Going Beyond the Mine
Biodiversity management and conservation in the areas around our operations is central to creating a healthy, sustainable community and surrounding environment. In order to achieve effective management and conservation of these ecosystems it is necessary to develop in-depth studies of the animals and plants and critical habitats which exist in the areas near to our operations. This information coupled with a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between communities and ecosystems provide the framework for identifying collaborative approaches for conservation.
How We Engage

We manage the impacts of our operations on biodiversity and habitats at every stage of the mine lifecycle, from initial exploration activities to mine rehabilitation and closure. Before the development of any operation, detailed baseline surveys are conducted to define and understand the ecosystems, habitats and plant/animal assemblages on and near the site. Sensitive or endangered species and habitats are evaluated prior to mining through the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. Following the impact analysis, management plans are developed that outline how we will minimize potential adverse impacts and monitor our management and conservation actions throughout the mine lifecycle. We minimize impacts by limiting overall land disturbance and rehabilitating areas of operation as soon as possible after work is finished.
In an effort to gain an improved understanding of biodiversity management and conservation, Newmont has developed partnerships with local and international conservation NGOs, academic institutions and communities. Newmont believes that developing collaborative programs to promote biodiversity management and conservation in our operations areas will likely enhance the success and sustainability of our collective efforts.
Newmont has initiated the use of a biodiversity-mapping tool to identify legally protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value that may exist in proximity to our exploration or operations areas or new areas of interest. The Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) was developed through a partnership among BirdLife International, Conservation International, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre. The tool is designed to provide businesses with up-to-date biodiversity information through both a visual mapping and report format.
Using the IBAT, Newmont has identified that we currently have mining operations located in broad regions that have been identified by Conservation International as "Biodiversity Hotspots." These Hotspots are identified as the Tropical Andes (Peru), the Guinean Forests of West Africa (Ghana), New Zealand, Southwest Australia and Wallacea (Indonesia). In addition, portions of two of our mining operations are located in areas considered to be Key Biodiversity Areas as defined by Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) and BirdLife International. These include the AZE site of El Chiche and Important Bird Area of Rio Cajamarca in Peru and Tatar Sepang Important Bird Area on the island of Sumbawa, Indonesia. The Newmont Boddington operation, located in Southwest Australia, is located within the Bird Life International "Endemic Bird Area of Southwest Australia" known for its Jarra forests and endangered Black Cockatoos. Newmont does not operate any mine site within any geographically-defined areas that are designated, regulated or managed to achieve specific conservation objectives as protected areas. Additionally, Newmont does not have any operations where the discharge of water or run off significantly affects water bodies and related habitats.
What's Next?
In 2010, Newmont worked with CI on evolving our long-standing partnership agreement to bring CI's expertise in biodiversity conservation together with their new strategic focus on ecosystem services to find and develop carbon forestry offset experiences that can be integrated into our global carbon strategy.
Climate change has been a rapidly emerging issue for Newmont and poses significant risks and opportunities. Forest offset projects not only offer a potential opportunity to offset our greenhouse gas emissions, but they also allow us to enhance biodiversity and improve the quality of life for our communities.
Newmont will also continue its industry/academic biodiversity partnership regarding preservation of the Black Cockatoo near our Boddington gold mine in western Australia.
2010 Overview
As of December 31, 2010, Newmont has an operational footprint of less than 29,000 hectares globally. Of our total operational footprint, rehabilitation is currently underway on 18% of the land, or 5,200 hectares. In 2010, expansion of operations created new disturbance totaling 414 hectares and we formally received notice to declare 8.6 hectares rehabilitated (See table 'Land disturbed and not yet rehabilitated').
Snapshot: Partnering to Protect Biodiversity in Project Areas
Case Study:
Planning Ahead to Conserve Biodiversity
| Amount of Land Disturbed or Rehabilitated (ha) |
| Land Disturbed as of January 1, 2010 |
28,433 |
| Land newly disturbed in 2010 |
413 |
| Land newly rehabilitated in 2010 |
9 |
| Land undergoing reclamation |
5,276 |
| Total Land Disturbed as of December 31, 2010 |
28,838 |
| Location and size of Newmont's operations in relation to areas of high biodiversity value |
| Operation |
Location |
Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) |
Position relative to protected area |
Size of Operational Site (km2) |
Ecological sensitivity |
| Yanacocha |
Peru |
Rio Cajamarca |
Contains portions of |
63 |
Important Bird Area and AZE site for Grey-bellied Comet |
| Batu Hijau |
Sumbawa, Indonesia |
Tatar Sepang IBA |
Contains portions of |
14 |
Important Bird Area for Yellow-crested Cockatoo and Flores Green-pigeon |
Boddington was previously reported as overlapping an Important Bird Area KBA when, in fact, BirdLife International designates the entire region of Southwest Australia an Endemic Bird Area and does not include the area around Boddington as a specific KBA.
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