With a mine life to 2037 and long-term economic investment committed to the region, OceanaGold is refreshing its approach to sustainable community development at Waihi, located in the North Island of New Zealand. But first, the Operation’s External Affairs and Social Performance Superintendent, Kyle Welten, and his team needed to take a step back and think about the region’s future. What does Waihi look like post mining? And until that time comes, how can the local community benefit from the Company’s presence?

Hard questions are being asked right now by the sustainability team at OceanaGold’s Waihi Operation. For a town that’s known gold since it was first discovered in the 1800s and depends on its continued success, the community is looking to the Company to deliver a meaningful contribution and help secure its future.

“In simple terms, we have a responsibility to set Waihi up for success – both now and into the future when our children and children’s children will be living their lives here,” Kyle said.

Over the last 12 months, the team has developed a ‘Life of Mine Sustainability Strategy Framework’, which outlines how the Company will align its operational performance with local aspirations, values and culture.

The Framework takes a shared value approach and outlines how OceanaGold will endeavour to be a trusted partner by contributing to the wellbeing of Waihi through partnerships that deliver sustainable outcomes for the life of mine and beyond.

“As a responsible miner, we are committed to leaving a positive legacy and actively contributing to the sustainable development of the local community post mining,” Kyle said.

“Our Contribution to sustainable development refers to the strategies and actions we will take towards the sustainable economic and social development of Waihi – steps that we can take now and that continue to make positive impacts well beyond the end of our involvement.

“Unlike impact management, sustainable development is outcome-based and uses natural resources to meet the needs of all people, without compromising future generations and the environment.

“The community rightly has an expectation that as a mining operation, we will manage our effects, for example water management or the health and safety of our workforce. Those things are non-negotiable and are stringently managed by us and reported to our regulators.

“However, there’s also an expectation of the community that’s not as vocal, prominent or actively thought about. And that is: what do we leave behind?

“We know the community most definitely expects to have a say in that – and to be our partner to deliver a prosperous future for the town – and that’s why we will be taking this Framework to the community and getting their thoughts and ideas.”

If consented, the Project has the potential to produce over 1.6 million ounces of gold and over 2.2 million ounces of silver over a 13-year period, complementing the already consented Martha Underground, and extending the life of the mine at Waihi to 2037.

“As part of the project, we are committed to working collaboratively with our local communities to create opportunities, build resilience, and leave a positive, long-lasting legacy – well beyond the mining life cycle,” Kyle said.

“My one-year-old daughter will go to school here – I want this to be a place she can grow up and thrive in her education and life. So, it’s comforting that people at OceanaGold genuinely care about operating in a way that sees benefits flow to the next generation.

“The Sustainability Team have spent the last couple of years talking, and thinking about, how we can better contribute to Waihi. I’m looking forward to putting this thinking in to practice and starting to actively discuss those potential contributions with our community.”

For more information about the Waihi Operation visit https://www.waihigold.co.nz/

The near twenty-year partnership between OceanaGold’s Macraes Operation and Fish & Game New Zealand produces as many fish as we produce gold, with up to 8,000 trout reared per year. 

Perched on the edge of the Lone Pine Reservoir stands the Macraes Flat Trout hatchery, one of only two of its kind in New Zealand. Here, between 5,000 and 8,000 rainbow trout are reared annually to be released in ‘put-and-take’ fisheries around Otago for local licensed anglers to catch. The unique setup, located on the edge of the footprint of the active mine site, is jointly operated by the OceanaGold Macraes Operation and Fish & Game Otago.  

Like many innovation projects born out of the Macraes Operation, the partnership started out as just an idea. At the time, conservation organisation Fish & Game New Zealand were closing the Bullock Creek hatchery in Wanaka around 221km away from the mine site. Avid fisherman and Processing Operator Greg Caldwell saw an opportunity to bring the hatchery to Macraes and suggested the Lone Pine Reservoir would make for a great new home, utilising the water pumped from the Taieri River to benefit the community before it joined the processing cycle to produce gold.  

Together, with in-kind help from several local contractors, Fish & Game Otago and the OceanaGold Macraes Operation built the hatchery in 2004. This saw Fish & Game responsible for providing the hatchery equipment, stocking the hatchery and releasing the fish, while OceanaGold provided the building and water and managed care of day-to-day operations, including monitoring the water temperature and flow from the Control Room of the Processing Plant.  

The secret to the hatchery’s success is the natural cyclical replenishment of the trout. Fertilised eggs are incubated before hatching into fry and maturing to a size where they can be released. Fertile rainbow trout habitually return to the water race adjacent to the hatchery from the nearby Lone Pine Reservoir when the water reaches a tropical 8 degrees Celsius. Here Fish & Game collect the eggs and sperm from the fish before they are released back into the reservoir and the cycle begins again.  

Since its commissioning the hatchery has continued to populate dams and reservoirs across Otago with rainbow trout. These waters are chosen as they have no natural spawning or recruitment areas but are important angling destinations, so they rely on the hatchery for fish.  

The OceanaGold Macraes Operation General Manager Mike Fischer said the benefits of the hatchery are realised for both the wider and local community, making the partnership even better.  

“We keep some of the trout to populate the Macraes Lone Pine Reservoir as well, so this allows us to host community events like Take a Kid Fishing days where local kids have a chance to catch fish from the reservoir with their family,” Mr Fischer said.  

From an initial capital expenditure of NZ$60,000 nearly 20-years ago, the hatchery partnership with Fish & Game continues to demonstrate how we create shared value with our stakeholders to benefit our communities.  

At OceanaGold, I genuinely believe that we are helping to create a better future for everyone associated with our business – our communities, people, suppliers, partners and shareholders. This intrinsic focus on a better future provides our business with an important purpose and has helped defined much of our strategic thinking for 2023 and beyond.

Today, I am proud to share our new Company Vision, Values, and Success Ingredients – together with our Purpose, known collectively as The OceanaGold Way – that will drive our business forward.

In developing the renewed Vision and Values and introducing Success Ingredients – or behaviours – I engaged widely and opened up the discussion to representatives across our workforce. What emerged from these discussions were insightful foundations for success, an incredibly valuable learning opportunity for me and a great illustration of the benefit of one of the Values, being Teamwork. The final product I share with you now reflects and represents the collective perspectives of our people – and I am proud to be part of the OceanaGold team who will bring The OceanaGold Way to life over the coming years.

Our Purpose is mining gold for a better future.

Our Vision is to be a company people trust, want to work and partner with, supply and invest in, to create value.

Our Values are Care, Respect, Integrity, Performance and Teamwork.

I wanted to share my thoughts on these Values, which are the most fundamental element of The OceanaGold Way:

	Care | we care for the safety, health and well-being of our people, the environment and local communities I believe care is the most important of our Values. If we genuinely care about the safety and wellbeing of people, the communities in which we operate and the environment, then every decision we make and action we take becomes easier. Any perceived success in other aspects of our business will be overshadowed if we do not exhibit this value of Care.
	Respect | we respect and listen to each other, embracing different views and diversity in all its forms This is about listening and embracing diversity, embracing new ways of thinking and learning from our colleagues and partners across the world. Respect is the basis of creating trust and the platform to identify and realise opportunities.
	Integrity | we do the right thing and take accountability to deliver on our commitments At the most basic level, integrity is about doing the right thing and what we promise to do, taking accountability for our commitments, even when no one is watching.
	Performance | we strive for excellence through learning, continuous improvement and innovating We are operationally disciplined, striving for excellence and viewing every experience as an opportunity to learn and grow. Excellence is very much about the journey as well as the destination. We improve through our focus on learning and innovation.
	Teamwork | we achieve great outcomes by everyone contributing and working together  We achieve better outcomes when everyone contributes and works together. There are few roles that can thrive alone, and we encourage collaboration, coaching and celebrating our achievements.

The Vision and Values are supported by the following ‘Success Ingredients’, which are six behaviours we will apply every day to ensure we realise our Vision and be a great place to work.

We will succeed when we:

• are open and trusting, communicating and sharing knowledge
• are inspired and aligned by shared goals
• think like business owners to safely and responsibly maximise production, reduce cost and increase returns
• speak up, contribute and take action
• are operationally disciplined and do the basic things well
• motivate, coach and celebrate people’s contributions and achievement.

Our growth plans for 2023 and beyond are ambitious. With the strong foundations in place in this new OceanaGold Way, the Company is in a good position to realise its full potential.

I look forward to our next chapter of growth together and us all giving life to the new Vision, Values and Success Ingredients every day.

Gerard Bond
President and CEO

When OceanaGold began operating the Globe Progress Mine in Forest Park near Reefton in 2007, it was done so with the condition that the company would rehabilitate the area, re-establishing the ecosystem with native plants, after mining was completed.

At the forefront of this work is Megan Williams, the Environmental Advisor who supports the restoration project to ensure it is on track.

“The ultimate goal is to leave a site that we have restored as best as we can with the most up to date technology”, says Williams. “I want the work here to reflect that we didn’t take any shortcuts and that OceanaGold takes the environmental side of gold mining seriously”.

To date more than 800,000 trees have been planted on the site comprising silver beach, mountain beach, red beach and Manuka.

The establishment of a clean and functioning wetland has been a highlight of the project to date, as not only flora and fauna have thrived but so too have native wildlife.

“The wetland plants have done better than we originally thought and in a shorter time frame”, explains Williams. “It’s been amazing to see the return of native species to make this their home”.

The project is shaping significant progress and earlier this year public consultation began on how best for the area to be used moving forward where it will be returned to public ownership through the Department of Conservation.

“Long after OceanaGold leaves the site I believe people will be surprised to think that a gold mine was ever here” states Williams.

Originally published in Inside Resources in July 2022: https://www.insideresources.co.nz/news/wildlife/123581/ogc-extends-bat-partnership-doc?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=inside-resources-newsletter

OceanaGold has signed a five-year partnership with the Department of Conservation (DoC) to expand on work funded with DoC as part of an original compensation agreement to continue predator control at Maruia on the West Coast to protect endemic long-tailed bats.

“That project has been so long-standing we have basically covered several generations of bats,” says Alison Paul, the company’s general manager for corporate and legal affairs.

OceanaGold’s five-year partnership will enable the department to expand work to protect long-tailed bats under Te Maruia Waka Huia – ‘the Maruia Treasure Box’ programme.

This integrated species programme has been designed to enhance biodiversity values at key sites within the Maruia Valley. At current state, the programme provides predator suppression through trapping over 4010 hectares targeting rats, stoats and possums.

The work under this integrated species programme provides protection to existing threatened species populations of long-tailed bats – Pekapeka – or Chalinolobus tuberculatus, black-billed gulls, South Island kaka and whio, using a combination of predator trapping and landscape predator control.

Expansion of work enabled through this partnership will strengthen existing infrastructure and increase predator protection for long-tailed bats over a further 348 hectares targeting rats, stoats and feral cats.

Knowledge

This partnership will also help DoC increase its current understanding of two long-tailed bat colonies, their size, structure, and recruitment, as well as the distribution of long-tailed bats throughout the Maruia valley.

A long-term objective for Te Maruia Waka Huia is to have consistently kept rat and stoat predator numbers in the Marble Hill area below 5 per cent. This could enable threatened species re-introduction at this site, which OceanaGold has agreed to support.

Maruia is a hotspot for the long-tailed bat, one of New Zealand’s two remaining indigenous bat species.

Unlike its largely ground-foraging distant cousin, the short-tailed bat, the long-tailed is an aerial insectivore, and part of a widely distributed family of bats, in Australia and elsewhere.

Scope

Once common throughout New Zealand, the bats started becoming scarce 100 years ago due to habitat loss and predation, mainly by possums, rats and stoats.

Today Chalinolobus tuberculatus is a critically endangered species. Conservation work focuses on Maruia, and areas such as the Eglinton valley near Te Anau, Fiordland, and Pureora forest west of Lake Taupō.

The department also uses free-standing “harp” traps to catch lactating females or new mothers, and then fit them with miniature radio transmitters to track them back to colony roosts and catch the roost to understand colony size, structure, recruitment and, over years, monitor population trends.

Globe Progress update

The closed Globe Progress open pit gold mine is showcased in OceanaGold’s sustainability report for 2021, published in late May.

At that stage the company had rehabilitated more than 131 hectares of 260 hectares of disturbed ground in Victoria Conservation Park.

That includes the planting of about 850,000 native seedlings across the site.

OceanaGold plans to plant an additional estimated 150,000 beech and mānuka seedlings by December 2023/2024, which is the scheduled end of the planting programme.

As well, the company planted 44,000 littoral species last year on the margins of Fossickers Lake, the former tailings storage facility, and Globe Pit Lake, the former open pit.

The company will plant a further 20,000 seedlings this year to complete these areas.

To date, 85 per cent of the disturbed area has been replanted, with just under 30 hectares left to re-establish.

As part of OceanaGold’s biodiversity studies supporting the proposed Waihi North Project, one of New Zealand’s living fossils has received some of its most in-depth attention to date.

The Archey’s frog is a living fossil, largely un-evolved from 150 million years ago, and is one of New Zealand’s only native frog species.

The endangered species is about the size of your thumbnail and is currently found in only three locations throughout the Waikato.

One of those locations is Wharekirauponga, where OceanaGold’s Waihi Operation is proposing to develop an underground gold mine.

As part of the mine consenting process OceanaGold has to provide enough information to demonstrate that the proposed mining activity will not have a negative impact on the frogs habitat and population.

With limited existing research to give insight, OceanaGold has assembled a team of highly experienced conservationists to get to know the species better than ever.

What has resulted is some of the most insightful research collected on the species to date and literally seeing more than ever before of this notoriously hard to find amphibian in its natural environment. This research suggests suggest the amphibian’s numbers on the Coromandel Peninsula are estimated to be 54.8 million.

“It has to have been raining, reasonably warm and at night before they show themselves”, says Cassie McArthur, OceanaGold Senior Environmental Advisor. “You think you’re never going to find them and then there they are!”

Cassie, a former Department of Conservation ranger, has been deeply involved in the study on the frog species for the past two years.

“Before we started this work there had only been limited and sporadic research, but now our understanding has grown exponentially. OceanaGold’s commitment to preservation and bio-diversity means we now have the knowledge and resources to ensure clear ways to protect and help see the Archey’s frog thrive”.

This article was originally published in The Valley Profile in June 2022:  https://www.valleyprofile.co.nz/2022/06/22/new-vehicle-revs-up-waihi-landsar/

Waihī LandSAR can now tackle tough terrain for search and rescue in a new ute donated by OceanaGold.

Waihī LandSAR is a group of 24 volunteers available 24/7 to undertake search and rescue missions in Waihī and other urban and remote areas in Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
Chairman Darren Butler told The Profile the new four wheel drive dual cab ute would be a “huge asset” for the group.

“We do quite a bit of travel out of the area to assist with neighbouring search operations and regional training… but up until now we’ve all just relied on our own personal vehicles for transport to get anywhere. So to have a group vehicle available is a huge asset,” he said.
“[It] reduces the burden on the individuals… and being four wheel drive we get to do the areas that are out in the middle of nowhere so the four wheel drive side of things will be absolutely great for us.”

Darren said OceanaGold’s generosity to donate the ute to Waihī LandSAR, which had undertaken around five search and rescue missions this year, was “greatly appreciated.”

“Any income we get we need to fundraise ourselves… if [the new ute] wasn’t going to be from a donation, we probably couldn’t afford to go purchasing it and certainly nothing to the calibre of the vehicle they’ve just given us, so greatly appreciated,” he said.

Darren said the next step was to get a canopy, deck liner and towbar for the new ute to carry specialised equipment, which included stretchers and ropes.

OceanaGold said it won the ute in a Farm Source promotion and after recognising other organisations would benefit from the vehicle, decided to donate it to Waihī LandSAR due to its strong local presence and dedicated team of volunteers.

OceanaGold general manager operations Matt Hine said LandSar devoted hundreds of hours each year, with responses ranging from searching for lost hikers to helping locate family members suffering Dementia or Alzheimers.

“It’s a fantastic organisation which at its core represents reuniting loved ones [and] OceanaGold in conjunction with Waihī Farm Source are proud to support their ongoing work through the donation of the vehicle,” he said.

In regional centres, not having a driver licence can be a real barrier to employment for young people. That’s why OceanaGold’s Waihi Operation is partnering with the new Jumpstart initiative to support Waihi students to get their full licence.

The Jumpstart Navigator program is a partnership between OceanaGold, Waihi College, local Police, Waihi community members and Blue Light – a charity that works with Police to help local young people – and has been designed for young people who may not have access to a reliable vehicle or no licenced adult to teach them how to drive.

Waihi Operation Community Development Advisor, Phil Salmon, said the Jumpstart was launched in February, after discussions with Waihi College about how OceanaGold could provide additional support for students transitioning to work.

“New Zealand has a graduated driver licensing system which means drivers move from a learner to a restricted and then a full licence over two years,” Phil said.

“While the system is designed to help train safe drivers, it can be difficult for young people who do not have regular access to a vehicle or someone to supervise them,” he said.

“The young people who face these barriers are often at-risk youth, and not having a driver’s licence can further perpetuate this by severely limiting employment opportunities.”

Waihi College Careers Co-ordinator, Carolyn Graveson, said without a licence, many young people, especially those in rural areas like Waihi, with no public transport, were disadvantaged.

“It means these students can’t drive a vehicle to work or to a training provider,” Carolyn said.

“Many jobs require a licence before they will employ you, so a program like Jumpstart can have a real, local impact,” she said.

Hauraki District Council Community Employment Liaison Officer, Julie Stephenson, said with the Jumpstart program, Waihi College students got driver training during school hours in a vehicle provided and maintained by OceanaGold.

“To date, eight community members have been trained as Navigators and are rostered on for two hours each week to drive with Waihi College students,” Julie said.

We have 23 students on the course, with over 100 hours of driver training delivered in the first two months,” she said.

“OceanaGold provides and maintains the vehicle, Waihi College organises the driving schedule, Blue Light staff train the Navigator and Waihi students benefit. It’s a great program.”

Hamish is the first Waihi College student to gain his Restricted Licence through the program and said it had been a huge help.

“The program helped get my driving confidence up. I had a lot more time on the road, and the Navigators gave me some great advice that really helped me pass my test,” Hamish said.

A three-year partnership between OceanaGold and the University of Queensland (UQ) has included looking into the impacts of mining and mine site closure on First Nations People. The result – one of the first globally recognised industry research papers that affirmed, connected and elevated the voices of Indigenous leaders.

More than 40 First Nations people and affiliated researchers from across New Zealand, Canada and Australia came together last November to discuss the impacts of mining and mine site closure on their lands.

The Indigenous Exchange Forum: Transitions in Mine Closure was the culmination of many discussions by the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining (CSRM) Social Aspects of Mine Closure Research Consortium, of which OceanaGold is a founding member.

The Consortium was established in 2019 to conduct research that challenges accepted industry norms and practices and demands new approaches that place people at the centre of mine closure.

Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, Dr Sarah Holcombe, said the purpose of the Forum was to build an international network across Indigenous communities to enable the sharing of experiences, struggles, and sentiments in relation to mine site transition and mine-related impacts on their lands.

“The Forum was an opportunity for Indigenous people to come together in a safe, open environment where all views were listened to and nothing was off the table,” Dr Holcombe said.

“For some of the participants, there was a lot of hurt and emotion shared, and for others it provided an opportunity to learn about best practice engagement that offered insights into new ways for industry and First Nations people to work together,” she said.

“By sharing stories, experiences, and the journey they have been on, the participants reaffirmed the need for intergenerational healing – or possibilities for healing.”

Multiple Māori iwi – the customary land-holding family groups – in Aotearoa, New Zealand who have rights and interests over OceanaGold’s three mine sites (the Waihi and Macraes Operations and Reefton Restoration Project), participated in the Forum.

“Collectively, the participants shared powerful insights about their experiences with the mines in the context of frontier battles, settler colonialism, and mine closure,” Dr Holcombe said.

“This included connection to Country, experiences of past mine closure, and concerns, expectations and aspirations about forthcoming closure.”

OceanaGold EVP – Sustainability, Sharon Flynn, said continuous improvement in social performance, and in particular, iwi and community engagement, was ingrained in the company’s culture.

“As a responsible miner, we own our past, our present and our future. And, by being an active member of the CSRM, we have participated in projects that have allowed for direct and unfiltered feedback, which have positively challenged our company, and are key to our growth in the future,” Sharon said.

OceanaGold is guided by an External Affairs and Social Performance Manual, which outlines policies and processes to identify and analyse how the company impacts the communities where it operates. Importantly, it guides the company to align its operational performance with local aspirations, values and cultures.

“We are on a journey of continuous improvement, and we understand that involves learning from the past, creating space for healing, and establishing collaborative and respectful engagement processes that deliver mutual outcomes,” Sharon said.

While Dr Holcombe noted that “what we’ve learned from this research, and the Forum in particular, is that mine closure offers an opportunity to mend and reset relationships. It’s never too late to start that journey.”

“There’s a legacy mining companies must take on board as part of their social performance, and continuous and close engagement with First Nations people forms part of that important process, especially in the transition from operations to closure,” Dr Holcombe said.

“The Forum dialogue echoed that sentiment. As a collective, the participants affirmed their willingness and commitment to continue to share, culturally connect and realise a way forward that is informed by intergenerational First Nation impacts,” she said.

“For mining companies, developing long-term governance systems that are culturally informed is a crucial step.”

Read the full report here.

Historic progress for saving the Carolina Heelsplitter is underway in Lancaster County.

The Carolina Heelsplitter – a freshwater mussel – is one of the rarest species on the planet. Now, thanks to collective work led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and funded by the Haile Gold Mine, the Carolina Heelsplitter has a better chance at survival than it has had in decades.

Morgan Wolf, is the USFWS’ lead National Recovery Biologist for the Carolina Heelsplitter project. For the past several years, Morgan and her team have been working hard to save this critical species.

In 2017, for the first time in recorded history, they released the initial batch of lab-raised heelsplitters in Flat Creek. In October 2021, Wolf and fellow agents were back again, carefully trekking the calm Flat Creek waters in search of a stable area to introduce 559 juvenile heelsplitters.

“Flat Creek provides the clean, well-oxygenated water needed for nourishment. This area contains some of the best remaining habitat for the species known to exist,” Morgan said.

Each juvenile Heelsplitter is raised at the Orangeburg Mussel Conservation Center (OMCC) through a program responsible for propagating the endangered species. The project, which began in 2015, included the challenge of figuring out how to emulate the reproduction process.

The female’s fertilized eggs are released into the water to find and attach to a specific fish species during the phase. The larvae remain attached for weeks while drawing nourishment from their unharmed host. Once developed into juveniles, the heelsplitter drops off the fish and settles to the bottom of the stream.

If it’s an area supportive to Heelsplitter, they will continue to grow. Habitat or water quality issues will hinder development, and they won’t be able to reproduce, eventually dying out. Figuring out how to replicate the reproduction process in a lab was difficult.

Thankfully, the USFWS and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources worked together to solve the puzzle. The 559 mussels released in October joined more than 1,000 others released into river basins in the Pee Dee, Saluda, Savannah, and Catawba regions.

Morgan calls the OMCC a “game-changer” for species recovery. “It allows us to produce animals in South Carolina, near heelsplitter occupied habitats for the first time ever,” she said.

Haile Gold Mine funding was one of the main components leading to the program’s establishment. As part of Haile’s Conservation Management Plan for impacts to local waters, the company committed a $3.7 million endowment divided into annual contributions for the Carolina Heelsplitter. Approximately $1.6 million has been provided for the program since 2015.

“This endowment is a substantial contribution to propagation and research efforts for the species for the foreseeable future,” Morgan said.

Haile also supports the project by fostering some of the best remaining habitats for the heelsplitter known to exist. Juveniles released in October were stocked on the lower portion of Flat Creek, property Haile once owned before the company donated it to the Katawba Valley Land Trust.

“We respect and strive to protect our natural environments where we work,” Haile Gold Mine Executive General Manager, David Londono, said. “The Haile Gold Mine team will continue to work with the USFWS and other supporting agencies to hopefully one day enjoy the Heelsplitters flourishing on their own.”

Healthy habitats are critical to the heelsplitter’s future and access to the areas helps to augment population numbers and monitor the program’s success. Morgan said at least one heelsplitter population in the state is augmented each year.

“While our propagation efforts may be successful, recovery is limited by suitable stream habitat in which to place animals, and also the willingness of private landowners to allow augmentation on their lands,” she said.

Fish and Wildlife consistently battles against negative factors such as climate change, deforestation, permitted and non-permitted discharges into streams, and other problems that threatens the species.  For more information on the Carolina Heelsplitter visit https://www.fws.gov/species/carolina-heelsplitter-lasmigona-decorata.

Governments and business around the world face growing expectations to deliver a net zero global carbon economy by 2050, in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement. Today, business analysts, investors, insurers and consumers not only expect to see a net zero commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 2050, but also a deliberate, staged and defensible plan to deliver emissions reductions over time to achieve the 2050 goal.

In 2020, OceanaGold committed to achieving net zero greenhouse emissions by 2050. During 2021, operational and corporate sustainability teams worked together to identify specific actions to reduce emissions across the company – taking into account the projects already underway, emerging technologies and actions by governments to increase renewables in their power grids.

In February 2022, the OceanaGold Board approved an interim target to reduce carbon emissions per ounce of gold produced by 30 per cent by 2030 (based on 2019 performance levels). This interim climate change target is based on a clear action plan to help reach OceanaGold’s goal to net zero operational greenhouse emissions by 2050.

Decarbonisation in the mining industry

Decarbonisation is seen as a major disrupter in the mining and metals industry and according to Ernst and Young’s latest mining sector report (Top mining and metals risks and opportunities in 2022), it is in the top three business risks for 2022.

The World Gold Council (WGC) has recognised the need for strong action within the industry, identifying four key focus areas to manage greenhouse gas emissions – decarbonisation of mobile equipment fleet, decarbonisation of electricity supply, energy efficiency in the static plant, and carbon capture, sequestration, and offsets.

The company had developed an emissions reduction strategy to provide a pathway to maintain focus and build capability in emissions management across the organisation – with a focus on three of these areas; decarbonisation of the mobile equipment, increased use of renewable energy, and energy use/energy efficiency improvements.

A non-linear approach to net zero

OceanaGold General Manager for Health, Safety and Environment, Greg Scanlan, said the 2030 target was determined following industry benchmarking, the establishment of an emissions intensity baseline, and identification of reduction opportunities at an operational level.

“The pathway to deliver the 2030 target will need to adapt given actual performance, increasing regulatory and market pressures, rapidly changing technology and as frameworks for measuring and reporting are adapted and developed,” Greg said.

“There is a long way to go to net zero and our journey won’t be linear. Our interim 2030 climate change targets will help drive focus and innovation across the company, meet our stakeholders’ expectations and set a challenging but achievable pathway in line with industry targets.”

“In 2019 (our baseline year), OceanaGold generated 0.52 tonnes of CO2^e per ounce of gold produced, lower than the industry average of 0.8 tonnes of CO2^e  per ounce of gold produced, as reported by the World Gold Council.”

Technology and innovation key to decarbonisation

As a responsible miner, OceanaGold continuously improves and innovates the way it explores, extracts and processes minerals, drawing on the latest advanced technology and systems to improve performance.

Clear actions are required to reach decarbonisation and rapid advances in technology and innovation, including electrification, are central to the mining industry’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact.

“We are on an exciting journey of innovation and transformation in an industry which is vital to us all as we transition to a low-carbon world. Since 2018, OceanaGold has been implementing a company-wide program of automation, digital and process transformation, which is helping our company define the journey to operate the mines of the future,” Greg said.

In line with the interim 2030 target, OceanaGold has developed an internal reporting and visualisation tool (dashboard) that will improve tracking of its emissions in close to real time, support operational decision-making and maintain a focus on the performance of each operation.

Clear actions to reduce impact

“Our strategy supports an adaptive approach to driving emissions reduction by providing flexibility within the plan to respond to emergent opportunities, lessons learned at other sites, and evolving organisational priorities,” Greg said.

“The primary focus will be around decreasing the carbon intensity from our electricity suppliers, which is achievable through an increased focus on the purchase of renewable energy, through national government initiatives to encourage and mandate greening of grid electricity.”

The company will also be seeking to identify and accelerate decarbonising its mobile equipment fleet. Displacing or reducing diesel as the primary fuel for mining equipment, with a view to implement electrification and the use of alternative fuels such as biodiesel, hydrogen and emerging (hybrid) technology.

“OceanaGold will reduce energy use throughout its operation by reducing energy losses, using solar lighting wherever possible, and improving equipment use efficiency,” Greg said.

“By the end of June 2022 all operations will have completed negotiations with their current electricity supplier to maximise the renewable energy component of supply broadly consistent with current commercial costs.”

This article was originally published in the Otago Daily Times in March 2022: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/just-mars-rover-inspiration

Farmers – if you discover a six-wheeled robot terrifying your sheep in the Macraes area, do not panic. It just means Mark Campbell’s rover has suffered a minor technical fault.

The 15-year-old Logan Park High School pupil has built a fully functioning rover which is operating in an unused area of the OceanaGold Macraes Operation in East Otago and is being managed remotely from his Dunedin home via a 3G connection.

“It’s solar powered and it’s autonomous. All I have to do is put some points on a map on my laptop, and it will drive there by itself.”

It can drive for up to 11 hours each day. It also has a real-time camera and a time-lapse camera that takes a photo every 60 seconds which allows him to see the rover’s daily movements concisely.

Trials of his rover started around his home, then moved to the streets of Dunedin, and now it is navigating Martian-type terrain at Macraes.

“Originally, I was just looking at the Mars Rovers on YouTube and I thought that was pretty cool.

“Then I wanted to give it a crack myself. I started buying parts online and just started doing it.”

He said he did a lot of research online for designs and had spent the past two years bringing the rover to fruition using his own money (leveraged with in-kind funding from his parents), Otago Institute science fair prize money and a Ministry of Education grant.

 Mark was delighted when Macraes mine bosses allowed him to set up his rover in an unused part of the mine and was confident it would remain in the confines of the allotted space.

“The ground’s really loose and the gravel just slides underneath the wheels and it’s a big open area so there’s lots of room to drive around without being run over by one of those big dump trucks.

“Originally, I did this just for fun – achieving the goal of just being able to drive purely off solar power.

“I thought that was pretty out-of-reach for me, but it actually wasn’t.”

He now has ambitions of working for a tech company that builds robots and rovers which could explore other planets in our solar system.

“It would definitely be cool to work in that field.”

OceanaGold is well on its way to have a process in place to conform with the World Gold Council’s Responsible Gold Mining Principles (RGMPs).

OceanaGold’s General Manager for Health, Safety and Environment, Greg Scanlan, said OceanaGold was closing out the second year of a three-year preparedness program, and was working to demonstrate conformance with the RGMPs by September this year.

“In 2021, each World Gold Council member company was required to complete a self-assessment, to identify the gaps remaining to conform to the RGMPs,” Greg said.

“This gap assessment helped identify conformance and areas for continuous improvement around environment, social and governance (ESG) internal systems and processes,” he said.

“The second-year self-assessment process was then validated through external assurance in September 2021, to confirm OceanaGold continues to progress our first-year corrective action plans against identified continuous improvement opportunities. ”

“OceanaGold has a strong commitment to sustainable practices across its Global operations and prides itself as a strong ESG performer. We see conformance to the RGMP’s as another way to demonstrate our commitment to integrated performance across functions.”

Greg said the company’s performance in the year two self-assessment had identified some additional continuous improvement opportunities but confirms OceanaGold is on the right track.

“We acknowledge that if the requirements of the RGMPs were applied at the time of the Year 2 assurance audit (September 2021), we would have difficulty demonstrating conformance in certain governance sub principles. However, work required to meet these RGMP sub principles requires a longer lead time to reach full conformance (for example, establishing and embedding the responsible supply chain framework). Our development of these processes and detailed action plans will support future conformance.”

“Upholding high standards is part of our culture at OceanaGold and is good business. It’s what every global company strives for.”

Going into 2022, the key continuous improvement areas for OceanaGold include:

 Environment

• Continuing to develop Energy Management plans that identify emission reduction opportunities in support of the delivery of OceanaGold’s interim carbon reduction targets and transition to Net Zero Emissions by 2050.
• Build business resilience by understanding climate change risks to the business based on IPCC global warming models (physical and transition risk assessments undertaken for all assets) and making relevant disclosures in accordance with the recommendations made by the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
• Strengthening closure planning processes and ensuring robust water management systems are implemented at each operation.

 Social

• Continuing to mature the social performance systems at each operation, including undertaking social risk assessments.
• Continuing Human Rights Policy training.
• Continuing to enhance robust stakeholder engagement processes.

 Governance

• Developing and implementing a multi-year action plan for responsible supply chain processes across the organisation, including human rights and modern slavery.

Reviewing and enhancing our processes for permitting and consenting governance and where relevant, incorporating it into business practices and decision-making.

We recently spoke to Gavin Lee, the Macraes Operation’s Environment and Community Manager, about how water is managed on site. 

Water is essential to life and underpins the health of people and communities. It has significant social, ecological, cultural and economic values.

Water is also vital when mining for and producing gold, and at the Macraes Operation, water is used in a number of ways. From the trout hatchery, to the processing plant, to the way we capture stormwater and safely store it.

Each step in our processing plant requires water to separate the valuable minerals containing the gold from the host rock. We initially add water when grinding up gold-bearing ore turning it into slurry (a paste-like mixture of fine rock and water). At this consistency we’re able to move the mixture from one step to the next. Water is also used for mixing reagents like cyanide which dissolves the gold and allows it to be removed from all the other material.

After we remove the gold, the remaining material, which contains trace amounts of cyanide is passed through a cyanide destruction process (the INCO process) to reduce the environmental risk, then pumped as tailings to the tailings storage facility (TSF).

In the processing plant, about 90% of the water we use is recycled, much of it from the tailings storage facilities. About 5% of the water we use is taken from silt ponds, or other water storages which are not able to be discharged, and about 5% (between 1,500 – 1,800 cubic metres a day, or about two thirds of an Olympic Swimming Pool), comes from the Taieri River.

We have three permits with the Otago Regional Council that allow us to take water from the Taieri River. When the flow in the river is low, we work with a group of irrigators in the catchment, called the Strath Taieri Irrigation Group (STIG), to ensure a minimum flow is maintained in the river. STIG has a coordinator who sends out a text message when it is our time to switch on and off the water pumps.

Before the water gets used in the process plant, it is used to produce trout at the Macraes Trout Hatchery. Established in 2004 in collaboration with conservation organisation Fish & Game, the hatchery is a fantastic example of how we can create shared value with our stakeholders. From an initial capital expenditure of NZ$60,000 nearly 20 years ago, the trout hatchery has become enormously successful at continuously supplying trout for the benefit of anglers in Otago.

It is also critical we manage water around the surface mining areas. Erosion from rain leading to sediment run-off needs to be contained in appropriately designed drainage that feeds into silt ponds, where the sediment settles out before the water is discharged to local creeks. Water also needs to be pumped away from open pit floors and the underground to ensure safe and efficient mining operations.

Through our environmental monitoring program, we have found that water that passes through the waste rock stacks may collect sulphates and nitrates. In some cases, the concentrations of these compounds are such that this water cannot be discharged, and it is pumped back into the site water management system.

This process is possible in the short term, however once the mine closes it presents a challenge. Research is currently underway to examine two options. One option is to use this water for irrigation. As sulphates and nitrates are fertilisers, the use of waste rock seepage for irrigation offers the opportunity for a win-win for the mine and the farming community. We are currently working with the University of Otago and a number of lessees to understand the potential of this water.

Where irrigation may not be possible, our team is also working with a research company, Verum, on enhanced passive water treatment. This treatment uses natural processes to convert and remove the sulphates and nitrates from the waste rock water. We have completed a series of lab-based trials and the next step will be a field pilot program. We also worked with Verum on the passive water treatment plant for our Reefton Restoration Project.

With the expanding footprint of the mine, we are collecting additional water and a lot of this water cannot be discharged. At Macraes we have a negative water balance, meaning there is more evaporation than rainfall. So, we use a sprinkler system that utilises evaporation from the sun and wind, to help reduce the volume of water on site. This is particularly important for maintaining the correct freeboard (water levels) on the TSFs.

Water is becoming a scarcer and more valued commodity. Looking forward, we are likely to face changes in rainfall patterns with more intense rainfall and long periods without rain. What this means for mining is that we need to always be thinking about how we can reduce our water consumption by minimising use and increasing reuse.

In our Water Management Statement of Position we commit to reducing our water-related impacts through collaboration, partnerships, product stewardship, minimising our use and a strong focus on operational control and improving operational performance. Using water wisely is good for the environment, good for society and also good for business.

As far as the dozens of young people at Lancaster Children’s Home are concerned, the dead-end road sign on Children’s Avenue is inaccurate.  The road, and the agency operating there, offers an outlet and a passageway to a better life than the one each child originally inherited.

The Lancaster Children’s Home affords a chance for the children to press “reset” since many have been abandoned, neglected, or abused in some way. State funding and grants provide only a portion of the funds required to operate the facility in a “home-like” way.

Community support from companies like Haile Gold Mine helps the agency operate just a little easier for the children and dedicated employees.

Haile recently joined other local corporate sponsors to fund the 11th Annual Fall Flurry Clay Shoot – the biggest fundraiser event for the Lancaster Children’s Home. In November the operation donated 63lbs of wild boar sausage to stock the facility’s freezer.

Wild Boar pose a threat to infrastructure and humans. The Haile Gold Mine conducts a trap and kill program to reduce the onsite population when frequent sightings occur. The pigs are processed, and meat is donated in the community wherever a need exists.

“We absolutely love the Haile Gold Mine, they have been wonderful to us,” Director of Community Development, April Joplin said.

Haile also provided items for outdoor activities last summer, which April said was a great treat for the children. The COVID-19 pandemic has limited the agency’s ability to host onsite programs for the children. The need for other activities significantly increased.

“The outdoor activity items were wonderful for our kids and gave them things to keep them occupied outside. You can’t take a troubled teen and make them sit in their bedroom 24/7. That’s a recipe for disaster,” she said.

Community support is perhaps the biggest factor in the success of the facility. April said state support provides little more than enough for “three hots and a cot.”

According to April, considerably more is needed to provide a safe and comfortable environment for the children. For example, many referrals necessitate maintaining counseling services. Some also need glasses, which means trips to appointments.

Part of April’s job is seeking opportunities for more funding. Lancaster Children’s Home relies heavily on grants and fundraising efforts. Food donations are important, but there are challenges because the facility cooks in bulk so small cans of food aren’t as helpful. AmazonSmile has been a big help.

The online portal is separate from Amazon’s main website. It offers the same items and benefits as Amazon.com but has a big charitable difference. When you purchase on AmazonSmile, 0.5% of the price goes to the charity of your choice at no extra charge to the charity or customer.

“We promote that a lot on our social media. We’ll have people go online and order the bulk food and it’ll be shipped to us,” April said.

Residents of Sun City Carolina Lakes have also been instrumental in their support of Lancaster Children’s Home. The panhandle community’s Friends of Lancaster Children’s Home and a Helping Hands group have stepped up to meet needs as they arise.

“Both of those groups go above and beyond to help us out,” she said.

There’s plenty of opportunities for you to help out with Christmas right around the corner. You can donate gifts to the children by checking Lancaster Children’s Home Facebook and Instagram pages. The agency frequently updates both outlets with a list of needs. Christmas wish lists will also be shared on social media.

April said the great thing about support from corporations like Haile is the example it sets for employees.

“We’ve had employees from Haile reach out and ask what they can do. When your employer is setting the example, it encourages the employees to be a philanthropist and want to do the same thing,” she said.

If you would like to support the Lancaster Children’s Home, please reach out to them at +1 803 286 5277, or follow their social media pages for donation information. The agency is a 501c3 non-profit organization.

OceanaGold takes a proactive approach to working through concerns, complaints and grievances to foster a greater understanding of and connection with the community.

There is perhaps no one better suited to the role of Community Liaison Officer than Donna Fisher. Donna has lived in the Waihi region for 45 years and has spent 26 of those working at the Waihi Operation. For the last 19 years, she has worked as the Community Liaison Officer, so to say she knows Waihi quite well (the town, people and mine) is an understatement.

“I live and breathe it. It doesn’t matter where I am in town – the doctor, hairdresser or the supermarket – a member of the community will always ask me about what’s happening at the mine,” Donna said.

“But I don’t mind. At a human level, all people really want is someone to talk to, and I’m a good listener,” she said. “The feedback – while not always positive – is always welcome and by contacting me, people know action will be taken.”

Donna’s statement characterises OceanaGold’s approach to concerns, complaints and grievances – even when feedback comes through as criticism, or is a complaint about unavoidable operational impacts, the information is powerful.

Social Performance Advisor, Danielle Crawford, is part of the company’s External Affairs and Social Performance team that develops and manages responsible mining policy and process. She says the company’s operational community engagement teams provide an important conduit for identifying, reporting, and responding to concerns, complaints and grievances.

“Complaints aren’t received negatively, rather they are an opportunity to engage, and to enhance our control mechanisms, which can often lead to operational improvements,” Danielle said.

“It shows that people trust us to deal with issues, which we do with very embedded processes that are required of us both legislatively, and across the industry as a responsible miner.”

OceanaGold’s Complaints and Grievance Mechanism Standard, implemented in 2019, provides a framework for the timely and adequate resolution of concerns, complaints, and grievances relating to operations and projects, with a focus on preventative management.

The Standard is governed by the External Affairs and Social Performance Manual and is subject to biennial review. This forms part of OceanaGold’s commitment to meeting the World Gold Council’s Responsible Gold Mining Principles (Principle 2.5), which states: We will establish fair, accessible, effective and timely mechanisms through which complaints and grievances related to our activities can be raised and resolved and remedies implemented. Those raising such grievances in good faith will not face discrimination or retaliation as a result of raising their concerns.

Actions resulting from the recent review will be implemented by the end of 2021. These include establishing designated community hotlines at the Macraes Operation in New Zealand and the Haile Gold Mine in the United States.

For the company’s operations at the “mining towns” of Waihi in New Zealand and Didipio in the Philippines, immediate neighbours and the broader community are well versed in mining activities through targeted engagement and communication. Community hotlines are already established at these operations, but the review found opportunities to improve internal triage systems to ensure complaints and grievances are resolved more quickly.

Back on site at Waihi, it’s Donna’s experience at resolving issues and building relationships with the community that has extended the company’s duty of care.

“At a training course many years ago, I heard the phrase, ‘A complaint is a gift’ and I take that mantra to work with me every day,” she said.

“I have an open-door approach and by taking the time to stop and chat, I’ve learnt so much about my community. Like, who might need help with firewood over winter, or who might be feeling especially lonely during lockdown.

“It’s about taking the bad with the good and I try to help where I can and hopefully make a difference.”

2021 saw OceanaGold release its first Modern Slavery statement to address how the company will assess and monitor its exposure to modern slavery risks. It forms part of the approach to human rights as the company works toward implementing all 10 of the World Gold Council’s Responsible Gold Mining Principles by 2022.

The latest Global Slavery Index, published in 2018, showed there were 40.3 million people living in modern slavery in 2016, 71 per cent of them women and girls. And closer to home, the International Labour Organisation and Australian anti-slavery organisation, Walk Free, estimates there are 15,000 people being kept in slave-like conditions in Australia.*

“Sadly, modern slavery is a challenge that exists globally,” OceanaGold’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Liang Tang, said. “As a responsible multinational mining company, we want to make sure we’re taking the right approach, so we are not causing or contributing to modern slavery.”

In 2018, Australia passed the Modern Slavery Act 2018, which requires entities that have an annual consolidated revenue of more than $100 million to report annually on the risks of modern slavery in their operations and supply chains, and actions to address those risks.

As a Reporting Entity under the Act, OceanaGold is required to prepare a statement that outlines the risks of modern slavery practices in its operations and supply chains, and those of any entities it owns or controls, for each financial year.

In June 2021, OceanaGold released its first Modern Slavery Statement to report on the work undertaken in 2020. This included reviewing its tier one supply chain and assessing suppliers’ inherent risks on a low-to-high scale.

“Modern slavery exploits vulnerable people and abuses their basic human rights,” Liang said. “It’s a complex issue and not necessarily one that’s easy to identify.”

“Addressing potential modern slavery risks is complex and we are in the early stages of our work. At OceanaGold knowledge is one of our values and our approach to modern slavery risk and our annual Modern Slavery Statements will focus on continuous improvement.”

The approach is backed by the OceanaGold Board of Directors and Executive Committee who are committed to developing a framework that will help the company better understand potential modern slavery risks and guide its response.

“Earning the right to operate long into the future means understanding our broader societal impacts and working closely with suppliers, communities, governments and global organisations to maintain our high standards and continue to enhance our practices over time.”

“We look forward to sharing our progress in our future statements.”

*Source: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/australia-s-modern-slaves-are-a-real-mix-and-they-are-suffering-in-silence