Environmental management at BHP's Ekati Diamond Mine in the western Arctic

Construction of the BHP Ekati Diamond Mine, located about 300 km northeast of Yellowknife, is now nearing completion. Construction commenced in January 1997 and the ore processing plant is scheduled-to be commissioned in October 1998. BHP is committed to achieving excellence in environmental management,throughout all phases of project operation as reflected in the company's corporate-wide Environmental Policy. BHP's approach to environmental management is consistent with the key elements of ISO: 14001 and seeks continuous improvement in performance by taking:account of evolving scientific knowledge, project experience and community expectations. The primary goal bf BHP's environmental management plan is to protect and preserve ecosystem integrity as well as to prevent and mitigate potential environmental impacts associated with the project. This paper serves to describe BHP's approach to environmental management at the Ekati Mine and its evolution from the pre-construction phase to the imminent operational and long-term reclamation phases.