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Rio Blanco Project-Environmental Program Location and General Description

IMC's Rio Blanco advanced exploration project is located near the community of Rio Blanco, with the site falling within the Parishes of Molleturo and Chaucha, in Cuenca county, within the Province of Azuay. The project area includes an ecosystem of grass paramo (bleak highlands), consisting primarily of small shrubs in the lower areas, and ravines of native forest. The altitude ranges from 3,600 meters above sea level at the lowest point and close to 4,000 masl at the highest point, with mid-annual temperature of 7°C, precipitation of 900 mm, strong winds in July and August, and frost in November, December and sometimes January. With these climatic facts, the Life Zone is in accordance with the classification of L.R. Holdridge, corresponding to a Very Humid Mountain or Paramo.

WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

The management of waste is of critical importance in mitigating the impact of our activities in the area. Here is a summary of our Waste Management Practices:

• Solid Waste Management
  The solid waste produced at the Rio Blanco camp is separated into 3 different receptacles, GREEN for biodegradable waste produced mainly in the kitchen, which consists of produce and animal waste; this waste is used in the nurseries to produce organic fertilizer; the BLACK receptacle is for non-biodegradable waste like plastic, cans, glass, rubber/latex, paper and cardboard, which are regularly transported to the appropriate management facility near Cuenca; and in the RED receptacle, bio-hazardous waste like batteries, filters, waste oil, paint, medical waste, which are taken to the appropriate hermetic deposits.
• Liquid Waste Management
  The management of liquid waste begins with the separation of the water according to its usage, thus permitting better and more appropriate treatment.

The contaminants specific to each case are considered when separating the water into the following categories;

1. Water from the kitchen;
2. Water used in the showers, sinksand washing machines;
3. Water from the toilets and urinals;
4. Water from the cutting of drill core or rock samples;
5. Water from the showers and sinks used by those who have handled fuel.

The separated water is then transported separately by subterranean pipe systems to solids retention pits where the overflow of water is then carried to oxidation pools; at their end the pipes are drilled with the aim that water will oxygenate as it falls from a reasonable height in thin "threads". At the bottom and along the inclines of the pools, native herbaceous aquatic species of plants have been planted in order to help clean the water. The water overflow from the pools is then carried over into infiltration trenches, creating a permanent irrigation system for the reforested plants in the area. In necessary cases, sand filters have been installed to ensure even further cleanliness of the water.

NURSERY PROGRAM

At Rio Blanco, we have a comprehensive Nursery Program which includes the following activities: Forestry - A forest nursery has been installed and to date has the capacity to produce 15,000 plants per year, which can be increased according to future demands. At the present time the nursery produces around 15,000 plants of 23 different arboreal and shrub-like native species; among the principal species are: 5 species of Quinua or Yagual (Polylepis spp), Cucharillo, GaÑal or Galuay (Oreocallis grandiflora), 2 species of Chilcas (Baccharis spp), Laurel de Cera (Myrica pubescens), Bayan (Gynoxys spp), Pichul or Sacha Capulí (Vallea stipularis), Joyapa (Macleania spp), Salvay (Salvia spp), 2 species of Colle (Buddleja spp), Quishar (Buddleja spp), Tushi (Gynoxys spp), Tilo (Sambusu spp), Suso, Matico, Taura or Sacha Chocho, Garaguay, Girepe or Yudo.

• Paramo Straw Reproduction
  The nursery for reproduction of paramo straw plants has various species of the type stipa spp and the type calamagrostis spp, with the capacity for 40,000 plants per year. The production is focused primarily on recovering the vegetation from the drill platforms, access roads and other areas where vegetation has been removed for various exploration activities compensating the process of environmental rehabilitation.
• Reforestation with Native Species
  In relation to the management of the paramo straw and shrubs, a massive reforestation program is not necessarily recommended. A suitable alternative for the paramo region is the practice of inter row crops, leaving strips of grassland free from tree plantation, where the width of the rows depends on the terrain's average gradient. The native arboreal and shrub-like forest species are always recommended for this plantation, this way assuring the conservation of the existing native vegetation. For the reforestation, holes 40 cm x 40 cm x 40 cm are constructed, accompanied by infiltration trenches and/or micro terraces. The distancing of the plantation is 3m x 3m in three rows, plus two central "bobbin" model rows. In the future, the vegetation in the strips of land left free from tree planting will improve as a result of the protection from the barriers of trees, especially from the wind and frost, creating a new microclimate favorable for their development, which assures the permanency of the native vegetation.
• Horticulture
  With the goal of indicating the potential for family-level vegetable cultivation, a demonstration garden has been installed with approximately 20 different species which are apt for high-altitude harvest; it especially serves to reproduce plants that can later be distributed to the families in the neighbouring communities that own vegetable gardens.
• Traditional Zonal Crops
  As a demonstration, parcels of traditional crops have been installed on the communal land of the neighbouring families, with potato, melloco, oca, haba beans and vetch. These crops are used to reproduce seeds, especially those that are tubercles, to later be distributed to the neighbouring families in the area. Grass and Forage - It is important to show the farming families the diverse species of grass and forage that they can cultivate in zones that are at high altitude and have cold temperatures, for this reason we have installed cultivated beds of grass by seeds. At the moment, these beds consist of 12 species of grass. This will help to reduce the pressure on the paramo that constantly suffers from burning in order to obtain sprouts and forage for the cattle, sheep and equine, which is very common in these communities.
• Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
  In the crops of the farming families it is common to find medicinal and aromatic plants that are for daily use; in consideration of them, we have installed a collection of all the species of medicinal and aromatic plants that are able to be reproduced in this zone, hoping that the families will improve their stock of species and that this will ultimately have a positive affect on the health of the population.

WATER MANAGEMENT

Of vital importance to IMC and our neighbours in the region is Water Management. We have implemented a rigorous plan in this area to ensure proper usage and conservation:

• Micro aspersion Irrigation System
  For the plants production process in the area of the nurseries, a micro aspersion irrigation system has been installed using various models of micro sprinklers. This system is demonstrative to the families in the farming communities neighbouring the project in order that they can replicate it to foster their own crops. This method of multifamily irrigation is already being applied in the communities.
• Cultivation of Trout
  To take advantage of the reservoirs of water that are used for irrigation in the nurseries and also to demonstrate the quality of the water that comes from the high areas of mining exploration, the reservoirs are being used for the cultivation of trout, an activity that is also positively replicated in the communities, and has been an additional source of nutrition and income for the families.
• Correction of Torrents
  For diverse natural factors or human intervention, negative affects of undermining are produced by the permanent or temporary erosion of the river beds from the natural water flow, this requires an intervention in order to correct these torrents. In this case, the small stream that passes beside the camp has symptoms of degradation of its riverbed, for that reason we have intervened with the construction of rock dams and gabions situated at an appropriate distance depending on the river bed gradient. These dams, whose size depends on the varied dimension of the riverbeds, have sinks and scatters in order to assure it's normal function, and allow for the riverbed to return to it's natural state.
• Infiltration Trenches
  The infiltration trenches constructed are 1m x 30cm x 20cm, and have various functions; in reforestation, the stored water assures the survival of the forest plantlets; they also control the water from the hillside erosion by capturing it; they retain sediment from the erosion produced by effects of the water from precipitation and hillside erosion; and, they help to maintain and increase the natural flow of the streams.

RECLAMATION OF EXPLORATION LAND

• Drill Platform Rehabilitation
  latforms are constructed for exploration drilling, for this reason it is necessary to extract turfs of paramo straw and situate them in safe locations for later reimplantation. The agricultural soil is removed and placed in sacs while the substrate soil is placed in different sacs in order to keep them separate for later rehabilitation of the drill platforms. The sacs that are filled with the substrate soil are used as walls for the drill platforms, which have the average dimension of 4m x 4m. After the drilling phase is over, the substrate soil is replaced first and then the agricultural soil; finally the turfs that were carefully removed are replanted. New plants are being produced in the nursery for cases where the removed turfs of paramo straw are no longer large enough to cover the required surface.
• Mitigation and Rehabilitation of the Internal Access Roads
  Access roads are indispensable for minerals exploration. Nevertheless, they are always built with the expressed consideration of environmental protection, mitigation and rehabilitation, with the assurance that impacts are minimal and localized. The environmental mitigation and rehabilitation is principally focused on the slopes where the agricultural soil is recuperated and separated from the substrate soil in order that later on vegetation can be implanted. The existence of rock is also taken advantage of in order to build rock walls, dams and linear works that helps with soil retention and erosion avoidance. In the cases where the risk of mudslides are high, boards and iron nails are used to construct contouring walls, in addition, vegetation is planted in order to ensure the stability of the slope.

THE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF HYDROGRAPHIC MICRO BASINS

• Conservation and Protection of Humid Soils
  Humid soils are an essential part of the basic ecosystem of the high altitude hydrographic micro-basins. In this fragile ecosystem the construction of drains, pits, or the planting of exotic (non-native) species is not permitted. The focus is on conservation of the natural state of the humid soils. The most common vegetation in these high, humid soils are "almohadillas", "ciperáceas", orchids, moss, and "licopodios", among other species. In addition to the importance of the humid soils in the high micro-basins are the lagoons because it is from them that the streams, which are vital to the water source, originate.
• Soil Conservation and Recuperation
  In the conservation of soil, the construction of flower beds, furrows, terrace banks, slowly formed terraces, implantation of Milín grass, construction of mini terraces and infiltration trenches are practiced in order to ensure the conservation and recuperation of the soil.
• Native Vegetation Management
  Reforestation is done with inter row crops leaving strips of land free from tree planting with the aim of improving and conserving existing vegetation; in the areas where, because of exploration activities vegetation was removed, the rehabilitation of the vegetation is also required. The campaigns for prevention of forest fires are also part of the task of the conservation of native vegetation.
• Wild Fauna Conservation
  After carrying out the task of conservation of native vegetation an environmental education campaign was developed to help in the conservation of wild fauna, focusing largely on the control of hunting practices.

AGRO-FOREST PROJECT WITH NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES

IMC launched a comprehensive Agro Forestry Project in 2004 in cooperation with a National Park and five local communities which are: San Antonio de Rio Blanco, Cochabamba, San Pedro de Yumate, Llano Largo and Zhin Alto.

As a result of the initial stages of the Project, each of the communities now have forest nurseries, and have received training in agro forestry practices and reforestation, as well as improved agricultural cultivation, soil conservation, multi family irrigation practices, and preparation of organic fertilizer. The project has a focus on sustainability and respect for traditional regional practices. To ensure local ownership over the project, numerous training events for community promoters have been organized, and materials and tools for farming and forestry activities have been delivered. They have worked with around 30 families from Rio Blanco, 30 families from Cochabamba, 30 families from Yumate, 6 families from Llano Largo, 24 families from Zhin Alto. The positive response from the families has allowed IMC and its partners to foresee a dramatic improvement in the quality of life of the population in the future.

ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING AND EDUCATION

With the participation of community promoters, various environmental training and educational events have been carried out, rotating between communities.

• Forest Fire Prevention and Control
  In the months leading up to the summer season, it is important to stress to the surrounding populations the necessity to prevent forest fires and to be prepared for fire control in the case of an accident. For these communities, IMC provides training courses, awareness and environmental education workshops and informational posters. Another form of prevention of forest fires is the diffusion of new species of grass in order to avoid the pressure on the existing paramo straw lands.