Emmerson PLC completes environmental and social impact assessment for Khemisset potash project
Published by Pippa Luck,
Editorial Assistant
World Fertilizer,
The Moroccan-focused potash development company Emmerson PLC has announced that it has completed the baseline investigations and workstreams required for the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) for its Khemisset potash project in Northern Morocco. The ESIA is to be submitted to the relevant governmental bodies for approval.
The ESIA package comes as a capstone to two concurrent phases: a baseline programme, which commenced in the early stages of the project development; and the ESIA study, which commenced in early 2020. The project team, in partnership with the Moroccan-headquartered firm Phénixa S.A.R.L. (Phénixa), has consulted the various project stakeholders at every stage and inventoried the applicable Moroccan legislation.
The related workstreams have been completed in compliance with International Finance Corp. (IFC) performance standards and the equator principles. These standards are the global benchmark for the development of mining projects and complying with them is vital for mining projects, especially those seeking finance from international capital providers.
Findings of the baseline investigations have been integrated in the ESIA and the proposed monitoring programmes. These are planned to be reflected in the final project design in the forthcoming front end engineering design (FEED) so that positive impacts are maximised and negative impacts are minimised in the construction, operation, and closure stages.
Graham Clarke, CEO of Emmerson, commented: “We have said that we want to do the right things in the right way, with no exceptions. The ESIA has been done to the highest standard recommended by the World Bank, with no corners cut. It is the culmination of two years of studies and monitoring in the field and is a piece of work that everyone involved can be proud to have delivered. The environmental and social impact of a new major project is of real importance to any company that concerns itself with maintaining a record of sustainability. We are confident that the results of our work will demonstrate that Khemisset is going to be accepted as an important new potash mine to the benefit of Morocco and the shareholders of Emmerson. I am grateful to the dedication of all those who were involved in producing this excellent report.”
Read the article online at: https://www.worldfertilizer.com/potash/18112020/emmerson-plc-completes-environmental-and-social-impact-assessment-for-khemisset-potash-project/
You might also like
Petrobras approves start of reactivation of fertilizer factory in Araucária
The Executive Board of Petrobras unanimously approved the initial measures for the revitalisation and future resumption of operations at the fertilizer factory Araucária Nitrogenados S/A – ANSA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company. The plant, located in Paraná, has been in hibernation since 2020. ?