Officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (left) visit the Tailings Storage Facility outfall drain at the Phu Kham Copper-Gold Operation.

Phu Bia Mining hosts Lao govt’s site environmental management visit

Phu Bia Mining (PBM) on November 30 hosted a site visit by officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment at our Phu Kham Copper-Gold Operation (PKM).
The visit focused on our environmental management and monitoring practices.

PBM environment personnel (left) examine online water quality testing apparatus used for continuous monitoring of water quality in the Nam Mo river downstream of Operations.

During their visit, PBM’s environment representatives gave a presentation on the Operation’s water quality, air quality and noise monitoring programmes, as well as progressive rehabilitation activities, with a focus on the Tailings Storage Facility and Farm Dump areas.
PBM representatives also highlighted the value of having representatives from the government’s Environment Monitoring Unit (EMU) based onsite to provide independent scrutiny and verification of PBM’s environmental management and monitoring practices.
The results are also assessed against World Bank, International Finance Corporation and Lao ambient water-quality guidelines, as well as background water quality conditions.
To help understand our environmental management and monitoring practices, the government officials toured PKM’s Tailings Storage Facility and its related infrastructure including the water collection ponds, the manganese passive treatment facility and the fishponds that are used for biological monitoring, before going to the Farm Dump area to view our progressive rehabilitation activities.
 At a location downstream from where the treated and controlled Tailings Storage Facility discharge into the Nam Mo river, the government officials and PBM employees inspected the water quality testing apparatus used for online, real-time, water quality analysis, with the results compared against compliance criteria.
The government officials also witnessed how dust can impact on the Ban Nam Gnone community. The numerous external influences on dust creation, in addition to PKM’s activities, were pointed out and acknowledged by the officials.
Regarding Phu Bia Mining’s state-of-the-art environmental management programmes at its Laos Operations, PanAust Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Daling Zheng said “Phu Bia Mining uses robust, international best practice environmental management and emergency processes to limit the impact on the environment and local communities.”
“Our environment team continues to work in close collaboration with the Government of Laos’ environmental monitoring unit officials who are onsite in case of any unlikely events during the life of our Operations.”
Phu Bia Mining Chairman, Mr Chanpheng Bounnaphol added “Our Phu Kham and Ban Houayxai Operations are constructed to international mining industrial standards including our two purpose-built tailing storage facilities, excellent water control management, and our strict governance processes.”
“As a best practice mining company, we continue to have transparent conversations with, and support the government of Laos, in their environmental management and monitoring efforts.”

By Advertorial Desk
 (Latest Update December 6, 2023)