We are in an era where depressed commodity prices challenge the economics of many existing mines and new mining projects. The short-term demands at all organizational levels are to reduce costs and focus on efficiency. Nevertheless, the commodity boom at the start of the decade has raised stakeholder expectations and the value they expect to derive from these projects. So, how are companies’ demonstrating that proactive management of health, safety, environmental and community (HSEC) issues can save time and costs in the long-term?

ERM offers the view that when executing capital projects, early and effective project planning to integrate non-technical risk considerations can help de-risk projects. At PDAC 2015, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s annual global mining conference, ERM Senior Consultant Jim Chan presented on how integrating environmental considerations early into project planning can help de-risk projects though shortened timelines, saving costs while developing stakeholder trust.

This co-authored presentation uses global case studies to highlight tools and techniques used in the environmental assessment process to help our clients apply a holistic approach to projects in order to shorten timelines and ultimately save costs - two important drivers in today’s economic climate.