Environmental

There is a sound environmental management program in place at the Xstrata Rustenburg operations which serves to address the different potential impacts of plant activities. The management plans are audited biannually in terms of the ISO 14001 standard.

The Xstrata Rustenburg Environmental management programme includes:

• Integrated Water Management
• Integrated Waste Management
• Integrated Soil Management
• Air Pollution Management
• Biodiversity and Land Management
• Catastrophic hazard management programme

Xstrata Rustenburg Plant has an active Environmental Management System (ISO 14000) to comply with the objectives and principles for the operation, as well as the commitments set out.

The plant is also audited against the Xstrata PLC HSEC 17 standards.

Xstrata Rustenburg has defined the significance of impacts on different environmental components and has mitigation measures in place managing the possible impacts.

Communities

Xstrata Rustenburg Operations supports the vision, objective and undertakings of the Mining Charter. This support was imperative for Xstrata Rustenburg operations before the Mining Charter set out its framework for progressing empowerment.

Xstrata Rustenburg Operations also contributes significantly to the local economy of the region. Xstrata Rustenburg plays a central role in the communities that exist alongside its operations and in keeping with its Global Business Principles, it is Xstrata’s policy to “give back” to local communities.

Well developed programmes are in place and focus on five key aspects that govern local community and rural life: training and education; enterprise development; unemployment; health and infrastructure.

Xstrata Rustenburg is involved in the following community support programmes:

• Training and education
• Local economic Development and job creation
• Health – HIV/AIDS programmes
• Infrastructure development

Xstrata Rustenburg’s community involvement and social investment have been extended to the following programmes:

Infrastructure Projects

Laerskool Proteapark
Xstrata Rustenburg assisted the school in creating four new classrooms to help eliminate overcrowding.

Reatile Middle School
Xstrata Rustenburg helped develop school facilities with respect to a sanitation and basic infrastructure.

Education and Development Projects

Rutanang Primary School
The Ruatanang School is funded by Xstrata in partnership with the Department of Education. The school provides education to 900 learners from low income families.

Leadership Development Programme for the North West Provincial Police
Xstrata Rustenburg developed a partnership with Business Against Crime to help facilitate leadership training to senior members of the police force, with the aim of enabling them to run the police station efficiently.

Edumap
Graduates from the surrounding community that have not obtained desired results in Maths and Science are sent to Edumap College in Johannesburg for 1 year and attend classes not only in Maths and Science, but are also taught life skills to prepare them for the work environment. The aim of this programme is to improve each student’s chances of receiving bursaries for tertiary studies.

Keyboards College
Unemployed ladies from the community have been placed on a secretarial learnership programme and are offered practical training at the operations. Since its inception in 2004, 3 ladies have been employed permanently.

Health Projects

Xstrata Rustenburg provided funding for the, Bessie Mpelegele Wana (Bessie take care of my child) home based care centre in Rustenburg North. This NGO, which started operating in 2005, is run by Bessie Nokoana a pensioner from Tlhabane. This centre caters to disabled children and HIV infected orphans.

Environmental Projects

Arbour Day
Xstrata Rustenburg donated 50 trees to five local schools on Arbour Day to help create awareness about the significance of tree planting and preserving the environment.

Artisan Learnership Programme
Xstrata Rustenburg will offer selected school leavers who completed technical subjects, the opportunity to enrol in a learnership programme where they will obtain a formal trade qualification. Hence the programme will allow graduates to become self employed or to become employed in the formal sector where the demand is ever increasing.

Enterprise Development

1. Feasibility Study
2. Business Plan
3. Cashflows
4. Shareholders Agreement
5. Evaluation of Assets and Cashflow
6. Start up Venture Capital
7. Introduction of Mentorship Programme
8. Introduction to other Mining Houses for Business

NAFCOC
Xstrata assisted National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC) to set up an office in the Bojanala District. The aim of this project is to give business opportunities to micro and medium enterprises (SMME) in the local communities by becoming members of NAFCOC.

Xstrata supported, assisted and developed this initiative by paying for NAFCOC office space for a period of two years and buying NAFCOC office equipment.