Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations — 10
10 A first study design shall be submitted to the Minister of the Environment not later than 12 months after the day on which a mine becomes subject to section 7 of these Regulations. It shall contain (a) a site characterization that includes (i) a description of the manner in which the effluent mixes within each exposure area, during a period in which there are deposits, including an estimate of the concentration of effluent in the exposure area at 100 m and 250 m from every point at which the effluent enters the area from a final discharge point and — in respect of each calendar year — any supporting data, including raw data, for the estimate, (ii) a description of the exposure and reference areas where the biological monitoring studies would be conducted — whether or not they are required — that includes information on the geological, hydrological, oceanographical, limnological, chemical and biological features of those areas, (iii) the type of production process used by the mine and the environmental protection practices in place at the mine, (iv) a description of any anthropogenic, natural or other factors that are not related to the effluent but that may reasonably be expected to affect the results of any biological monitoring study, whether or not it is required, and (v) any additional information that would enable a determination as to whether studies would be conducted in accordance with generally accepted standards of good scientific practice; (b) a description of how any required study respecting fish population, fish tissue mercury and fish tissue selenium will be conducted that includes (i) a description of and the scientific rationale for (A) the fish species selected, taking into account the abundance of the species most exposed to effluent, (B) the sampling areas selected within the exposure area and the reference area, (C) the sampling period selected, (D) the sample size selected, and (E) the field and laboratory methodologies selected, and (ii) an explanation as to how, in the case of the study respecting fish population or fish tissue mercury, the study will provide the information necessary to determine if the effluent has an effect on fish population or on fish tissue from mercury; (c) a description of how any required study respecting the benthic invertebrate community will be conducted that includes (i) a description of and the scientific rationale for (A) the sampling areas selected, taking into account the benthic invertebrate diversity and the area most exposed to effluent, (B) the sampling period selected, (C) the sample size selected, and (D) the field and laboratory methodologies selected, and (ii) an explanation as to how the study will provide the information necessary to determine if the effluent has an effect on the benthic invertebrate community; (d) the month in which the samples will be collected for each required biological monitoring study; (e) a description of the quality assurance and quality control measures that will be implemented for each required biological monitoring study to ensure the validity of the data that is collected; and (f) a summary of the results of any studies to determine whether the effluent was causing an effect on the fish population, fish tissue from mercury or the benthic invertebrate community and of any studies in the exposure and reference areas respecting fish tissue selenium completed before the mine becomes subject to section 7 of these Regulations and any scientific data to support the results.