6 March 2009
Water is one of the utmost necessities in life, a natural resource that is essential to sustainable living and one that is being depleted at an alarming rate. The mining industry views it in much the same way, and it forms a vital part of the overall mining process and the planning thereof. It’s also vital to Anglo American’s operations, which take place in some of the world’s driest areas, including Chile’s Atacama Desert, the south-west coast of Africa and central Australia.

At the Mining Indaba recently held in Cape Town, Anglo American CEO Cynthia
Carroll delivered a keynote speech in which she acknowledged that water conservation was one of the greatest challenges that the mining industry faces. She therefore reiterated Anglo American’s commitment to minimising water usage and reusing and recycling the water that the Group utilises in order to ensure the continuation of operations in a sustainable and environmentally sound way. “Our initial aim is to improve our water-use efficiency by 10% over the decade ending in 2014, though our ultimate goal is zero discharge,” she said.

Carroll noted during the speech the great strides that Anglo American had taken in conserving water use, such as the 300 million rand ($42 million) investment in a water-recycling plant that was installed in South Africa’s Witbank coalfield (eMalahleni), in conjunction with BHP Billiton. The plant is converting millions of litres of water from underground coal mines into clean drinking water, and serving around 80,000 people in the surrounding community on a daily basis, equivalent to about 25% of Witbank’s water needs.

During the past year, Anglo American consumed 125.3 million cubic meters (m3) of water for primary activities, but still managed to achieve, on a like-for-like basis, water savings of 6% between 2008 and 2009. This figure represents good progress in Anglo American’s Water efficiency targets, which will be refined during 2010 using a new, standardised, target-setting tool.

Anglo American remains committed in all its operations to lessening the impact that mining can have on the environment, and improved practices relating to water use are one of the best starting points in this goal. The Group, therefore, carefully scrutinises its operations, and undertakes corrective remedial action if necessary.

“A good example of this is at the company’s Anglo Platinum Bafokeng Rasimone Platinum Mine in Rustenburg, which is now reusing the water from its return water dam for its operational processes,” says Anglo American Executive Director, Godfrey Gomwe. “This was achieved by installing a simple sand filter, which removes the unwanted water-born solids. The monthly amount of potable water used by the process plant has now dropped from nearly 150 000 m3 in 2008, to just under 6 000 m3 in June 2009. The project’s R2,8 million phase one investment has already been offset by these savings.”

Gomwe says that engagement is central to Anglo American’s approach to water, with it regularly providing and receiving inputs on water-related policy issues, through a number of industry associations. Further, the Group interacts directly with national and local authorities on issues such as water licensing and permits. He notes that this approach is guided by Anglo American’s environmental responsibility, as a major player in the mining industry, to ensure that water management is a top priority.

“As a leading mining company and in line with our vision of becoming the Partner of Choice, it is important to engage with all relevant stakeholders on issues relating to water management, This can only lead to the application of international best practice, and it requires that our operations go beyond mere compliance.”

“Anglo American has an ultimate goal of zero discharge, as preserving water resources are crucial to the continued existence and expansion of our industry,” he concludes.

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For further information:

South Africa
Pranill Ramchander, Media Relations
Tel: +27 (0)11 638 2592 / +27 (0) 82 330 4053

Notes to Editors:

Anglo American plc is one of the world’s largest mining groups. With its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates, it is a global leader in platinum group metals and diamonds, with significant interests in coal, base and ferrous metals, as well as an industrial minerals business. The Group is geographically diverse, with operations in Africa, Europe, South and North America, Australia and Asia.