Biodiversity and Land
Biodiversity and Land
Biodiversity and Land

We have fully realised that the biological diversity is closely related to human physical and mental health, air, drinking water, soil, climate and environment. Mining activities may cause land surface damage, and if not managed properly, exploration, mining and smelting activities may have negative impacts on the ecological environment. We do our best to protect the fragile ecosystem, habitats and endangered species are from being damaged, and have made reasonable plans for mine closure responsibly. We are making every effort to promote the construction of green mines and garden-like mines, and strive to explore a green mining path that is compatible with mine production, construction and ecological protection.

Our Goals
  • All mines to develop and implement biodiversity action plans by 2030
    All mines to develop and implement biodiversity action plans by 2030
    All mines to develop and implement biodiversity action plans by 2030
  • Maintain 100% restoration rate for restorable land
    Maintain 100% restoration rate for restorable land
    Maintain 100% restoration rate for restorable land
Our Performance in 2021
  • 64.3% of mines have implemented biodiversity action plans
    64.3%
    64.3% of mines have implemented biodiversity action plans
  • 7.76 million square metres of land were restored, 1.15 million trees were planted
    7.76 million
    7.76 million square metres of land were restored, 1.15 million trees were planted
Governance & Policy
We adhere to the bottom-line thinking, do not step on the ecological red line, put the prevention throughout the entire process of ecological and environmental protection work, and firmly maintain the bottom-line of environmental safety. Adhere to the protection of wild animals and plants and their habitats, improve the biodiversity protection mechanism, strictly prohibit the indiscriminate mining of wild plants, hunting or buying wild animals for consumption, and build an ecological environment in which man and nature coexist harmoniously.

We have formulated a series of policies and guidelines from the perspective of the whole life cycle of the mine:
  • We adopted the management strategies of "avoidance, reduction, and mitigation" and "development along with recovery together"
  • We set up a special fund for ecological restoration, to ensure maximum vegetation coverage in all production and operation sites
  • We minimise the disturbance to the land and the impact on the ecological environment through the promotion of biodiversity conservation, rational planning of land use, implementation of ecological restoration, and other measures.
  • We have formulated the Policy Statement on Ecological Environmental Protection, Guidelines for Biodiversity Work, and Basic Standards for Environmental Order Management, to guide all production and operation sites to carry out ecological protection work.
  • We established an environmental protection accountability system, with various levels of management having signed the eco-environmental protection accountability statement to clarify their responsibilities in eco-environmental protection. We assess the ecological and environmental protection work of each subsidiary and contractor to ensure that the ecological protection policies are in place.
  • We have formulated the “Greening Work Guidelines” to provide compliance and technical reference for the development of vegetation design, reclamation and soil and water conservation of subsidiaries, and carried out ecological restoration work at all operating sites to ensure that the vegetation coverage rate reaches 100% of the areas which are available for vegetation.
  • We have also formulated the "Environmental Protection and Ecological Inspection Management .Regulations" and the “Environmental Protection and Ecological Assessment Management Policies”, to check the ecological compensation, ecological restoration and other measures in mining zones on a regular basis, and perform annually responsibility assessment on the performance of each subsidiary's environmental and ecological protection.
Life-cycled Biodiversity Conservation

We pay attention to the protection of ecosystems (wetlands, wildlife corridors, protected areas and agricultural land) and refrain from exploration and mining activities in sensitive areas such as nature reserves and ecological red lines; To protect rare animals and plants and their natural habitats, carry out biodiversity survey and assessment before the implementation of new projects, and formulate diversified measures such as "avoidance, mitigation, compensation and protection" according to the assessment results, so as to minimize the impact of mineral resource development activities on the ecological system of the project site and its surrounding areas.


We adopt responsible biodiversity management method across all mines under production and operation, do our best to ensure that fragile ecosystems, habitats and endangered species will not be harmed, and formulate responsible plans for mine closures. Our Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) specifically includes the following measures:

Before mining
Investigation and Evaluation
We investigate and evaluate the mining area and the areas likely to be affected by mining activities before we do mining, and then make the environmental impact assessment report. We evaluate the biological diversity in the affected areas and propose management solutions accordingly. For the national or local protected animals, plants or ecosystem, we protect the biological diversity through in situ conservation or ex-situ conservation.
Negotiation and Planning
We negotiate with local governments, employees, affected communities and other stakeholders to make a joint plan about the social and environmental problems related with mine closure. We make plans for our financial and technical preparation to ensure a planned closure and the commitments after closure, including the land restoration, beneficial land for future use as well as the protection of water resources.
During mining
Avoid damage
We do not conduct exploration, mining, and any construction activities within key areas such as nature reserves and ecologically vulnerable areas.
Monitor ecological environment
We conduct ecological monitoring around the mines with high ecological risks. As at the end of 2021, we had carried out ecological diversity surveys in 18 mines. For example, Aurora set up hidden camera capture points at strategic locations around the mine to monitor and understand the ecology of the mine with minimal disruption to the natural habitat of wildlife. In the future, we will continue to pay attention to the biodiversity conservation strategies and action plans formulated by the countries (regions) where our projects are located, carry out detailed biodiversity surveys, and continuously improve the monitoring and protection mechanisms.
Protect biodiversity of rivers
In order to conserve the diversity of aquatic life in the rivers near the mines and improve the quality of the regional water environment, we select local fish species every year under the guidance of the local fishery departments and professional and technical experts, and carry out breeding and release activities in designated river locations to maintain the ecosystem of these rivers.
After mining
Implement biodiversity compensation programmes
We protect endemic and precious plants by establishing new botanical gardens, reserved areas, and wetland reserves, and build ecological compensation forests to compensate for the damaged forest areas. In addition, we also actively participate in animal protection organisations. For example, Continental Gold has joined the National Animal Protection Organisation of Colombia.
Ecological restoration
We create a suitable living environment for species through ecological restoration.
Land reclamation
We require that all mining areas should have the Mining Geological Environment Protection and Land Reclamation Plan. In the whole life cycle of mining, they should follow the mode of "exploring and managing at the same time" so as to minimize the land disturbance:
-In the early stage, we try to restore and rebuild the land by restoring the topsoil and planting native trees.
-In the late stage, we try to increase the biological diversity and enhance the stability of ecosystem by reasonable collocation of trees and shrubs.
-After the artificial ecological restoration is stable, we should gradually turn to the majority of natural restoration, with reduction of human intervention, so as to gradually realize the self-stability of ecosystem.
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