Environment

Crew follows a host-country standard for environmental management. For each operation the requirements of the mining licenses or mining legislation are reviewed to ensure that they conform to the reasonable standard that would be expected to be found in developed mining jurisdictions such as Canada or Australia. Provided these standards would meet approval in Canada and Australia they are adopted. If not, internal standards are set which exceed the host country requirement.

Standards and adherence to them are reviewed quarterly and annually by the Corporate office in conjunction with its quarterly review. At site the review is ongoing and part of the daily work plan.

LEFA 

At LEFA the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Manager reports directly to the General Manager. There are 43 people permanently allocated to the HSE department, in addition to the manager, one supervisor and two officers.

Reporting is structured, with both formal written incident and investigation reports and more informal verbal reports presented in daily management meetings. The site has also implemented monthly safety and environment management meetings in which the heads of departments and sections participate. The HSE Manager submits a monthly management report. The department is structured into three sections: (1) Health & Safety, (2) Environment, and (3) Medical Treatment. 

Maco Mine

Management has recruited residents of the local villages in the Company’s Information and Education Campaign to learn about sound waste management practices, environmental quality management, and reforestation. The last of these is a national priority in the Philippines and Crew has been an active promoter of the Green Philippine Project and other environment-nurturing projects of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

A massive reforestation program within the mining area itself has been undertaken alongside the company’s support of government programs. Maco won a second-place award for its mining forest in November 2007. The “Best Mining Forest” is an initiative of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and has been running for several years. In 2007, 29 entrants competed for the prestigious award.

The qualified managers and foresters of the Environmental Management Office minimize any possible adverse environmental impacts of exploration and mine development activities. The office’s rules on environmental management are obligatory for all personnel and contractors. 
Water-quality monitoring of the major creeks draining the project area is ongoing.

Nalunaq

The EHS officers working at Nalunaq are responsible for monitoring water quality, air quality, permits and certificates. The chief officer reports to the management of Nalunaq and also submits reports to the Greenlandic Government though the Bureau of Mines and Petroleum. The OHS officer works with management to protect and maintain water quality and protect the environment. Water samples are taken by a lab technician at designated areas along natural water sources and across the mining site and sent off site for analysis. The results of samples are entered into a data base for comparison to historical data. An inspector from the Bureau of Mine and Petroleum is on site yearly to conduct an independent sampling and analysis program to insure quality control and maintain water quality.

Nugget Pond

The Environmental Protection Program at the Nugget Pond Facility is managed by the HSE Officer.  This person is responsible for ensuring all water quality analyses are within established guidelines of the Certificate of Approval (Department of Environment – Newfoundland) as well as the MMER (Metal Mines Effluent Regulations – Environment Canada).

Administration of the Waste Management Plan and the Reclamation and Closure Plan, as a requirement of the Department of Natural Resources, also ensures the Company’s maximization of environmental protection by reusing/recycling any wastes produced, as well as on-going reclamation of areas impacted by mining/milling activity back to their original vegetative states.