The environmental permitting of a new mine waste facility in Devon

Abstract

The EU Directive on the management of waste from the extractive industries (2006/21/EC) is focused on the categorisation of a mine waste facility (MWF) in terms of the risks posed, with the highest risk category being determined by either waste or facility characterisation thresholds. Extractive waste regulations in the UK address the safety and stability of mine waste but do not specifically consider characterisation. Separate guidelines for compliance with the Directive were therefore necessary and the Environment Agency was appointed as the Regulator for the Environmental Permitting of all mine waste facilities in England. The first new facility to be permitted in accordance both with existing regulations and with the 2010 Environmental Permitting Regulations was the Hemerdon MWF associated with the Drakelands Tungsten Mine in Devon. This facility comprises the stage-constructed 113m high embankment dam which will confine more than 8Mm3 of fine mine waste and process water. This paper describes the engineering approval and permitting processes required during the design and construction of the preliminary stages of the mine waste facility. The paper summarises the approach taken by the Regulator, the Competent Person (an All Reservoirs Panel Engineer) and the Developer in meeting both technical and regulatory requirements and in resolving potential conflicts with existing HSE Regulations.