Environmental performance assessment for small mining operations

This work is the result of a demand for environmental performance information for sand extraction by dredging. It aims to combine the development of a system of environmental indicators with a management practice that is more in line with modern times. Its general objective is to present a set of environmental performance assessment indicators for sand mining by dredging drawing up guidelines that should be answered and/or observed making up an environmental report or report on the situation. The writing presents a set of indicators in eight (8) areas: environmental policy; environmental management system; risk management system; legal compliance; product management; financial performance; environmental development and accounting criteria which are presented in the form of items. The set of indicators applied reports on the environmental situation of companies. In the end it establishes a hierarchy of environmental behaviour in four (4) classes (reactive beginning to be implemented being implemented and proactive) with the two mines studied being in the first class (reactive).