Environmental Impact Assessment meeting on Aynak Copper Mine held in Kabul

The public consultation session on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the Aynak Copper Project was organized by the “Daira Sabz Environmental and Engineering Consulting Company” in collaboration with the “National Environmental Protection Agency” in Kabul.

This session took place on Monday, October 13, and officials from the Daira Sabz Environmental Consulting Company, the National Environmental Protection Agency, representatives of the Chinese MJAM company, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, and other relevant government agencies participated.

According to the contract, this meeting is a significant part of the environmental and social impact assessment of the Aynak copper mine, a project handed over to the Daira Sabz Environmental Consulting Company by MJAM.

During the session, a documentary showcasing the field studies conducted by Daira Sabz on the environmental and social impacts of the Aynak copper mine, along with the findings and suggestions for mitigating these impacts, was presented.

In another part of the meeting, participants and representatives from relevant agencies shared their feedback and recommendations with Daira Sabz regarding reducing the environmental and social impacts of the Aynak copper mine.

The purpose of preparing the ESIA report for the Aynak copper project is to identify and evaluate the project’s environmental and social impacts and propose measures to mitigate these impacts in accordance with national and international standards.

According to Daira Sabz officials, the environmental and social impact assessment of the Aynak project has been ongoing for the past seven months and is nearing completion.

The assessment covers key areas such as potential impacts on surface and groundwater, soil, vegetation, wildlife, geochemical analysis of waste rocks, climate change impacts, industrial waste management, and surrounding villages’ socio-economic and cultural conditions.

Additionally, the assessment includes impacts on archaeological sites, air quality, noise from mining and processing activities, and transportation impacts due to mining operations.

The Daira Sabz Environmental Consulting Company, with a team of skilled and experienced specialists, has been responsible for preparing this ESIA report.

According to environmental law, the extraction of the Aynak copper mine can only commence after this report is approved and the environmental permit is issued to MJAM. The company is not allowed to begin extraction before receiving this permit.

It is worth noting that Daira Sabz, responsible for conducting the ESIA for the Aynak copper mine, is a domestic company that legally began its operations in 2018 and has since successfully implemented major projects across Afghanistan, adhering to national and international standards.

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