Nominations for the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety’s (DMIRS) Resources Sector Awards for Excellence are now open.
Each year, the awards aim to acknowledge and celebrate innovation, outstanding performance and leadership in the Western Australian resources sector.
The Resources Sector Awards for Excellence brings together the prestigious Golden Gecko environmental awards and the Community Partnership Resources Sector Award.
Geckos are among the last species to return to an area after a land disturbance such as mining, and their presence indicates a return to a healthy functioning ecosystem. Thus, the gecko was selected by the DMIRS to be a symbol of environmental performance.
Golden Gecko Awards for Environmental Excellence recognise leading practice and innovation in environmental management and provide an opportunity to share experiences between government, industry and the community.
Receiving a Golden Gecko Award helps a company to build the reputation of being a responsible corporate citizen with a responsible attitude to the environment.
In 2019, Sandfire Resources NL received the Golden Gecko Award in recognition of the DeGrussa Solar Project in WA’s Mid-West.
Since coming online in 2016, the solar farm’s 34,080 solar photovoltaic panels have helped Sandfire to reduce its carbon emissions by 30,789 tonnes and offset 11 million litres of diesel.
The facility accounts for 17-20 per cent of the mine site’s power requirements and represents a significant environmental saving.
Images taken at Sandfire Resources’ DeGrussa Solar Power Project, courtesy of the DMIRS.
The Community Partnership Resources Sector Award recognises those who are building sustainable partnerships with communities that extend beyond the life of a project.
This year, for the first time, more than one Community Partnership Award may be given to recognise smaller resource operations with shorter lifespans.
In 2019, the Woombooriny Amboon Angarriiya Partnership Initiative (WAAPI)* won the Community Partnership Resources Sector Award for its unique Aboriginal-led, community-driven approach to improving the lives of Aboriginal children in the Dampier Peninsula.
Led by Woodside Energy and Save the Children Foundation, WAAPI focuses on bringing community members together, building strong local leadership and mentoring community navigators to inform and guide social planning.
*The name means ‘All People Moving Forwards Together’ in the local Bardi and Nyul Nyul languages.
Images of the Woombooriny Amboon Angarriiya Partnership Initiative, courtesy of the DMIRS.
Mines and Petroleum Minister, Bill Johnston, said the Awards for Excellence play an important role in sharing project knowledge and encouraging others to continually improve.
“These awards are an important part of recognising and advancing the sector’s innovation and technological capabilities to ensure Western Australia remains globally competitive and a leader in the resources sector.”
Nominations for this year’s awards close 5pm Wednesday, April 8, and the winners will be announced at an Awards Ceremony in August 2020.
For more information on the 2020 Resources Sector Awards for Excellence, please visit here.
