One of our core values is to protect the environment by minimizing the impact of our operations. Being a good steward of the environment means minimizing the impact of our work and rehabilitating affected areas when were done. It starts at the very outset of a project, in our impact assessment and project planning, and continues throughout the lifecycle of our mines. Our efforts aim to protect air, soil and water quality and to maintain biodiversity. We’re also committed to the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) guiding principles, which include finding ways to minimize the impact of our operations on the environment through all stages of development.

In 2010, we successfully closed our Troilus site in Quebec meeting all environmental and safety requirements. Our development property in Panamá submitted its environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) and our total energy and water consumption was lower than the previous year. At Las Cruses, we had difficulty meeting strict water quality discharge limits for re-injection of ground water. The limits included some constituents which our present purification system were not designed to treat effectively. We continue to improve to our water treatment processes at Las Cruses.

Download the PDF of our environmental performance in 2011.