Download Alternatives Evaluation – Process Water Supply VC/Criteria

Alternatives Evaluation – Process Water Supply
VC/Criteria
Indicators/Measurable
Parameters
Alternative Method
Reclaim water recycled from TMF and site contact water collection
system
Groundwater form Historic Underground Workings
Surface Water Takings
Natural Environment
Air
Climate change as
measured by change in
GHGs
Minor increase in GHG from pumping operations.
Minor increase in GHG from pumping operations.
Minor increase in GHG from pumping operations.
Change in ambient air
quality parameters
Minor increase in air pollutants from pumping operations.
Minor increase in air pollutants from pumping operations.
Minor increase in air pollutants from pumping operations.
Overall Air Quality Ranking
Acoustic Environment
Change in noise and
vibration levels
Overall Acoustic Environment Ranking
Groundwater
Neutral
Minor air quality effects are relatively comparable across all
alternatives and easily mitigated.
Minor air quality effects are relatively comparable across all
alternatives and easily mitigated.
Minor air quality effects are relatively comparable across all
alternatives and easily mitigated.
Minor increase in noise and vibration from pumping operations.
Minor increase in noise and vibration from pumping operations.
Neutral
Neutral
Minor noise and vibration effects are comparable across all
alternatives and easily mitigated.
Minor noise and vibration effects are comparable across all
alternatives and easily mitigated.
Minor noise effects are comparable across all alternatives and
easily mitigated.
Maximizes the reuse of mine water. No additional effect on
groundwater quantity as pumping is required for mine dewatering.
Change in groundwater
quality
Maximizes the reuse of mine water. No effect on groundwater
quality.
Maximizes the reuse of mine water. May provide the opportunity
for arsenic removal from groundwater.
Surface Water
Change in surface water
quality
Overall Surface Water Ranking
Change in fish habitat
Fish mortality
Overall Fish and Fish Habitat Ranking
Change in abundance of
vegetation species of
interest
Change in abundance
and condition of
vegetation communities
Change in wetland
function and connectivity
Minor increase in noise and vibration from pumping operations
Neutral
Maximizes the reuse of mine water. No effect on groundwater
quantity.
Change in surface water
quantity and flow
Vegetation and
Wetlands
Neutral
Change in groundwater
quantity and flow
Overall Groundwater Ranking
Fish and Fish Habitat
Neutral
May have localized effects on groundwater discharge and levels.
May affect groundwater supplies under the direct influence of
surface water (GUDI) from effluent discharge and loading to
surface water.
Neutral
Neutral
Disadvantage
Closed system would result in no effects to local aquifers.
Closed system would result in no effects to local aquifers.
May result in some effect to groundwater.
Maximizes the reuse of mine water. Reduces demand on clean
fresh water sources.
Maximizes the reuse of mine water. Reduces demand on clean
fresh water sources.
Piping system would be co-located with other infrastructure to limit
effects on waterbodies.
Piping system would be co-located with other infrastructure to limit
effects on waterbodies.
Does not maximize opportunity for mine water re-use. Increases the
demand on fresh water sources.
Kenogamisis Lake could be affected by water-taking.
May have localized effects on surface water quality as a result of
increased groundwater discharge.
Minimizes effluent discharge and loading to surface water.
Minimizes effluent discharge and loading to surface water.
Does not minimize effluent discharge and loading to surface water.
May affect groundwater supplies under the direct influence of
surface water (GUDI).
Advantage
Advantage
Disadvantage
Limited potential effects to surface water features.
Limited potential effects to surface water features.
Higher potential for effects to surface water features.
Reclaim water will have no effect on fish or fish habitat, since it will
operate in a closed loop.
No effects on fish or fish habitat from underground working
dewatering, since no connections to surface water features are
expected.
Major Advantage
Major Advantage
Closed system would result in no effects to fish habitat.
Isolated dewatering would result in no effects to fish habitat.
Potential for reductions in baseflows to creeks and wetlands,
resulting in reduced habitat quantity and perhaps quality.
No effects on fish are expected.
Major Disadvantage
High potential for negative effects on fish habitat due to volume of
water required.
Minor loss of vegetation communities for piping associated with
process water system.
Minor loss of vegetation communities for piping associated with
process water system.
Minor loss of vegetation communities for piping associated with
process water system.
Piping system would not cross any wetlands.
Piping system would not cross any wetlands.
Potential minor loss of wetland communities from establishing
surface water supply, depending on intake location.
Minor potential loss of wetland function from water taking,
VC/Criteria
Indicators/Measurable
Parameters
Overall Vegetation and Wetlands Ranking
Wildlife and Wildlife
Habitat
Change in movement,
health and mortality risk of
wildlife
Alternative Method
Reclaim water recycled from TMF and site contact water collection
system
Groundwater form Historic Underground Workings
Surface Water Takings
depending on intake location.
Disadvantage
Neutral
Neutral
Low potential for effects to vegetation and wetlands.
Low potential for effects to vegetation and wetlands.
Minor potential effects on vegetation communities and wetlands
are expected, depending on intake location.
Piping system would be co-located with other infrastructure to limit
effects on wildlife or wildlife habitat.
Piping system would be co-located with other infrastructure to limit
effects on wildlife or wildlife habitat.
Piping system would be co-located with other infrastructure to limit
effects on wildlife or wildlife habitat.
Change in wildlife habitat
Overall Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat Ranking
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
No effects on wildlife or wildlife and habitat are expected.
No effects on wildlife or wildlife and habitat are expected.
No effects on wildlife or wildlife and habitat are expected.
Social Environment
Change in capacity of
housing and
accommodation
Community Services and
Infrastructure
Change in capacity of
health and emergency
services and infrastructure
Change in the capacity
of recreation and
entertainment services
and infrastructure
Any infrastructure required will be localized to the PDA, and will not
result in any additional effects to community services and
infrastructure.
Any infrastructure required will be localized to the PDA, and will
not result in any additional effects to community services and
infrastructure.
Any infrastructure required will be localized to the PDA or near
vicinity, and will not result in any additional effects to community
services and infrastructure.
Change in the capacity
provincial and municipal
services and infrastructure
Overall Community Services and Infrastructure
Ranking
Health and Safety
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
No effects on the capacity of community service and
infrastructure are anticipated.
No effects on the capacity of community service and
infrastructure are anticipated.
No effects on the capacity of community service and infrastructure
are anticipated.
Health and safety of mine
workers
Should not result in any increased risk to worker safety.
Should not result in any increased risk to worker safety.
Should not result in any increased risk to worker safety.
Health and safety of local
residents
No effects to the health and safety of local residents are
anticipated.
No effects to the health and safety of local residents are
anticipated.
No effects to the health and safety of local residents are
anticipated.
Overall Health and Safety Ranking
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
No substantial effect on health and safety.
No substantial effect on health and safety.
No substantial effect on health and safety.
Economic Environment
Cost
Capital cost
Higher costs to establish reclaim water system. Reduced cost for
treatment
Reduced cost for treatment. No change in pumping requirements
Increased cost for surface water intake and effluent treatment
Operational/maintenance
cost
Reduced cost for treatment.
Reduced cost for treatment.
Increased cost for treatment and pumping.
Rehabilitation/closure cost
Closure or removal of existing infrastructure or facilities would not
result in substantially different closure costs between alternatives.
Closure or removal of existing infrastructure or facilities would not
result in substantially different closure costs between alternatives.
Closure or removal of existing infrastructure or facilities would not
result in substantially different closure costs between alternatives.
Overall Cost Ranking
Change in labour
Labour and Economy
Change in economy
Overall Labour and Economy Ranking
Technical Feasibility
Ability to implement
Advantage
Advantage
Disadvantage
Reduced cost of treatment.
Reduced cost of treatment.
Increased cost of treatment and pumping.
All work required will be localized to the PDA, and will not result in
any additional effects to the economy, employment and business.
All work required will be localized to the PDA, and will not result in
any additional effects to the economy, employment and business.
All work required will be localized to the PDA or near vicinity, and
will not result in any additional effects to the economy,
employment and business.
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
No effects on the economy, employment and business are
anticipated.
No effects on the economy, employment and business are
anticipated.
No effects on the economy, employment and business are
anticipated.
This alternative is within the ability of Premier to implement.
This alternative is within the ability of Premier to implement.
This alternative is within the ability of Premier to implement.
VC/Criteria
Indicators/Measurable
Parameters
Alternative Method
Reclaim water recycled from TMF and site contact water collection
system
Groundwater form Historic Underground Workings
Surface Water Takings
/commonly used
technology in similar
applications
Effectiveness/reliability
Overall Technical Feasibility Ranking
Effective and reliable to meet process water demand as part of
an integrated water supply.
Effective and reliable to meet process water demand as part of
an integrated water supply.
Neutral
Effective and reliable to meet process water demand.
Neutral
neutral
Technically feasible.
Technically feasible.
Technically feasible.
Any infrastructure required will be localized to the PDA, and will not
result in any effects to archaeological and cultural heritage
resources.
Any infrastructure required will be localized to the PDA, and will
not result in any effects to archaeological and cultural heritage
resources.
Any infrastructure required will be localized to the PDA, and will not
result in any effects to archaeological and cultural heritage
resources.
Cultural Environment
Heritage Resources
Change in archaeological
sites
Change in architectural or
historical resources
Overall Heritage Resources Ranking
Change in Aboriginal
communities’ cultural
practices
Traditional Land and
Resource Use
Change in Aboriginal
communities’ traditional
land uses (including
hunting, fishing, trapping
and harvesting)
Overall Traditional Land and Resource Use Ranking
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
No effects on archaeological and cultural heritage resources are
anticipated.
No effects on archaeological and cultural heritage resources are
anticipated.
No effects on archaeological and cultural heritage resources are
anticipated.
Any infrastructure required will be localized to the PDA, and is not
anticipated to result in any effects to traditional land and resource
use.
Any infrastructure required will be localized to the PDA, and is not
anticipated to result in any effects to traditional land and resource
use.
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
No effects on land and resource use are anticipated.
No effects on land and resource use are anticipated.
No effects on land and resource use are anticipated.
Piping system would be co-located with other infrastructure to limit
effects on land and resource uses.
Piping system would be co-located with other infrastructure to limit
effects on land and resource uses.
Any infrastructure required will be localized to the PDA, and is not
anticipated to result in any effects to traditional land and resource
use.
Built Environment
Change in recreational
land and resource use
Land and Resource Use
Change in navigation
Change in commerciallybased land and resource
uses
Overall Land and Resource Use Ranking
Piping system would be co-located with other infrastructure to limit
effects on land and resource uses.
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
No effects on land and resource use are anticipated.
No effects on land and resource use are anticipated.
No effects on land and resource use are anticipated.
Not Preferred
OVERALL ALTERNATIVE RANKING
Preferred (in combination)
Preferred (in combination)
+ Closed system will limit effluent discharge and will not result in
environmental effects on water features or fish habitat.
+ Closed system will limit effluent discharge and will not result in
environmental effects on water features or fish habitat.
+ Provides the opportunity for the highest process efficiency
through water reuse.
+ Provides a good supplemental reclaim water source to support
process efficiency.
+Reduced cost for water treatment.
+ Reduced cost for water treatment.
- Potential for environmental effects on water features.
- Potential effects on fish habitat.
- Higher potential effects on vegetation and wetlands, depending
on intake location.
- No potential for process efficiency or water conservation through
reuse.
- Increased cost for water treatment.
- Only suitable for back-up clean water supply.