Endeavour mining group published its Sustainability Report 2022 on 16 May 2023 in London. The report provides an update on jobs created in 2022. It addresses issues such as water use, biodiversity and tailings management and greenhouse gas emissions.
Greenhouse gas emissions: 10% increase between 2021 and 2022
2022 was a strong year for Endeavour mining’s operations with significant milestones achieved across the Company’s operations and in its engagement with communities and Burkina Faso. In terms of total greenhouse gas emissions, Endeavour increased by 10% in 2022 compared to 2021, due to an increase in emissions, resulting from increased use of thermal power by the national utility provider in Burkina Faso, which impacted on the emissions of electricity purchased in Burkina Faso.
In Houndé, the increase in emissions is largely due to the increase in emissions caused by the increase in electricity purchases from the Burkinabe grid which has adopted a higher market-based emission factor. At Mana, the reduction in emissions is due to a decrease in the total movement of materials due to the reduction in the size of the open pit, with underground mining beginning to account for a greater proportion of mining activities and the connection of the processing plant to the national grid. At Boungou, the reduction in emissions is largely due to lower production volumes. Finally at Wahgnion, the increase in emissions is due to higher extraction rates as more material was moved at higher strip ratios during the year, in addition to the longer haulage distances from the Samavogo pit that were accessed in the second half of the year.
Water use: 50% increase compared to 2021
In the area of water, Endeavour seeks to maximise water reuse and recycling through closed-loop configurations, which helps to reduce overall consumption. To improve the Group’s water management and efficiency rates, Endeavour has set its first Group-wide water target, which aims to recycle and reuse an average of 70% by 2023. Total water withdrawal for the Group in 2022 was 14,198 megalitres (‘ML’), an increase of 50% from 2021 due largely to tailings dam lifts at the Wahgnion and Sabodala-Massawa mines, which prevented the withdrawal of rainwater deposited on the tailings treatment facilities, impacting water recycling rates. Total water withdrawal intensity for the Group increased to 0.0105 ML of water per ounce of gold produced, which represents an increase of approximately 70% on the previous period due to the aforementioned impact of tailings dam lifts, compounded by lower production across the Group. Reused and recycled water decreased to 57% in 2022, compared to 67% in 2021, due to the aforementioned impact of tailings increases at the Wahgnion and Sabodala-Massawa mines, preventing access to water deposited in the tailings storage facilities.
Management of tailings facilities
All of Endeavour’s operational tailings were audited in 2022 and no significant incidents involving cyanide were recorded in 2022. In 2022, 23.5 million tonnes of tailings were produced.
Biodiversity management
Following the development of the Group’s biodiversity strategy in 2021, Endeavour set its first annual biodiversity targets in 2022 which were to protect 600 hectares of land at its properties and to preserve 10 hectares per mine for land and biodiversity restoration. By 2022, 1,837 hectares had been successfully protected, including 1,695 hectares at the Sabodala-Massawa mine, 12 hectares at the Ity mine and 130 hectares as part of the Great Green Wall initiative in Senegal. 30 hectares have also been restored across the Group’s sites, reaching 50% of the 2022 target, with a 2023 target of recovering 60 hectares across the Group.
Developing local talent
Endeavour operates in a number of countries and recognises that its operations utilise a wide range of nationalities, cultures and capabilities. At the end of 2022, the Group had 14,140 employees, down by 1% from 14,258 in 2021, and had 5,659 employees and 8,481 contractors.
Endeavour’s strong record of employing nationals has continued into 2022, with 94% of Endeavour’s workforce coming from host countries, slightly less than in 2021.
57% of senior managers were West African; comprising 44% nationals, 8% West African regional expatriates and 5% host communities. In 2022, 262 national staff were promoted on the basis of newly acquired skills, acquired on the job or through formal training programmes made available to them. In 2022, 504 young nationals gained valuable work experience through internships at Endeavour sites, an increase of 43% from 2021.
Overall, 9% of employees were women, 12% in management positions and 12% in technical or supervisory roles.
At management level, at the end of the year, 13% of the Executive Management Committee were women and 27% of the direct reports to the Executive Management Committee were women.
In 2023, Endeavour has included a gender diversity target as part of the Group’s 2023 annual bonus, aiming for 15% of new female hires, with an upper target of 20%.
As a reminder, Endeavour Mining is a West African gold producer with operating assets in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso and a strong portfolio of advanced development projects and exploration assets in the highly prospective Birimian greenstone belt in West Africa.
Summary by Elie KABORE
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