Water and Effluent Management
Recent searches
Quick Links
Our Commitment
Lake Matano is a testament to the performance of our water and effluent management. We make serious investments to treat runoff water before it is discharged into the environment.
We analyze processed effluent periodically, which will be channeled into the tributary to Lake Matano. The analysis aims to ensure compliance with the quality standards according to the Minister of Environment Regulation No. 9 of 2006 concerning Wastewater Quality Standards for Nickel Ore Mining Businesses and/or Activities.
Together Reducing the Intensity of Water Consumption
We strive to optimize water use for every tonne of nickel in matte produced, in accordance with PT Vale's Water Efficiency and Wastewater Pollution Load Reduction Policy.
The most significant need for water is for hydropower operations on the Larona River, with water sources from Lake Matano, Mahalona and Towuti. Water from the lake is channeled into a dam reservoir and passed down a canal to drive turbines. The amount of water consumed is equal to the water taken from the lake. No water is drawnfrom the water stress area.
Fotógrafo: xxxx
Our commitment to protecting the three lakes also supports the lake's status as a Natural Tourism Park Conservation Area, based on Minister of Agriculture Decree No. 274/Kpts/ Um/4/1979 dated 24 April 1979.
Total water use in 2022 is 8,519,762 m3, a decrease of 1.86% from the previous year's consumption. Meanwhile, the water consumption intensity value in 2022 reached 141.77 m3/Ton Ni, an increase of around 6.71% from the previous year due to a decrease in total production.
Fotógrafo: xxxx
Water Consumption Intensity Value
Description | Unit | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nickel in Matte Production Volume
|
Ton
|
60,090
|
65,388
|
72,237
|
Water Consumption Volume
|
m3
|
8,519,762
|
8,681,643
|
9,611,107
|
Megaliter
|
8,519,762
|
8,681,643
|
9,611,107
|
|
Water Consumption Intensity
|
m3/Ton Ni
|
141.77
|
132.85
|
135.30
|
Megaliter/Ton Ni
|
0.141
|
0.132
|
0.135
|
Throughout 2022 PT Vale has made a number of efforts to boost water consumption efficiency, namely:
Reducing and controlling leaks in water supply pipelines in operational areas
Controlling and reducing water overflow in Matte ponds
Implementing a water efficiency programs in the business process flow based on Hotspot Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Analysis and Water Audit;
Increasing employee awareness of saving water consumption and reporting daily water consumption through daily FMDS meetings; as well as
Making the intensity of water use as one of the company’s key performance indicators (KPI).
Effluent Management
In an effort to comply applicable laws and regulations, an independent, accredited laboratory conducts regular monitoring and analysis of our effluents. The analysis was carried out using the SNI 6989.59:2008 Water and Wastewater methods, as well as methods according to American Public Health Association (APHA) standards.
The inspection results in 2022 found that the quality of the company’s processed effluent has met the quality standards.
The effluent management performance cannot be separated from the instruments and resources that we allocated thoughtfully. To control effluent from the mining area and processing plant, we built more than 100 settling ponds in the Sorowako Block. Settling ponds are equipped with two liquid waste treatment facilities to reduce pollution of water bodies, namely:
- Pakalangkai Wastewater Treatment, which has been operating since 2013.
Lamella Gravity Settler (LGS), which has been operating since 2014.
LGS technology is a standard technology in water purification for the processing of drinking water raw materials. The first LGS technology for mining in Indonesia is the result of 2 years of research and collaboration with BPPT (Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology).
Fotógrafo: xxxx
PT Vale is the first mine to use LGS technology.