Doing it differently at Simandou

The team guiding the Simandou project in Guinea, west Africa, is using Rio Tinto's development knowledge to drive innovations in its social and environmental base line studies.

Prior to the start of base line studies, key international Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have been helping to provide high level scientific expertise required to understand the remote rainforest area. Now they have formally become part of the base line study team.

The groups include Conservation International, Flora and Fauna International, Guinée Ecologie and even the world-renowned Kew Gardens in London. Then there are high-profile scientists contributing their expertise including Janice Carter, a world expert in primates like chimpanzees and Ron Demey, a leading expert on West African birds.

Simandou's Manager Environment and Communities, John Merry, says typically independent groups might play some specific role later in a base line study process, but by being part of Simandou's overall team from day one, the studies will be of the highest order and based on rigorous scientific investigation.

Ultimately, RTIO's development plans for Simandou will be matched with the base line studies to create environmental and social impact assessments. These assessments influence business and government planning to ensure a sustainable development approach to the entire multi-billion dollar project.

The partnership approach has created a new benchmark within the company with some of the world's leading scientists involved and contributing their research to the global knowledge base about West Africa.

The base line studies will take approximately 18 months, which helps ensure the research spans a range of climatic and migratory conditions.