How to choose a company to manage decommissioning. (Special Services).

Individuals who have been involved with the mining industry in Northern Ontario for any length of time will have an appreciation for the mining cycle and the legacy of mine properties that have not been properly decommissioned. Thanks to past initiatives from the public and private sectors, standards have evolved that help the mining industry right from the early planning stages through to eventual closure.

The objectives of decommissioning/restoration work are:

a) To ensure that abandoned mine facilities do not endanger public health or safety;

b) To prevent the progressive degradation and to enhance the natural recovery of areas affected by mining activities;

c) To ensure that mine facilities, wastes and tailings are abandoned in such a manner that the requirement for long term maintenance and monitoring is minimized;

d) To mitigate and if possible prevent the continued loadings of contaminants and wastes to the environment. The primary objective shall be to prevent the release of contaminants into the environment. When prevention is not practical due to technical or economics limitations then activities intended to mitigate the consequence of such a release of contaminants shall become the objective of restoration work.

e) To mitigate, and if possible prevent, the formation of acid rock drainage. The primary objective is to prevent the formation of acid rock drainage. When prevention is not practical due to technical or economics limitations then activities intended to mitigate the consequence of the formation of acid rock drainage shall become the objective of restoration work.

f) To return affected areas to a state compatible with the original undisturbed condition, giving due consideration to practical factors including economics, aesthetics, future productivity and future users.

Mine decommissioning can be an expensive process. As more and more sites are completed the techniques and cost data are translating into a better understanding of the real costs of closure. Having an experienced decommissioning team working for one's site has proven time and again to be the most satisfactory solution.

Current standards dictate that mines have Registered Closure Plans. These plans are basically support documents for a feasible approach to meeting the objectives of mine closure. The funds set aside for closure are closely linked to these plans. As closure approaches, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. A well documented and up-to-date closure plan can be implemented by most contractors with guidance and coordination from a seasoned project manager. The benefit of having an experienced decommissioning contractor is inversely proportional to the detail and accuracy of a closure plan.

Selecting a company

When a company suggests they are an "expert," have the following checklist in mind:

1. Do they have an excellent health and safety program? Do their statistics verify this?

2. How many jobs of this type have they completed?

3. Are their employees trained to accepted standards?

Are the key personnel committed to this work experienced?

4. Does the company have a good reputation in the industry for fair dealing with suppliers and sub-contractors?

5. Do past clients recommend them?

If these questions can be answered to one's satisfaction then the firm deserves consideration. These firms are credible assets that can avoid delays and costly oversights when dealing with closure work.

One may also want to consider a firm that knows how to deal with mine openings, asbestos, PCB contaminated materials, chemicals and mine assets. Each needs to be carefully considered for timely and safe removal Hydrocarbons, tailings areas and other larger issues will require more extensive engineering and consultation work.

On straightforward closures, one may wish to subcontract a small project and manage it themselves. As the scope of work is increased however, the benefit of placing the project in the hands of a project manager will soon become apparent.

From developing contracts to quantity verification, the workload can become enormous and will require an integrated multidisciplinary team to effectively organize and complete.

Consider the following when evaluating potential project managers:

1. Their understanding and methodology of the project

2. The skill sets they bring to the project

3. The organizational setup and experience doing similar projects.