People in the Sperrins have a deep connection with the land. They have long altered this landscape to support agriculture, provide fuel and drive industry.
We take our inspiration from that symbiotic relationship. You can see it at work in our 10 years of exploration and test mining. All of our operations have been conducted with an eye to minimising our environmental impact.
Two documents outline our plans - our Environmental Management Policy and our Closure and Rehabilitation Plan. Both envision a mine where rehabilitation begins during operations.
All of our facilities have been designed to blend into the landscape and match local rural buildings. A tree-fringed berm will screen the view of these buildings. Our Dry Stack Facility will safeguard processed rock – pulverised to the size of sand – by creating a low ridge. We will plant it as it grows, so local plants and wildlife can colonise it faster.
On-site, multi-stage water purification system
Design features that protect groundwater
Sufficient capacity to withstand a 1-in-1000-year storm event
Recycled water used in the processing plants
We treat water with great care. We have to, because the Owenkillew and Owenreagh Rivers run nearby. Both rivers provide habitat for wildlife, water for farmers all the way to Lough Neagh, and fishing grounds beloved of anglers.
We use water in our processing operations and groundwater will collect in our tunnel. Both kinds must be treated thoroughly before being released into the environment. We use extensive water recycling to make the most of the water already on the site – both groundwater and rainwater.
Our multi-stage water purification system includes ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis technology. In real terms, that means any water discharge is the same quality as water in the surrounding environment.
We are adopting a process used elsewhere in the UK to produce a partially-refined material using purely mechanical means. This material will be sent for further refining at established processing sites elsewhere.
The first step in the process is to crush the rock. This crushing will take place underground, inside the mine.
Gold will not be poured on site. Instead, we will produce a metallic concentrate and ship it overseas for final refinement. It’s a process that Scotland has approved for a similar mine to begin operations in a UK national park.
We will not process material from other mines.
We’ve redesigned the plant to minimise emissions.
It uses conveyor belts instead of trucks, and biodiesel and electric vehicles where possible. A comprehensive carbon offset scheme catches the remaining emissions. We achieved carbon neutrality for a second year in 2020, and our plan will ensure that we do so in the years to come.
To render its carbon emissions ‘net zero’, Dalradian has chosen to support a biomass energy conservation project in Malawi, a Least Developed Country with a rapidly growing, rural population. The project aims to provide improved energy-efficient cookstoves to homes across Malawi, reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere from the burning of solid biomass. The project also has ancillary health benefits from reduced smoke during cooking and economic benefits as the stoves are locally made using local materials where possible.
The new mine will add surprisingly little traffic to local roads.
Explore the data from our traffic surveys to learn how we will preserve peace and quiet in the Owenkillew and Owenreagh valleys.
Dalradian’s planning application is yet to be approved. Join thousands of others and choose progress.
Fill in a short form and tell the Department for Infrastructure that you support Dalradian’s plans to create jobs, support the local community and respect the environment.
Support our plans to create jobs, strengthen the local community and respect the environment. The Department for Infrastructure will take your views into account. Help make our plans a reality.
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Support our plans to create jobs, strengthen the local community and respect the environment. The Department for Infrastructure will take your views into account. Help make our plans a reality.
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Please tick all the elements you like about the proposed project.
Dalradian will not see your letter, nor any of your details. Your letter of support will be sent directly to the Department for Infrastructure