Prestigious mining awards recognise Carmichael for leading environmental management and Indigenous engagement

Bravus Mining and Resources has been recognised in prestigious mining awards for its leading environmental management and Indigenous engagement programs at the Carmichael mine near Clermont in central Queensland.

The regional Queensland business has been named a finalist in both the Excellence in Environmental Management and Sustainability and the Indigenous and Community Engagement categories at the 2023 Australian Mining Prospect Awards.

The Prospect Awards are among the most respected national industry awards for Australia’s mining and minerals processing sector.

Bravus Mining and Resources Head of Community, Communications and ESG Kate Campbell said the nominations acknowledged the company’s significant investments in responsible mining practices.

“The Carmichael mine has some of the strictest environmental conditions of any resources project in Australia’s history,” Ms Campbell said.

“That means we also have some of the best environmental monitoring and scientific research programs in the world, especially in the areas of groundwater and species management.

“Being a finalist in these awards is due recognition of the outstanding work our talented environmental teams and their research and Traditional Owner partners do at Carmichel to ensure we continue to operate in a way that is responsible, sustainable, and protects the environment and our neighbours.”

The Excellence in Environmental Management and Sustainability nomination is for innovative AI-supported monitoring of the endangered Black-throated Finch.

Bravus Mining and Resources developed a targeted Management Plan to protect local Black-throated Finches and their habitat and researchers built an automated call recogniser to help track bird movements and to identify individual bird's home ranges, providing insights into their day-to-day behaviour.

The automated call recogniser has proved a more accurate method to detect the finches than visual surveys and the findings have been published in scientific journals to improve surveillance of other rare birds around the world.

The Indigenous and Community Engagement nomination is for collaboration between Bravus Mining and Resources and Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owner business, Woongal Environmental Services, for ecological management of the 33,000-hectare conservation area that surrounds the Carmichael mine.

Bravus Mining and Resources’ Indigenous Participation Plan has a $250 million First Nations contracting and business development commitment.

Woongal was initially engaged for monitoring and surveying across the mining lease and in the Doongmabulla Springs Complex area but has since expanded its services at the Carmichael mine to include fauna spotting and catching, erosion and sedimentation control, weed and pest management, fencing, research into groundwater-dependent ecosystems, and road and track maintenance.

A dozen people have been employed by Woongal Environmental Services the service the contracts the business has received from Bravus Mining and Resources.

The winners of the Australian Mining Prospect Awards will be announced at a gala ceremony at Brisbane City Hall on 9 November. More information about the awards is available here.

Photo caption: Woongal ecologist Janelle Vanderbeek and ranger Cecil Sullivan heading out to do biomass and fauna surveys at the Carmichael mine.

ENDS

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