Agua
From exploration drilling to mineral processing, water is required for many aspects of a mining operation. Yet water is possibly the most critical sustainability challenge for any mining company simply because water is interconnected with other pressing critical issues. For instance, water scarcity and frequent storm events are linked to climate change and can impact a mining operation. Water risks to mining businesses include those related to the quantity of water used for operations and the potential impact our mining activities have on local water quality and availability.
Entre los riesgos hídricos para las operaciones mineras se encuentran los relativos a la cantidad de agua usada para la operación y el impacto potencial de la actividad minera en la calidad y disponibilidad del agua a nivel local.
En Orla entendemos que para mantener el apoyo del público a nuestra licencia social para operar, cumplir con los permisos relacionados con el agua y ser un negocio sustentable, es fundamental que gestionemos el agua de manera responsable. Nuestras prácticas para minimizar el consumo de recursos permitieron que la operación Camino Rojo lograra una reducción del 18% el año pasado en el consumo total de agua.
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processed water discharged en nuestra mina operativa Camino Rojo (toda el agua se recicla y reutiliza)
0.12 m3/oz
intensidad de uso del agua (volume of freshwater consumed per tonne of processed ore)
Conversation in Practice:
Un caso práctico
PRO-ABC – Advancing Conservation in the Chihuahuan Desert
The Camino Rojo Mine is located in the Zacatecas Altiplano region, a semi-desert area within the southern Altiplano of the Chihuahuan Desert – the largest arid zone in Mexico.
This ecosystem is home to over 700 native species of flora and fauna, 20% of which are endemic and 63 are classified as at risk under national conservation standards. It also serves as a critical habitat for internationally recognized priority species such as the pronghorn, golden eagle, and black bear.
The region has long faced environmental degradation due to unsustainable land use, deforestation, overgrazing, and climate change. With limited conservation strategies in place among local communities, urgent action is needed to protect the biodiversity and ecosystem services of this unique landscape.
In response, Orla Mining launched PRO-ABC, the Action Plan for Water, Biodiversity, and Climate, to address the interconnected challenges facing the region. This three-year initiative was developed collaboratively with rural communities, civil society organizations, academia, and government agencies. The initiative is rooted in nature-based solutions and sustainable rural development.
PRO-ABC prioritizes habitat restoration, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and the development of sustainable livelihoods. It focuses on addressing the region’s most pressing threats, including vegetation loss, habitat fragmentation, disruption of water cycles, and economic vulnerabilities linked to rural abandonment. The program includes working with two local ejidos to identify projects that enhance productive, low-impact livelihoods while protecting key ecosystems and species. These efforts aim not only to safeguard biodiversity but also to improve long-term social cohesion and water security.
A key legacy of Camino Rojo, PRO-ABC offers a structured, large-scale strategy that will evolve alongside the mine’s lifecycle. It supports the early implementation of mine closure planning by aligning environmental investments with national and international conservation priorities, including the Sustainable Development Goals and Mexico’s federal environmental transition proposals.
One of the most important parts of the plan is how it looks at the big picture. It focuses on restoring water balance across the entire landscape by working with small watersheds in the area. It also aims to bring back species that are important to the region.
Through PRO-ABC, Orla is setting a precedent in the mining sector by integrating conservation, climate adaptation, and rural development into its Sustainability strategy. The program reflects a shared vision for a more resilient and biodiverse Zacatecas, ensuring that the mine’s environmental footprint leaves a positive and lasting legacy.
Biodiversidad
Nuestro compromiso con la biodiversidad comienza con la planificación anticipada para identificar y abordar cualquier posible impacto ecológico, sobre la vida silvestre y sobre el uso de la tierra. Orla tiene planes de gestión ambiental en cada sitio para garantizar el monitoreo y la protección de la biodiversidad y el cumplimiento de las condiciones de los permisos y obligaciones reglamentarias.
Orla implements robust waste rock management strategies, including thorough geochemical characterization, segregation of potentially acid-generating materials, and appropriate storage and treatment measures. These actions help safeguard ecosystems throughout the mining life cycle, including post-closure, and support compliance with environmental regulations and global commitments.
534,096m3
rich soil recovered and stored for future remediation activities since operation began
357.61 ha
total footprint of the Camino Rojo mine operation as of December 31, 2023
Cambio Climático
El cambio climático es generalizado y ningún país, organización o especie es inmune a las consecuencias adversas de un clima cambiante. Ante esta gran amenaza mundial, se requiere un enorme trabajo y colaboración para reducir las emisiones mundiales de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) y avanzar urgentemente hacia la consecución de emisiones netas cero en 2050 o antes.
2023 Total Scope 1 and Scope 2 tCO2e Emissions
- Scope 1, 65%
(22,269, tCO2e) - Scope 2, 25%
(9,952, tCO2e) - Scope 3, 6%
(2,134, tCO2e)
Emisiones totales de alcance 1 y alcance 2 en 2023 por fuente de energía
- Diesel Heavy Equipment, 72.07%
- Grid Electricity, 22.56%
- Diesel Light, 1.09%
- Gasoline Vehicles, 1.53%
- Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), 0.62%
- Explosives, 2.03%
2025 Priorities
- Quantify and report emissions generated by our new Musselwhite mine.
- Continue exploring renewable and low-carbon energy sources.
- Develop an online climate change training center for our employees and contractors.
Calidad del aire
Addressing Orla’s impact on air quality is essential for meeting our social license to operate and living up to our purpose to transform resources into a net-positive benefit for all of our stakeholders. The mining industry’s potential impact on air quality, from activities that produce dust or gaseous emissions, is both a local and global issue. For clarity, this section refers to non-GHG emissions resulting from our activities, the most significant of these emissions being sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulates. For details about Orla’s GHG emissions, please refer to the Climate Change section.
Para mayor claridad, esta sección se refiere a emisiones generadas por nuestras actividades que no son de GEI, siendo las más significativas los óxidos de azufre (SOx), óxidos de nitrógeno (NOx) y partículas emitidas. Para más detalles sobre las emisiones de GEI de Orla, consulte la sección Cambio climático.
Cumplimiento total
con las normas pertinentes de Calidad del aire
7.43
toneladas de emisiones de NOx
1.36
toneladas de emisiones de CH4
Desechos y materiales peligrosos
La gestión responsable de los residuos y materiales peligrosos es fundamental para proteger a las personas y los ecosistemas locales, al tiempo que se reducen los riesgos y la responsabilidad medioambiental de nuestro negocio. La minería del oro utiliza y genera residuos y materiales peligrosos, que varían en función del tipo de mina y de las operaciones..
Nuestro objetivo es minimizar todas las formas de residuos generados por nuestras operaciones y gestionarlos de manera responsable. Buscamos nuevas oportunidades para reducir los desechos, incorporar enfoques de economía circular y alargar el ciclo de vida de los productos que utilizamos.
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multas o sanciones registradas en relación con materiales peligrosos o derrames químicos
0.56
Relación de desmonte d:m
la cantidad de material de desecho que se movió para extraer una cantidad dada de mineral
Residuos no minerales de Camino Rojo Indicadores de roca estéril en Camino Rojo (en toneladas)
- Non-Hazardous
357.27 - Hazardous
45.52