Published: January 27, 2016 |

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Vedanta Ltd’s Lisheen Mine marked its final shipment of zinc on Thursday, January 21, 2016. Mining activity at the Lisheen Mine was concluded in November 2015, whilst milling ceased in December 2015, after 17 years of operation.

“Lisheen has made a hugely valuable contribution to Vedanta and has also made a very positive impact to the local and national economy, bringing significant employment opportunities to the area. Over the life of the mine, Vedanta has remained committed to optimizing its continuous development objective, aided by a strong and dedicated team of workers and stakeholders. I would like to thank our employees — past and present, the community, the government, and all our other stakeholders,” said Deshnee Naidoo, CEO, Vedanta Zinc International.

“They have supported our commitment to closing the mine in line with ‘best in class’ environmental standards in a safe, responsible and sustainable manner, with active community participation,” added Naidoo.

“Our priority is not just the physical closure of the mine, but also the aftercare of the site to ensure that it is a long-term success. We made a commitment to our stakeholders to leave the site in a safe condition that will allow productive use of the land, and a detailed and fully-costed closure, restoration and aftercare management plan is already underway. Wherever possible, we will strive to build a sustaining economy in the surrounding region to ensure that a positive legacy remains now that the mine’s operations have ceased,” said Alan Buckley, general manager at Lisheen.

“I would like to commend the genuine commitment of Vedanta and the Lisheen management to the workforce and the wider local community. This support was evident not only during the life of the mine but over the last two years. Intensive efforts have been made to plan for post closure investment and employment at the site, by harnessing the support of local and national government,” said Liz O’Donnell, former government minister and the chairman of the Lisheen Mine Task Force.

The Task Force was established in 2013 and comprises internal and external advisors and members of the Irish Industrial Development Authority. Its aim is to facilitate and promote post closure opportunities and it is actively pursuing a number of initiatives, such as the establishment of a Green Energy Hub/Bio economy campus at the site.

Since the start, Lisheen has operated under an integration pollution control license from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which sets out stringent controls and monitoring of all aspects of how the mine interacts with the environment. This is done within a strict European Union regulatory framework.

The closure of the site represents a significant milestone for Vedanta and the company will now focus on a world-class closure, including its biodiversity action plan, to ensure the mine’s positive legacy. The main element of the closure plan is the capping of the tailings management facility (TMF) in a safe and environmentally-friendly manner. All plans have been approved by the regulators, and progressive restoration of the TMF began in 2009. Vedanta made a commitment to the local community that 60 percent of the TMF would be capped by the time mine production ceased; this target has been achieved and costs associated with the physical closure and rehabilitation of the site are fully pre-funded. The rehabilitated part of the TMF has now been turned back into productive agricultural land and successful animal trials have been approved by the Irish Department of Agriculture.

Environmental compliance is in accordance with the company’s EPA-issued integrated pollution prevention and control license, and an aftercare fund has also been established to cover the required 6 year monitoring and 30 year aftercare period. Furthermore, as part of its outplacement training program, Vedanta has actively supported employees to find new employment opportunities or pursue further education and training. Lisheen’s management team has been actively exploring further business opportunities and ways to utilize the considerable resources and skills available at Lisheen following the closure.

About Vedanta Limited
Vedanta Limited is a diversified natural resources company, whose business primarily involves producing oil & gas, zinc, lead, silver, copper, iron ore, aluminium, and commercial power. The company has a presence across India, South Africa, Namibia, Australia, Ireland, Liberia, and Sri Lanka. Vedanta Limited, formerly Sesa Sterlite Limited, is the Indian subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta’s strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety and environment and on enhancing the lives of local communities. V

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