This study develops and tests a methodology that can be utilized for a reconnaissance level assessment of electric power supply alternatives for medium-scale mining in northwestern British Columbia. The study is organized into four parts. Part one characterizes the public planning framework of the study area. Present and future use trends of the region's natural resources, in particular minerals and energy, are reviewed, and a typology of public preferences for their development is established. Part two carries out a literature-based review of the conceptual basis of normative decision-making. Specific energy project evaluation approaches are introduced. This establishes a theoretical framework for constructing the methodology. Part three presents the energy project assessment methodology. Part four applies the methodology to the RED-CHRIS deposit. Salient features of parts three and four which form the core of the study, are outlined below. Energy Project Assessment Methodology The central part of the study proposes a strategic, reconnaissance-level methodology for evaluating energy supply alternatives for medium-scale mining. Its scope is defined by; a) inclusion of strategic elements such as emphasis on priorities, analytical continuity, robustness, and adaptiveness, and b) adoption of a reconnaissance approach which reflects an intention to accommodate preliminary information at an appropriate level of complexity and comprehensiveness. The essence of the methodology entails three inter-related components: 1) Core Information Environment - Identifies and focuses on defining the energy supply issues for a particular undeveloped mineral deposit. 2) Basic Evaluation Environment - Assesses the viability of potential alternatives through the application of multiple criteria and formal decision-making procedures. 3) Peripheral Evaluation Environment - Assesses strategic information which is independent of the focused problem, but can exert an influence on the outcome of both the core and basic environments. Each component contains strategic data bases and analytical processes that assist the analyst to proceed from initial problem identification to selection of alternatives. Within and between the three structural component information is refined in an iterative fashion. This maintains a current perspective on the problem environment and leads to a more confident appraisal of the favoured energy alternatives for a mineral deposit. Case Study Analysis: RED-CHRIS copper-gold deposit situated southeast of Iskut was selected for a case study application of the methodology. Typical production schedule ranging from 8 to 20 years would require corresponding installed electrical capacity of 7.5 to 23.5 Megawatts. Key points which emerged from an analysis of this deposit's energy supply alternatives form the mine planner's perspective are: 1) Interest groups concerned with planning, developing, or regulating energy supply for RED-CHRIS include: a) Mineral deposit owners whose objective it is to maximize profit b) Societal interests whose objective it is to maximize economic, social and environmental well-being aspects of the project. c) Public policy interests whose objective it is to maximize economic, political, and social welfare within national and provincial energy policy. 2) Energy supply candidates identified and examined, include: diesel-electric, high voltage grid extension, small-hydroelectric, coal and biomass-fired generation, natural gas, peat, geothermal, wind and solar. 3) Comparison of different small-scale energy applications for remote areas is made difficult because of technical, political, and environmental uncertainties. 4) Satisficing and Dominance can be successfully applied from the mine planner's perspective to key decision criteria to narrow the various energy supply alternatives. 5) Small-hydro is the most favourable alternative at this juncture, followed by diesel. Coal-fired generation and biomass are comparable, and may be more favourable than diesel under certain circumstances. Other alternatives are presently unsuitable. General Conclusions: Application of the methodology is limited by the interaction between analytical design, available physical resources, and uncertainty in the operating environment, human values and external decisions. The methodology appears sufficiently robust and comprehensive to be adapted to other deposits in the region. Commonly shared information requirements combined with the iterative nature of information processing, can be used to reduce the resource demands and improve the efficiency of subsequent applications. Finally, it is recommended that the value sensitivity of the methodology be tested by applying it from more than one perspective to the same deposit. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1986 M45 / Master of Landscape Architecture / Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning

Kwan Sai Ho. / Thesis (M.Ph.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: leaves 316-339.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Urban Planning and Environmental Management / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Mining industry has been identified as the main sustenance of the South African economy, however the negative impacts of the industry on the ecological systems cannot be over emphasized due to the released waste which is mostly heavy metals into the environment. The study evaluated six heavy metal (A1, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Cr) contents in a tailings dam from a specific mine site. Two sets of samples for the investigation were measured, that is, one in year 2012 and the other in year 2013. In the year 2012, the sample set was only taken at a distance profile of 500 meters from the foot of the dam, whereas the sample set taken in the year 2013 was for the 500 and 1500 meter distance profiles from the foot of the dam. The year 2012 and 2013 sample sets for the 500m distance profile were sampled very similarly to each other. A kilogram of each sample was taken as per grid format. The samples at varied depths were taken at 0-cm depth for the top layer, 20cm depth for the second layer, and 30cm depth for the third layer. The samples for the surface varied distance were taken at 1 m, 2m, 3m, and 4m away from each 500m and 1500 sampling points. The 2012 samples were analysed using characterization methods namely ICP MS and The 2013 samples were analysed using the ICP OES. The comparison of the field results for the six heavy metals studied (A1, Fe, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cr) was performed using statistical analytical methods, namely ANOVA. The statistical analysis results for heavy metals (A1, Fe, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cr) from sample and 2013 revealed that the group means are not significantly different from each other which means that there is no significant difference in (A1, Fe, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cr) concentrations with respect to both depth and distance. The observations from both 2012 and 2013 indicate the results of the samples are in agreement. In addition, the comparative average concentrations of the three results obtained reach the same conclusion that the tailing dam probably does not introduce considerable or significant amounts of these metals (A1, Fe, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cr) into the surrounding soils. / Chemical Engineering / M. Tech. (Chemical Engineering)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research found and understood that the ability of the case study organisation (company X) to understand sustainability issues and stakeholder interests lies in the firm‟s core purpose and strategy (i.e. the notion of incorporating sustainability into business decisions). The research also understood that at company X the three strategy propositions (value, profit, people) are achieved through the process of implementing the company‟s change initiatives for sustainability and in turn support the company to evolve towards a sustainable enterprise. The ability to make sustainability a fundamental aspect of its business decisions is what distinguishes company X such that it can successfully design, introduce and diffuse strategies, practices and cultural traits aligned with sustainable models The researcher further believes that change interventions or initiatives carried out at company X such as value delivery, workforce plan alignment and cash generation are expected to enhance responsibility and accountability of employees. At company X, individuals are informed and allowed a great deal of autonomy when it comes to generating ideas to tackle strategic initiatives. The sense of inclusiveness allows individuals in company X to change their identity and behaviour in line with ideal models of the sustainable enterprise.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

The purpose of this study is to explore empirically the correlation of quality practices and environmental performance and suggest its applicability as a model for integrating the two fields.

D. Litt. et Phil.(Leadership in Performance and Change) / The aim of this study was to develop an organisation development model to support organisational change and transformation in a dynamic, continuously changing business environment, specifically for the mining industry in South Africa. Literature revealed that there is a tendency to employ universal and generic models to challenges of organisational change, whereas successful 00 needs a situation specific or contextualised approach. The field of OD reflects a paucity of empirical research, necessitating a greater research competence and more in-depth, robust empirical 00 studies to answer to 'contemporary contextual and environmental challenges. A further call is voiced towards OD to resolve organisational change challenges from a systemic perspective, which has been a central tenet of the field. A number of research participants from a South African company that has been implementing organisational change and transformation interventions in the mining sector, were selected by means of purposive sampling. A modernist qualitative approach with the case study as research strategy was utilised during the development of the model. Various data collection techniques were utilised with grounded theory as a data analysis technique to explore and systematically develop the concepts and categories of the model. Atlas.ti, together with manual coding procedures were utilised to systematically organise and analyse the rich descriptive data. Credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability were ensured by following the guidelines presented in the literature. In the literature study, the sample's narrative was critically contrasted against the established scientific knowledge base of OD, considering specifically taxonomies, models and theories related to the emergent OD model. The resulting model deviates from the established perspectives on OD, in that it reflects a hybrid of several fields of study endeavour. The latter is consistent with a business practice perspective that integrates and deal with a single application domain, compared to a science-informed perspective which conducts research largely within defined (and confined) disciplinary boundaries. The OD model has implications for the mining industry in South Africa, and the development of grounded theory should facilitate the application thereof in future research.