List of Monitoring Indicators
Idicators to assess the state of the environment
Environmental Indicator Cause of the Impact Indicator State of the Environment
Impact
Pollution Heavy metal emissions Concentration of heavy metals and
Organic compound emissions organic compounds in the
environment and animals
Water pollution Intensive use of water resources Frequency, duration, extension of
Annual extraction of surface water shortage periods
water/ground water Concentrations of Pb, Cd, Hg and
Household water consumption pesticides in fresh water
per capita Concentration of fecal coliforms (e-
Household/industrial coli) in water
discharges in water bodies Water temperature
Nutrient Emissions of N and P in water Biological oxygen demand and
overload and soil dissolved oxygen demand
Use of N and P in aquatic crop Concentrations of N and P in
food continental and marine waters
Use of N and P in fertilizers and
animal feed
Water and soil Index of acid substances Excess of critical pH values in water
acidification Emissions of SO and NO- and soil
Concentration of acid rainfall
Air pollution Inventory of stationary and Concentration of particles, micro-
mobile sources particles and gas in the air
Number and rate of increase of Levels of soil, water and forest
industries and cars pollution by emission and deposit
Conservation of Alteration of habitats Percentage of threatened or
biodiversity and Annual rate of wood production endangered species with regard to
landscape Annual rate of firewood the total of known species
consumption Changes in biomass
Annual rate of export of Extinction rate of protected species
endemic species Deforestation rate
Earth and soil Erosion risk Area affected according to degree
degradation Current and potential use of soil and type of erosion
for agriculture Erosion index (sediment
Loading capacity (head cattle production)
per unit area) % of loss of horizon A from the soil
Surface area affected by
desertification
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Socioeconomic Indicators
Communities are often located within a project’s impact area. The impacts the project will have on
the socioeconomic factors need to be determined through a baseline. After that, impacts can be
determined through a change in the indicator.
Indicators of socioeconomic impacts
Indicators Details
Population demographics: Indicates impact the project has based on migration patterns and needs to
size, age, ethnic groups, correspond to the ability of a community to meet the needs of a
gender growing/declining population.
Employment/ Determine in part how large an impact the project will have on quality of
unemployment rates life and contribution to household financial stability.
Median income according Determines in part how large an impact the project will have on quality of
to sectors life and contribution to household financial stability.
% of the population with Indicates the type of pressure the project and influx of workers may have
access to social services on local services and the ability of a community to meet the needs of a
(health, education, growing/declining population.
recreation, social support
etc.)
% of the population with Indicates the type of pressure the project and influx of workers may have
access adequate water, on local services and the ability of a community to meet the needs of a
sanitation, electricity growing/declining population.
Number of community Shows the ability and need for communities to advocate for themselves for
organizations/advocacy or against a cause.
groups
Housing quality and This is particularly important where relocation is necessary. While not all
quantity people will want to relocate, providing the affected population with
improved quality housing helps to improve living standards.
State of public safety Larger populations can cause a strain on the public safety system. If the
services (fire/police) services are inadequate or become inadequate as a result of the
population shift it can negatively affect the social fabric of the population.
Location and quantity of Arable land is essential to both access to food and economic activity in an
farmlands area. As such, a project should always consider the impact the project may
have on agricultural systems.
Local land-use patterns Land is often used in a wide variety of ways; agriculture, forestry,
hunting/fishing, natural and protected areas. A project must be clear about
the impact it will have on local land-use patterns because it can directly
affect the livelihood activities of the local population.
Attitudes toward the General content or discontent toward a project is important, not only in
project project success but also in ensuring the project can co-exist with the
population.
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Sectoral Indicators Example
Environmental Impact Indicator Standard
Facility (WS)
Water consumption • Volume of water consumed per Standard set by individual
month/day/time period water use licences issued
by the state.
Water quality % Residual water (m3) of total water use per area Standards to be set by
Water quality of individual sample testing based the technical norms for
on: temperature, colour, Ph, discharge volume, Residual Waters
amount oil/grease discharging into receiving
bodies.
• Water quality accumulation temperature,
colour, Ph, discharge volume, oils/grease over
time
Energy • Monthly kwh use
• For service provision: Kwh used/month;
monthly gas consumption(L/mo); % of
services provided
Maintenance for • Frequency of machine tuneups including: Oil
Machines changes, belt changes, spark plug changes,
lubrication
Waste • Quantity of solid waste produced/month
• Quantity of organic waste produced/month
Drilling
Drilling Tools • Frequency of Tool BH including: Oil changes,
belt changes, spark plug changes, lubrication
Cyanide • Compliance with requirements of the International Publication of the
Cyanide Management code for manufacture, compliance code and
transport and use monitoring data is
suggested.
Biodiversity and • Extent and condition of areas identified as
Protected Areas containing or likely to have high levels of
biodiversity or provide environmental services
which may be affected
(positive/negative) by the mine project
• % of protected area that may be impacted/
threatened by the mine
Greenhouse Gas • Complies with GHG emissions standards based
Emission on ISO 14064-1:2006 and ISO 14064-2:2006
Noise • Meeting acceptable noise emission standards Standards may be set
based on government/international standards either through national
legislation or taken from
international bodies,
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Environmental Impact Indicator Standard
Air quality • Rig meeting acceptable air quality standards Standards may be set
determined by either through national
government/international regulating bodies legislation or taken from
International bodies.
Waste management • % tailings with liners adequately designed to Acceptable threshold for
minimize the seepage of contamination to the seepage is 10–6 cm/sec
environment over time with a thickness of 33 cm,
• % of tailings dams and waste rock dumps that are taking about 1 year for
judged to be able to withstand large seismic and seepage to move through
hydrologic events the liner
• % tailings facilities and waste rock dumps with The probable maximum
closure covers that will minimize the generation of seismic activity and
contamination and best meet re-vegetation and amount of precipitation
visual reclamation objectives should be modelled
based on past local
weather patterns,
accounting for climate
change.
Water Quantity • % of rivers and streams potentially affected by Baseline to be
mining projects whose environmental flow is determined, benchmarks
maintained over time or limits set to indicate at
• Groundwater levels in areas potentially affected by what point irreversible
mining projects impact will occur.
Water Quality • Water quality based on set standards, tested Water quality standards
against the baseline for ground and surface water set by state or followed
(Ph, temperature, sediment amounts, presence of from international bodies
arsenic, mercury, lead, cyanide etc.) such as World Health
Organization.
Resettlement • Number of unlawful forced evictions associated
with the project
• % of displaced persons associated with the project
who are satisfied with the resettlement/
compensation process
• % of displaced persons associated with the mining
projects whose standard of living has improved/
deteriorated post-settlement
Cultural Heritage • Number of complaints raised by the Regulations for cultural
communities in relation to the project heritage laid out in
regarding the protection of culture national legislation.
Reclamation/closure • Existence of an up-to-date, satisfactory closure/
reclamation plan
• Annual cost to public and third parties other than
mine beneficiaries of site closure and reclamation
