Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations — 12
12 (1) A first interpretative report shall be submitted to the Minister of the Environment not later than 36 months after the day on which the mine becomes subject to section 7 of these Regulations. It shall contain (a) a description of any deviation from the study design that occurred while the biological monitoring studies were being conducted and any impact that the deviation had on the studies; (b) the latitude and longitude of sampling areas and a description of the sampling areas sufficient to identify the location of the sampling areas; (c) the dates and times when samples were collected; (d) the sample sizes; (e) the mean, median, standard deviation, standard error and minimum and maximum values in the sampling areas for (i) in the case of the study respecting fish population, effect indicators of growth, reproduction, condition and survival that include, if practicable, the length, total body weight and age of the fish, the weight of its liver or hepatopancreas and, if the fish are sexually mature, the egg weight, fecundity and gonad weight of the fish, (ii) in the case of the study respecting the benthic invertebrate community, effect indicators of the total benthic invertebrate density, evenness index, taxa richness and, if the study is conducted in an area where it is possible to sample sediment, total organic carbon content of sediment and particle size distribution of sediment, (iii) in the case of the study respecting fish tissue mercury, the effect indicator of the concentration of total mercury (wet weight) in the fish tissue, and (iv) in the case of the study respecting fish tissue selenium, the concentration — in the muscle or whole body and, if practicable, in the ovaries or eggs — of total selenium (dry weight) reported in µg/g and the percentage of the moisture content of the sample; (f) in the case of the study respecting the benthic invertebrate community, a calculation of the similarity index effect indicator; (g) an identification of the sex of the fish sampled and of the presence of any lesions, tumours, parasites or other abnormalities and, in the case of the study respecting fish tissue selenium, the type of fish tissue studied and the scientific rationale for the selection of that tissue; (h) a determination as to whether there is a statistically significant difference between the sampling areas for the calculations under subparagraphs (e)(i) to (iii) and paragraph (f) taking into consideration the information identified under paragraph (g), with the statistical comparison made separately and independently for each effect indicator; (i) a statistical analysis of the results of the calculations under subparagraphs (e)(i) to (iii) and paragraph (g) that indicates the probability of correctly detecting an effect of a pre-defined size and the degree of confidence that can be placed in the calculations; (j) for an effect indicator referred to in paragraph (e) with an assigned critical effect size, a comparison of the magnitude of the effect — calculated in accordance with subsection (2) or (3), as the case may be — to its critical effect size; (k) any supporting data, including raw data, for the information provided under paragraphs (e) to (j); (l) a description of any quality assurance or quality control measures that were implemented and the data related to the implementation of those measures; (m) based on the information referred to in paragraphs (e) to (k), the identification of (i) any effect on the fish population, (ii) any effect on the benthic invertebrate community, and (iii) any effect on fish tissue from mercury; (n) for an effect indicator with an assigned critical effect size, a statement as to whether the absolute value of the magnitude of the effect is equal to or greater than the absolute value of its critical effect size; (o) a summary of the results of effluent characterization, sublethal toxicity testing and water quality monitoring reported under paragraph 8(e) beginning on the day