Our World
OUR RESPONSIBILITY
Operating with Integrity
Operating responsibly is not just a philosophy; it takes careful planning, commitment and implementation. Every day we strive to demonstrate that mining can be done responsibly by exercising the utmost care for the safety and security of our people, our neighbours and the environment. We uphold industry best practices, strictly adhere to safety and environmental regulations and maintain systems to identify, manage, audit, and remedy potential impacts from project inception to closure.
IN ACTION: MANAGING OUR WATER USE AT Kişladağ
The Kişladağ water treatment plant, installed in late 2013, treats up to 5,000 m3/day of surface water from the waste rock dump and groundwater from the open pit. In 2014, we began using the treated water in the processing phase, reducing the need to collect fresh water from wells. As much water as possible is recycled in the process, and in the dry season the additional water is used in water trucks to suppress dust at the site. Excess treated water is discharged as a final option.
IN ACTION: REHABILITATION OF THE OLYMPIAS VALLEY
At our Olympias site, we are overseeing one of the largest environmental rehabilitation projects in Greece. The old Olympias tailings management facility, constructed in 1976 for a previous mining project, is located about 2 kilometres from the Olympias village. The facility was closed in 1995, leaving behind 2.4 million tonnes of tailings.
We are removing the old tailings and reprocessing them and we are restoring topsoil to the area so that it can support vegetation. As part of this project, we are doing tests with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki to identify which native plants are best suited to the area. We are growing these native species in our nursery, one of the largest in northern Greece, and will then plant them at the site. The project will continue until the valley area is returned to a greenfield state.