Safeguarding our climate and environmental health
Responsible consumption and production are at the forefront of our operational planning.
We acknowledge the global threat of climate change and continually explore initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint.
Petra has entered into long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for the procurement of wheeled renewable energy for its Cullinan and Finsch Diamond Mines from Etana Energy, a licenced South African energy trader. The PPAs will supply each operation between 36-72% of the expected load requirement from FY2026 onwards through utilising the existing electrical grid.
This represents a milestone for Petra’s sustainability ambitions, enabling Petra to fulfil its target of reducing scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 35-40% by 2030 (against its 2019 base line) well ahead of time. In addition to reducing the Company’s carbon footprint, the portion of the energy sourced from Etana will contribute to predictable energy costs and is expected to result in sustainable cost savings over the term of the PPAs. The Company remains committed to generating zero emissions on a net basis for scope 1 and 2 by 2050, with an ambition to achieve this by 2040.
Our approach
Our short-term strategy is to minimise overall energy usage wherever possible. Long term we aim to reduce our reliance on fossil fuel energy sources by continuously finding ways to reduce energy consumption, be more efficient, and advocating for renewable power sources in line with The Paris Agreement and the UN’s SDG on climate change.
Petra has integrated climate related risks and opportunities into its business model and operating structures as well as developing an energy management plan, based on the principles of ISO 50001. Each operation has its own specific energy management policy and management plan that is updated annually.
How we measure our performance
Petra measures the Company’s carbon footprint against its FY 2019 baseline over a period of five years, while continuing to explore available options to minimise the Group’s carbon footprint.
Carbon Emissions (TCO2-E/CT)
Carbon emission intensity for Scopes 1 and 2
ENERGY EFFICIENCY (KWH/t)
Total electricity consumption as a function of production
For more information on how we track our sustainability performance see our Sustainability KPIs.
Standards and guidelines we follow
- TCFD
- CDP Climate Change
- Climate Change adaption policy
- ISO 14064: 2018 GHG Emissions Inventories and verification
- Greenhouse Gas Protocol
Water demand and water conservation management is our most significant environmental risk to operations. This is because our operations are in water-scarce areas and our operations are water intensive. We are therefore focused and committed to production efficiencies and water recycling initiatives.
Our approach
Petra’s short to medium-term strategy aims to secure water resources through:
- Service-level arrangements and co-operative agreements with local Government and neighbouring industries
- Reducing water losses
- Securing water from Governmental water schemes
- Expanding our own internal storage capacities
- Maximising internal recycling (e.g. reuse of process water, greywater and rain harvesting) Petra’s water management objectives focus on improving water use efficiencies and increasing the percentage of recycled water used in production.
All Petra’s operations have had water management plans in place since FY 2019.
How we measure our performance
Petra’s water management objectives focus on improving water use efficiencies and increasing the percentage of recycled water used in production.
Water efficiency (m3/t)
Water recycling (%)
For more information on how we track our sustainability performance see our Sustainability KPIs.
Standards and guidelines we follow
- ISO 14001: 2015 Environmental Management System
- CDP Water Security
Waste can have a detrimental impact on the environment but reused correctly it has the potential to support a circular economy, which can also support local economic development.
Our approach
By managing our general and hazardous waste responsibly we minimise disposal of waste to landfill, reduce our environmental footprint and contribute to the economic development of a community.
Key focus areas:
- Implementing initiatives to reduce waste generated on site
- Managing and reducing our suppliers’ waste
- Increasing community involvement in sustainable and economically viable recycling projects
How we measure our performance
Our waste optimisation approach currently focuses on legal compliance and the separation of waste streams.
Waste recycled (%)
The above percentage excludes Williamson Mine’s recycling efforts
For more information on how we track our sustainability performance see our Sustainability KPIs.
Standards and guidelines we follow
- Environmental Policy
By managing biodiversity, Petra is also contributing to climate change resilience by keeping ecosystem services intact and potentially increasing the agricultural opportunities of mine affected areas.
Our approach
We protect and manage our biodiversity and reinstate ecological services through rehabilitation. We also increase the socio-economic production potential of mine impacted land through the implementation of an integrated rehabilitation and mine closure strategy.
Key focus areas:
- Land management
- Biodiversity certification
- Rehabilitation and closure plans
Our strategy in action
Paddocks Rehabilitation Project – from wasteland to grazeland
In 2018 Finch Diamond Mine embarked on its largest rehabilitation project to date. The old paddocks were an old fine residue deposit (FRD) that was abandoned when the FRD 1-3 dams were commissioned. As one of the largest areas needing rehabilitating, the old paddocks span some 160 ha. The project was divided into five phases and took two years to complete. It is estimated that rehabilitating this area reduced the overall closure costs by over R67 million.
The area was seeded in two South African biomes: Savannah and Nama-Karoo. The paddocks as a rehabilitated area are earmarked as grazing land post mine closure. The end of the project also included putting up fencing and laying infrastructure for fresh water.
How we measure our performance
Of operations have closure plans
Of protected wildlife areas under our care
Protected / vulnerable species are under Petra’s care
For more information on how we track our sustainability performance see our Sustainability KPIs.
Standards and guidelines we follow
- SO 14001: 2015 Environmental Management System
- CDP Forestry
- Endangered Wildlife Trust of South Africa’s Best Practice Guidelines
- IFC’s Performance Standard 6 (PS6): Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resource
- Petra is committed to safe tailings facility management, through the implementation of appropriate tailings governance structures, organisation-wide policies, procedures and standards.
- This is done through all phases of a facility’s life cycle including the design, construction, operation and closure phases.
Petra aims to improve execution and governance of operational and engineering practices to prevent potential breach of the tailings storage facilities to achieve the ultimate goal of zero harm to people and the environment.
- Petra started its journey towards adopting and implementing compliance with the Global International Standard for Tailings Management (GISTM) in 2022, with Petra’s Board approving its Tailings Management Policy and Procedure (the Policy) in July 2022. The Policy is aligned to the requirements of the GISTM.
- For a copy of the Policy, please click here.
- Following adoption of the Policy, Petra has taken steps to:
- establish governance structures, including the appointment of individuals with clear accountabilities and responsibilities such as the Accountable Executive, Responsible Tailings Facility Engineers, Engineers of Record and an external Independent Review Board (in compliance with GISTM).
- deploy a combination of internal and external experts across various disciplines to perform gap analysis at all facilities.
- develop action plans to address gaps identified to improve levels of compliance, e.g. development of a document management system to demonstrate compliance.
- An external Independent Review Board was engaged to conduct compliance verification audits, with these audits being concluded in 2023. Although these audits revealed good overall progress towards compliance with GISTM, it also highlighted some areas of improvement:
- a key area involves improving the quality of the original design information, in particular, geotechnical and construction information in the early phases of the facility life cycles; and
- to address this (and other improvement areas), the Engineers of Record were commissioned to prepare a gap closure plan which will form part of the GISTM implementation plan at each operation. The Independent Review Board will be conducting its annual audit towards the end of FY2023 and as part of this audit progress will be reviewed and plans will be validated to address the areas of improvement.
- For a table summarising key features of each our tailings storage facilities, please click here.
- For tailings facilities with “Very High” or “Extreme” GISTM consequence classifications, we have published a detailed disclosure which complies with Principle 15 of the GISTM. These disclosures provide information on the implementation status and summaries of our tailings management processes.
- For the Tailings Facility Disclosures in relation to:
- the No. 7 Dam at the Cullinan Mine (Extreme), please click here; and
- the No. 1 FRD at the Finsch Mine (Very High), please click here.
- For our remaining tailings facilities (those with a “Low”, “Significant” or “High” consequence classification), we intend publishing similar disclosures following the independent review which will be completed towards the end of FY 2024.
For further information on how Petra’s governance structures and risk management processes address the risk associated with our tailings facilities, please click here.
- In South Africa, risk-based mandatory Codes of Practices (COP) are available for all residue deposits at our mines as required by, and according to set guidelines from the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate. All COP documents are signed off by the DMR and the respective third party appointed Professional Engineers.
- The relevant COP includes and refers to the design, managerial instructions, recommended standards and procedures required to manage and monitor the operation of facilities
- The Williamson diamond mine in Tanzania does not require a COP by law but, since 2016, in line with best practice Petra developed and implemented operating practices, set out in an operating manual, similar to a COP for the mine’s tailings deposits.
- Petra differentiates between a Coarse Residue Deposit (CRD) and a Fine Residue Deposit (FRD). All operations make use of CRDs and FRDs. Coarse tailings (particles > ca. 0.5mm) are normally deposited on a CRD whilst fine tailings (particles < ca. 0.5mm) are deposited on a FRD. Petra employs a dry conveying and stacking method for the CRD whilst the fine tailings are normally pumped to a FRD.
- Generally, CRDs are relatively stable structures that do not impound water and therefore do not pose a risk of wall breach and flooding. At some operations, older CRDs are being re-treated to extract residual diamonds lost in the diamond winning process during earlier years when diamond winning technology was less efficient.
- All FRD facilities are constructed using the upstream deposition method. The outer walls are constructed with the coarser fraction of the fines residue whilst the finer fraction will settle in the dam basin, maintaining the pool away from the embankment walls. Supernatant and storm water are pumped off the deposits on a continuous basis to reuse in the diamond winning process.
- The tailings management facilities at each of our mines are as follows:
- at the Finsch Diamond Mine, there are five FRDs: four of the facilities are located on the eastern side of the mining area with three being active and one decommissioned as current deposition rates do not require it to be used. A further facility is located on the western side of the mining area and is also active;
- at Koffiefontein there are three FRDs and with the mine under Care and Maintenance, small amounts of water are pumped into two of these FRDs as part of underground dewatering
- at the Cullinan Mine, there is only one FRD, referred to as the No.7 dam; and
- at the Williamson mine in Tanzania is one active, newly constructed FRD. In addition to this, there is also the facility which was breached in November 2022, and which is not in use.
- In addition to internal compliance, assurance and performance audits, third party Professional Engineers together with qualified mine personnel are appointed by Petra to oversee and provide assurance on the design and operational standards of the tailings facilities through quarterly inspections.
- Further to third party assurance, annual external audits are conducted in line with OHSAS18001:2007 and ISO 14001:2015 management standards and ad hoc inspections are carried out by the regulator.
- Important parameters that are being recorded, documented and managed include the overall condition of side slopes, benches and basin, drain flow records, deposition rates and corresponding rate of rise, freeboard, the phreatic surface level, structural integrity of the penstocks, pool size and location, impact on surrounding environment and potential zone of influence.
