Health, safety & environment

Health and safety

AIDS, TB and malaria all present serious challenges in the DRC. In addition to the community health programmes such as malaria education and hospital refurbishment undertaken by the DCP Foundation, we also provide direct support to our employees and their families. Our approach to AIDS includes counseling, education of employees and their families, voluntary testing and the provision of ARV drugs to employees.

Safety is a core value and we aim for zero injuries. DCP has established safety guidelines with particular emphasis on managing contractors. We know that only by visible leadership and constant reinforcement we will achieve the goal of zero injuries. We will provide training to support the safety culture of the group.

The Group actively promotes a strong safety culture

Environment

The group recognises that mining has adverse impacts on the environment and that the Project comprises severely degraded and polluted assets. Environmental control measures have been planned to minimise negative impacts, and to this end the project operating company, DCP, has submitted to the DRC government an environmental impact study (EIS) as well as an environmental management plan (EMP). These were completed in accordance with DRC legislation with respect to the granting of new exploitation permits, including the requirements set out in Schedule IX of the DRC Mining Regulations.

Aerial view of former Gécamines workings near the Kolwezi Concentrator

Tilwezembe conservation area set up by DCP Foundation

The principal areas highlighted by the EIS for action include:

• water management
• minimising air pollution (noise, vibration and dust)
• resettlement of key sensitive areas of housing closest to our operations
• approach to artisanal mining
• workforce retraining
• implementation of health and safety procedures
• implementation of a social plan