Was the Environmental Assessment Adequate?

446Critical review of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) is an important element of environmental assessment for a new mining development. If the ESIA is prepared by external experts, as is often if not always the case, the mining company normally scrutinizes the ESIA documentation internally before releasing the document to government authorities for approval. This is to ensure that the document meets the company standards, that the project description accurately represents company planning and that commitments made on behalf of the company are financially and technically achievable. Government authorities conduct their own internal review as the basis for decision-making.