerations into project design, and effectively monitoring and managing environmental impacts throughout all phases of the mine lifecycle. As a result of our efforts, Hudbay had no major environmental compliance issues in 2014.

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Cochapampa bog management: A sustainable plan for a vital resource

The wetlands of the Peruvian Andes are a rich source of biodiversity, are home to many unique species of plants and animals, and play an essential role in the region’s ecosystem. They are also an important source of water for local agriculture and livestock. We have removed some bog areas in the development of our Constancia pit and tailings management facility, and have worked to preserve and enhance others.

For generations, Chilloroya and Uchucarco, the two small communities adjacent to Constancia, have been sourcing water and cattle feed from nearby bogs. Chilloroya uses the Cochapampa bog, while Uchucarco draws from the Milpo and Pincullune bogs among others.

As the communities and their needs have grown, so too has the demand placed on local wetlands. To help ensure that these wetlands remain viable and able to help support the communities while still playing their vital ecological role, Hudbay engaged INSIDEO, a sustainability consultancy based in Lima, to work with the local communities to develop a sustainable plan for the area. 

On April 14, 2014, Chilloroya leaders approved a new bog management and sustainable use plan for the wetlands. INSIDEO identified the local families that were using the Cochapampa bog and gained an understanding of their needs. It also conducted a study of plants, birds and aquatic biology in the Cochapampa bog and the Milpo and Pincullune bogs. Based on its findings, INSIDEO developed a revised strategy for the Cochapampa bog management plan, one that emphasized the long-term economic benefits of sustainable management. Its approach engaged the community, and led to a series of initiatives aimed at minimizing activity at the wetlands and helping land users maximize the benefits from the property they held outside the bog. INSIDEO helped farmers plant oats on dry land plots, rather than increasing grazing on the wetlands, to improve the supply of non-wetland cattle feed during the region’s dry season. It also plans to improve water catchment structures, building infiltration trenches for better irrigation of grasslands outside the bog area, and spring water catchment systems for the cattle. In December, an estimated 3,652 square metres of oats were sown on land belonging to Chilloroya farmers.

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Environmental design features at Rosemont: Dry-stack tailings, lighting, mitigation for waters and species

At Rosemont, our goal is to develop a mine that, as far as possible, will have the smallest footprint and use the least water. Since acquiring the project in July 2014, Hudbay has advanced plans based on sound science, seeking input from the public and relevant agencies and organizations, and using that information to help guide detailed project design, monitoring and mitigation efforts.

Water is a priority in Arizona, and the importance of good water management has been recognized in the Rosemont project design. We will employ state-of-the-art techniques and processing technologies, including process water recovery and the development of  “dry-stack” tailings. With dry-stack tailings, tailings are de-watered through filtering, and built into dense, durable, dry stacks that do not require a dam for retention. Dry-stack tailings is a proven technology that uses approximately 50% less water than traditional mineral processing practices, allows for better dust control, is significantly more stable and reduces the potential of environmental impacts to groundwater by nearly 90% when compared to conventional lined tailings facilities in the southwestern United States.

To further conserve water resources and biodiversity, we established the Rosemont Copper Conservation Lands Program. This program includes mitigation proposed in the permitting process as well as additional areas that Hudbay has set aside for conservation purposes. Under this initiative, Hudbay Arizona will permanently conserve more than 4,750 acres of open land and allocate more than 550 million gallons per year of private surface water rights to the public. Once finalized, this program will establish secure, sustainable habitat for bats, birds, fish, frogs and other animals, including some endangered species.

Dark skies are very important to many of the people who live in southern Arizona, and the state has a number of “Dark Skies” ordinances intended to minimize light pollution. Arizona is home to many prominent research observatories that need full darkness for their work. Rosemont worked with local lighting contractors to reduce lighting by nearly 70% over the original standard light packages and incorporated fully cut-off LED fixtures for stationary lights in compliance with local ordinances. We are working with suppliers to develop modified lighting systems and technologies at our facilities and on our equipment that will reduce potential impacts far below what the code requires, while meeting the operational safety requirements set by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. These efforts will have impacts beyond Rosemont, as we are also helping revolutionize the evaluation of light effects by funding research into dark skies measurement.