Environment

Petra Diamonds recognises and acknowledges the need to conduct environmentally sustainable prospecting, mining and related activities. We are dedicated to promoting and maintaining high standards of environmental management within all of our operations by means of advocating environmental awareness to our employees as well as implementing sound and solid procedures and monitoring processes. The company’s operations are subject to significant environmental regulation under international and local law.

Petra has an Environmental Management Programme in place for each prospecting and mining permit. The company is committed to achieving a high standard of environmental performance. The Board is responsible for the regular monitoring on environmental exposures and compliance with environmental regulations. The Board believes that the company has adequate systems in place for the management of its environmental requirements and is not aware of any breach of those environmental requirements as they apply to the company.

Our environmental commitments comprise of the following:

• adherence to and conformity with the environmental laws, regulations and requirements of the country of operation;
• commitment to following the international standards of best practice;
• rigorous environmental management of our operations and related activities (within our area of control and influence);
• promotion of environmental awareness among our employees and the community;
• operational control of any process, facility or activity that can or will have an adverse affect on the environment;
• continual improvement of our environmental management systems; and
• validation of our commitment towards the environment through long-term sustainable practices.

In order to ensure that we meet these commitments, we undertake to concentrate on:

• minimising, and where possible, eliminating the visual, noise and vibration impacts of our mining operations;
• rehabilitation of mining residue deposits in order to minimise the negative environmental impacts and to ensure sustainable end use;
• constant measurement and monitoring of key characteristics in order to prevent potential and mitigate actual pollution to air, land and water;
• ensuring that environmental risk and emergency procedures and plans are developed and kept up to date, as well as made widely available for training and procedural purposes;
• optimise consumption of renewable and non-renewable resources such as water and electricity to guarantee the sustainability of our operations;
• recycle and lawfully dispose of unpreventable solid waste in an environmentally friendly manner;
• reduce environmental impacts from mining on soil integrity, biodiversity and sensitive environmental elements ;
• management of all chemicals, substances, materials and containers through responsible purchasing, handling, storage, disposal and clean up of spillages;
• informing, training and making our employees and contractors aware of the importance of sustainable environmental management, in addition to their roles and responsibilities within the Environmental Management System; and
• approach stakeholders openly and transparently on our environmental matters and performance.

Environmental rehabilitation used to be considered by many as an end of life-of-mine event but is now regarded as a complete life-of-mine exercise that begins during the exploration phase of the mining operation and continues through to post-closure and is thus an intricate, ongoing process. For this reason, it is Petra’s responsibility to work together with the local communities to ensure long-term sustainability of end land uses, as well as conservation of soil integrity, biodiversity and sensitive environmental elements. Continual improvement of our environmental management systems is of paramount importance in this regard, as this will ensure optimal performance on an ongoing basis. Particular fundamentals for managing environmental compliance are therefore modelled on the requirements set out in the International Organisation of Standards under the provisions of ISO 14001.

Petra Diamonds’ adherence to South African environmental laws, regulations and requirements means that we are committed to limiting the possible negative environmental impacts associated with diamond mining activities. In particular, the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Development Act (MPRDA) of 2002 and the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) of 1998 are both used as guidelines in our commitment to following national as well as international standards of best practice.