Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AAQMS)

Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AAQMS) provide continuous monitoring for PM2.5 and PM10 particles in the air surrounding SGM operations. AAQMS provide an understanding of the air movement patterns and capture regional events affecting air quality (e.g., bushfires). The continuous monitoring allows SGM to instantly identify any react to any abnormal particulate emissions resulting from our operation.

Noise Monitoring

SGMs operations generate noise from a range of activities, including plant and equipment operation, material handling, processing operations (i.e., milling and crushing), underground blasting, and exploration (i.e., drilling).
SGM undertakes attended noise monitoring at four locations/sensitive receptors situated north, south, east and west of the operations area, with an additional four ‘step-out’ locations. Step-out locations act as a secondary sensitive receptor in the event of an exceedance. Noise monitoring is conducted at each location until the noise (LAeq) is characteristic of the site noise. Noise monitoring is conducted at three times: Day (07:00 to 18:00), Evening (18:00 to 22:00) and Night (22:00 to 07:00).

Vibration Monitoring

Blasting, also known as firing, is an essential part of the gold mining process and is used in both open pit and underground mining operations. Blasting breaks or fractures the rock by using a calculated amount of explosive so that a predetermined volume of material is broken. SGM monitor 24/7 for vibrations from blasting to ensure compliance with our Mining Licence, and minimise our disruption to the community of Stawell.

Groundwater Monitoring

SGM monitors groundwater to identify and assess potential impacts (e.g. contamination) from its operational activities (i.e. tailings storage, hazardous materials spills, water storage etc.).

Currently, SGM monitors 30 bores located outside of the MIN5260 boundary. Monitoring bores are divided into three sampling frequencies: Quarterly, Annually or Triennially – based on the water chemistry and the determination of trend lines.

Surface Water Monitoring

Stawell Gold Mines monitors surface water to identify and assess potential impacts from its operational activities (i.e. tailings storage, hazardous materials spills, water storage etc.).

Currently, SGM monitors seven surface water sites located outside of the MIN5260 boundary. Surface water sites are differentiated into two types of receptors, creeks and farm dams.

Before

After

Rehabilitation

All areas disturbed by SGMs operations are progressively rehabilitated to return the land to a productive use, or to bushland which is equal to or improves on the prior existing condition. Seeds of any flora that are removed onsite are collected and stored for use in rehabilitation.