A range of environmental improvement programs and initiatives were implemented by OZ Minerals operations during the reporting period. Areas of key focus during the period of integration included the implementation of environmental standards across the group and improvements in the processes for reporting on business environmental performance. Other examples of our activities included:

• Achieving international certification under the ISO14001 standard for our environmental management system at Sepon. At our Golden Grove and Rosebery mines, existing ISO14001 certification was successfully retained following assessments undertaken by external independent auditors.
• At the Prominent Hill operation, specific environmental management plans and processes started to be implemented in preparation for the transition from project development to full mine operations. Planning focus in 2008 was on undertaking work to improve energy use efficiency, establish a site water balance and increase the recycling of waste materials.
• Land rehabilitation and closure accounting provisions for all operations were updated through a process of independent external assessment. This provided the opportunity for a number of the operations to reassess their long term environmental management challenges and update the plans in place to address those issues.
• Ongoing co-sponsorship of a three year collaborative research program run through AMIRA International and involving Century mine to identify improved treatments and approaches for reducing the development of acid rock drainage in mining waste materials.