Sustainability
The Future Is Electric
Great Eastern Gold is committed to sustaining a low environmental footprint. Our modern narrow vein mining methods use a small electric fleet, rather than diesel, machinery, and the smaller operation size leaves a smaller environmental footprint overall. Battery powered mining equipment is most efficient on flat level ground. Most mines today are either decline or open cut with a dependency on heavy equipment hauling up steep inclines.
For ‘zero-emission’ technology to be successful there needs to be a considered systematic plan, purposely and deliberately designed for pollutant free mining. Great Eastern Gold’s goal has always been zero emission mining. After extensive research and development, Great Eastern Gold has the mine program needed to bring this technology to fruition.
Environmentally Sustainable Mining
Our ‘narrow-vein’ concept lends itself to environmentally sustainable mining and the ‘Welcome Again Mine’ is a perfect candidate. Battery powered load haul dump equipment is used on flat level ground hauling to flasks on each level, where an electric winch hoists ore up a shaft to the surface. It is similar to the way mining was done centuries ago; however, we substitute grain eating mules with electric powered equipment.
All other regular mining activities such as drilling are accomplished using compressed air, which helps cool the workplace even more and does not require installing the expensive and dangerous high voltage transmission lines that are required in large mining operations.
Environmentally friendly processing
Another advantage of narrow vein mining is reduced dilution of ore, meaning less ore is needed to be processed. This is done using a centrifuge, increasing the concentration and separating the gold from the lighter elements, which can then be pumped back into open stopes after stabilisation.
The ‘chunky’ visible gold can be removed from the concentrate on separation tables, leaving fine gold and other heavy metals. The remaining gold is extracted using an environmentally sustainable ‘reactor’ with the remaining heavy metals being sent off site to metal specific processors.
All waste fuels, oils and lubricants are transported to a recycling facility. Wash-down bays have grease trap sumps, with captured containments transferred to the recycling tanks. All discharged material will be tested and monitored to ascertain safety and maintain a low environmental impact. Mine water will be regularly tested, with any discharged mine water being well within regulations and safety guidelines. The test results will be available to all relevant agencies and stakeholders on request.