Diamonds and Specialty Products
- EKATI Diamond Mine uses signage and monitoring programs to minimise the impact on the local Caribou population
The Diamonds and Specialty Products Customer Sector Group encompasses diamonds, titanium and phosphate.
The cornerstone of BHP Billiton’s Diamonds business is the EKATI Diamond Mine™, of which we own 80 per cent. EKATI is located in the Canada’s Northwest Territories and produces approximately four million carats of rough diamonds annually. Annual production represents nearly four per cent of current world rough diamond production by weight and six per cent of value. Through our CanadaMark™ brand, we also sell high-quality, Canadian produced polished diamonds.
Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) is a 50 per cent owned heavy mineral sands mine and smelter situated in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. RBM is a major producer of titania slag, high purity pig iron, rutile and zircon. We have a titania slag project at Corridor Sands in Mozambique. Corridor Sands is the world’s largest underdeveloped titania deposit.
2006 Sustainability Performance Overview
Key aspects of the sustainability performance of Diamonds and Specialty Products (D&SP) for the reporting period 2005/06 were:
- Achieved zero fatalities since the BHP Billiton merger with a significant increase in reporting near misses and conducting peer-on-peer work practice reviews
- Achieved a 24 per cent reduction in our Classified Injury Frequency Rate over 2005/06 and a 24 per cent a reduction in our Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR)
- Implemented Behaviour-based safety programs across D&SP and, at EKATI implementing a Zero Incident Process that focuses on people's attitudes, behaviours and outcomes
- No significant environmental incidents occurred
- All controlled sites maintained their ISO 14001 certification and all Technology Laboratories achieved ISO 14001 certification
- Continued EKATI’s successful Energy Smart Program, saving 2.5 million litres of diesel fuel in 2006
- Received the 2005 Community Impact Award (second time winner of the Canada Export Award) The Government of Canada awarded BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc the 2005 Canada Export Award for Community Impact. This prestigious award recognises the EKATI Diamond Mine’s contribution to the communities in which it operates
- Recognised as among Canada’s Top 100 Employer. For the fifth consecutive year, in 2006 BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers
- Via the Naonaiyaotit Traditional Knowledge Project, gathered information from the people of the West Kitikmeot in the Nunavut Territory about local wildlife, habitat and land use.This traditional knowledge remains the intellectual property of the Copper Inuit and will increase the company’s understanding of the wildlife and environment
- Participated in the 2005 and 2006 North West Territories Mine Rescue Competition. BHP Billiton Diamond Inc’s Underground Mine Rescue Team placed first overall in the Mine Rescue Competition and placed first in six out of seven competitions in 2005
- Achieve ISO 9001 certification for Quality in our Sorting and Valuation Facility. BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc's Sorting and Valuation Facility achieved BSI ISO 9001 certification for operating a Quality Management System in the preparation of diamonds from the EKATI Diamond Mine for marketing diamonds, including rough diamond cleaning, sorting, valuation, Kimberly Process and shipping services. The certificate of registration is effective from February 10, 2006 to February 9, 2009, and represents over 18 months of work by staff and management
- Read more: Diamonds and Specialty Products 2006 Environmental Data Summary.
2007 Sustainability Outlook
Looking ahead for the Diamonds and Specialty Products CSG, a focus on the BHP Billiton Key Sustainability Challenges will include the following:
Eliminating Fatal Risks
- Continuing to strive towards Zero Harm, especially no fatalities
- Continuing our Total Reportable Injury Frequency Rate reduction with commencement of underground operations at EKATI
- Embedding behaviour-based safety programs.
Access to and Management of Resources
- Maintaining our proactive approach to environmental management, particularly waste and water management at EKATI
- Revitalising contractor management with an increased reliance on contractors during the construction of the Koala Project and other key development projects at EKATI
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Continuing reduction in energy use at EKATI through its Energy Smart Program and fuel conservation programs, which seek energy saving ideas from employees, evaluate and then implement the suggestions
- Investigate alternative sources of power for EKATI.
Sustainable Community Development and Closure of Operations
- Finalising a revised Interim Closure Plan to meet both the Company-wide Closure Standard and the requirements of our various regulators. In preparing this plan an extensive series of consultation events have been undertaken in the various communities affected by the EKATI operations
- Continuing our various community programs, such as the scholarships program. This is applicable to the communities that are signatories to the Impact and Benefits Agreements
Occupational and Community Health
- Working closely with communities and public health to ensure tuberculosis testing is up to date as there are high rates of this disease in the Northwest Territories
- Increasing our focus on our employee medical surveillance program
- Continuing to share key health trends between governments and EKATI
- Providing site-based illness management for non-work related health issues and liaising with community health professionals
- Actively promoting the return to work program to ensure a healthy mind and body.
