Study of Environmental Impact mitigation for applications and licenses in exploration
Study obliged to submit to the Ministry of Energy and Mines of Guatemala under the current mining law, which provides a damage prevention plan in the different areas covered by the exploration area, taking into account the environment (flora, fauna, geology and landforms), community (information on education, religion, jobs, local government, security, etc.) and all possible damage that may infringe exploration activity in an area of mining exploration and how to mitigate them.
In my previous work on the preparation of mitigation studies, which, among preparation, development and conclusion carries an approximately 1 week to 4, depending on the size of the area to study, I found some important things to take into account when doing so:
Currently both the Ministry of Energy and Mines and the Environmental Commission, require mitigation studies environmental impacts are more focused on the social area. So the research of the area and the damage they can cause milder mining on communities and so they leave intact the different types of structure you have in a community near the area, such as roads, bridges, utility poles , public buildings or fences, also prevent contamination of drinking water sources such as wells, rivers, ponds, lakes, etc. There will also be operating or technical recruiting in communities living near the area of exploration and economically buy inputs for local businesses, respecting the idiosyncrasies, culture and religion of the place.
I think that the social aspect is so important because the aim is to raise awareness in the population when doing work in mining, mining instead of destroying carries benefits and not damage it in some respects collaborate with communities near mine exploration projects.
The environmental aspect is the other important part, you could say that the second, rather than as social (due to social pressure to mining activities) is very important because that’s the point. It is supposed to study the environment and that means nature. I think they should make a detailed work classification of species of flora and fauna that can live in the area. This aspect includes common and scientific names of species, for example, common name: weasel scientific name: Mustela nuvalis … and say that this species is endemic or migratory … and as they were not damaging the environment where it lives herself.
The other aspects of a mitigation study, one can say that they are secondary but should not miss, for example, the geology of the site, is not a purely environmental but serves to identify the area geologically (since it is a mining involving geology) or geographical features, which is the work environment, such as a hill, its name, altitude and all that, you are on instead, serves only for identification of the area and mitigate the impacts of the activity in that geographical (the most important are the species of animals and plants found in that hill, for example …), not the hill itself.
Sometimes there is damage that can be caused by natural phenomena and do not involve the exploration activity, at that, to avoid taking the blame because there have been a natural disaster, it is predicted in the study of natural phenomena mitigation potential that may occur as earthquakes, subsidence, brittle failure, among others.
The study not only includes risk mitigation for the environment or geographical features, there are also risks that can cause accidents to personnel performing exploration activity, for example, riding with high mining boots to avoid snakebites, care in handling equipment and not break them down, among others.
Finally, make a list of mitigation measures that have to do with all aspects, from avoiding unnecessary noises that scare the local wildlife do not fire until you can generate a forest fire, among others. That is all the information previously given everything and materials or equipment to be used in the exploration and use safety. Always respect nature not hunting endangered species (if necessary hunting) or not throw trash on the road.
Costs:
The cost of a mitigation study is Q.1, 750.00 quetzals for firms active a Chartered Engineer, including igenieros school certificate. Approximately Q.150 for legal authentic signatures of the legal representative of the company or individual and Q.500 for which elaborates the study in its entirety, since other minimum amount charged more. Go to the area and investigate everything about the area (number of schools, churches, working people, take pictures and see the geological conditions of the region and its geographical location …) although much of that information is available by library research or online, sometimes to get a more accurate study is necessary presence there. That cost would depend on the days that are to be so it would have to foresee the cost of hotels, food and transportation for the researcher.
The study of mitigation is required at the end, helps make a cleaner activity and prevents damage to the environment and I think that makes people aware that mining is more accepted in the communities near the area of exploration, internationally is to comply with rules set by other countries for the preservation of nature and the evasion of social conflicts.
For exploration of placer gold in the rivers of Guatemala, the environmental impact is minimal, you could say that does not affect the environment at all. Only need to remove some sand from rivers and washing it to see if there are indications of gold. The only thing is the impact it can cause any human activity such as walking, the sound of the car that transports people, avoid throwing garbage on the road or not ignite any fire which is not necessary, unless it is to cook something (not hunt) or maybe move some rocks that move anyway by natural actions. And with the community, some benefit to pay a guide to point the way or buy something in a store. Activities that anyone does when traveling, and people when they travel they have to do a study of environmental mitigation for traveling solo … Simple things like not to damage or kill plants animals (unless mosquitoes or biting ants …) or cut the vines with a machete to get through … simple things like that that anyone traveling through the countryside as do so.
Rio Suerte 