Towards a Sustainable Mining Waste Management: An Ex-Ante Analysis of a Nickel Mining Project in Narra, Palawan

Development of nickel mining operation poses negative impacts on the bio-physical environment as well as on human health. The preparation, development, mining, and loading stages generate solid waste materials which if not properly managed are detrimental to the environment. In addition, the use of chemicals and reagents in nickel analysis are generally hazardous and will need to be appropriately managed. Therefore, the proposed waste management plan is geared towards "Zero Waste Mining" through the  implementation of various strategies of waste minimization, recycling and reuse. The waste management strategies will cover all the components of the mining project from the mining area, passing through the transit route, then to the stockyard and finally to the causeway. To ensure that the different strategies are effective and are being properly implemented, a waste monitoring and evaluation system must be developed. An effective institutional arrangement, to include the various responsibilities of its respective stakeholders is essential, to successfully implement the waste management plan In order to ensure the success of the implementation of the Waste Management Plan, an effective institutional arrangement to include the various responsibilities of its respective stakeholders is essential. The closure plan covers handling of wastes (plant materials and overburden soils) located at the designated dumpsites and the leveling of exposed benches resulting from the extraction of nickel ores. Key Words: nickel, mining, ex-ante assessment, waste management plan, initial environmental examination, environmental clearance certificate, stockyard, causeway, transit route, closure plan, social corporate responsibility, septic vaults