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Regulation, Monitoring, Reporting,
Auditing of Uranium Mining
- an Australian Example
Ches Mason
16 August 2012
Slide 2
Olympic Dam South Australia
Slide 2 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
A polymetallic deposit containing
copper, uranium, gold and silver
Slide 3
Commonwealth and State Governments
Slide 3 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
Australian (Commonwealth) Government legislation that affects the whole country (e.g.: national
defence, international treaties and obligations, taxation)
State and Territory governments self government within a State or Territory, including:
- police and emergency services
- education
- health
- occupational health and safety
- environmental protection (mostly)…
- …and any matter not controlled by the Australian Government
Local government mainly community services
Most of the day-to-day regulatory requirements applying to
uranium mining are implemented by State or Territory authorities (although there are also some requirements under Commonwealth legislation)
Victoria
Tasmania
New South
Wales
Queensland
Northern
Territory
South
Australia
Western
Australia
Slide 4
Australian Legislation and Regulation
Slide 4 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
National (Commonwealth) Government (selected legislation only)
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act
- establishes the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
(ARPANSA), which develops national standards for radiation protection,
but ARPANSA does not license uranium mining operations
Customs Act and Nuclear Non-Proliferation (Safeguards) Act
- require permissions to own, possess or transport nuclear material
or to export it from Australia
Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
- requires an environmental assessment and approval process to be
followed if a proposed undertaking is likely to have a significant effect
on a matter of national environmental significance (this includes
‘nuclear actions’, which include uranium mining)
Slide 5
State Legislation and Regulation
Slide 5 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
South Australian Government (selected legislation only)
Radiation Protection and Control Act
- establishes powers for the South Australian Environmental Protection
Authority to implement licensing of mining and milling of radioactive ores
Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act
- establishes a duty to ensure a safe workplace, but does not give Safe Work
South Australia powers to apply licensing or approvals requirements
Mining Act (in general – applies to mines other than Olympic Dam);
Roxby Downs Indenture Agreement (unique for Olympic Dam)
- regulations governing mining operations and environmental protection,
including inspections (and administration of Roxby Downs)
Environmental Protection Act
- requires authorizations of certain activities, including metallurgical and
mineral works; also applies requirements related to air and water quality
South Australian government agencies, including EPA (Environment Protection
Authority) and MITRE (Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy)
have developed a joint approach to regulation to simplify the regulatory process
Slide 6
Regulatory Standards for Radiation Protection
Slide 6 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
International National State Local (Olympic Dam Quality Documents)
ARPANSA SA EPA
BHPBilliton
Standard
Procedures
Slide 7
Environmental protection at Olympic Dam*
Slide 7 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
Environmental Protection and Management Program (EPMP)
*For other mines, environmental protection generally requires multiple interactions with authorities
Slide 8
Monitoring of occupational exposure
Slide 8 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
Monitoring for exposure control, e.g.: PAEC action levels underground
> 2 μJ/m3 : request ventilation reset
> 8 μJ/m3 : stop work and leave area until ventilation is restored
Monitoring for occupational dose assessment
Dose limit: 20 mSv/y
Olympic Dam ambition: keep everyone < 10 mSv/y
Gamma Radon decay products Inhaled dust
Personal TLD Air sampling for potential
alpha energy concentration
x time in location
x dose conversion factor
Air sampling for airborne
activity concentration
x time in location
x breathing rate
x dose conversion factor
Slide 9
Environmental monitoring
Slide 9 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
Radiation monitoring includes:
gamma radiation;
radon in air;
radionuclides in dust;
radionuclides in flora, fauna and soils;
radionuclides in surface water and groundwater
at locations within and remote from the site.
Continuous monitoring of radon decay products and
high-volume dust sampling at Olympic Village
and at Roxby Downs.
Other environmental monitoring includes:
collection of meteorological data (rainfall, windrose)
measurements of groundwater levels and quality;
mapping of flora health;
particulate and sulphur dioxide emissions;
observation of fauna numbers.
Processing
plant
Slide 10
Reporting
Slide 10 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
Quarterly and annual reports are prepared for regulatory authorities:
Radiation protection and occupational hygiene
Environment
Slide 11
Auditing by regulatory authority
Slide 11 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
Quarterly meetings with regulators
meetings arranged in relation to quarterly reporting cycle
(also a six-monthly cycle that includes Australian Government regulatory bodies)
key regulatory agencies participate; exception reporting approach
videolink from Olympic Dam to Adelaide offices reduces travel and time costs
On-site audits as requested by regulators
frequent visits by SafeWork SA (occupational health and safety)
targeted audits by other regulatory agencies
Environmental sampling
Slide 12
Auditing by customers / Sustainability
Slide 12 Ches Mason, IAEA Training Meeting, Darwin, 13-17 August 2012
Annual sustainability report
Customer audits
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