HOME > SUSTAINABILITY > ECO MONITORING
MAY-JUNE 2024
Number of Times Vibration
Level Exceeded standard
/ Number of Blasts
The air quality at Chatree exhibits seasonal variations, with respirable dust and total suspended particles increasing during the dry season and decreasing in the wet season.
High-Volume Air Samplers using Mass Flow Control (MFC) capable of 24-hour continuous measurement of PM-10 or TSP for ambient air sampling, meeting international and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reference standards are used.
Independent consultants regularly monitor all 9 dust monitoring stations on a quarterly basis. All recorded readings have remained below permissible threshold levels. Our confidence in maintaining effective control over on-site dust levels is supported by comprehensive road maintenance programs, which include gravel surfacing, watering, and the use of rock crusher spray.
To further address environmental concerns, all disturbed areas are promptly revegetated, minimizing dust during dry periods and preventing erosion in the wet season.
Noise monitoring is conducted at 9 sites near the mine, while vibration measurements are taken in the 7 nearest villages. The results are assessed by an independent consultant and reported to Akara and concerned government agencies on a semiannual basis. All noise levels have remained within the guidelines issued by the Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and vibration measurements have consistently been below those recommended by the Ministry of Science’s Control Standards for Rock Crushing Plants.
Chatree operates on a nil-release basis; all rain falling on the mine lease is harvested and no water leaves the site. This requires continuous management of usage, quality and storage. A total of 24 surface water and 76 groundwater quality sampling sites have been established, all of which are regularly monitored and sampled. All measurements to date indicate that mining has had no deleterious effects.
The thickener removes water from the tailings slurry before it is discharged into the tailings storage facility, allowing for the recycling and reuse of water within the Chatree Gold Mine. This process enables us to conserve water usage by 307,679 m3/month.
Our rehabilitation programme is ongoing with areas contoured and planted as soon as is practicable. Trials of various species are undertaken to ensure the optimal results for each location. Many species of trees and grass have been sown successfully across the site. To date, we have rehabilitated approximately 1,700 rais.
