Water
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.
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.
At Orla, we understand that to maintain public support for our social license to operate, to comply with water-related permits, and be a sustainable business, it is critical that we manage water responsibly. Our practices to minimize resources consumption allowed the Camino Rojo operation to achieve a reduction of 18% last year in total water consumption.
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processed water discharged in our Camino Rojo operational mine (all water is recycled and reused)
0.12 m3/oz
water use intensity (volume of freshwater consumed per tonne of processed ore)
Conversation in Practice:
A Case Study
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.
Biodiversity
Our commitment to biodiversity starts with planning ahead to identify and address any possible ecological, wildlife, and land use impacts. Orla has environmental management plans at each of our sites to ensure we monitor and protect biodiversity and comply with permit conditions and regulatory obligations.
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
Climate Change
Climate change is widespread and no country, organization, or species is immune from the adverse consequences of a changing climate. In the face of this major global threat, enormous work and collaboration are required to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and make urgent progress toward reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 or sooner.
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)
2023 Total Scope 1 and Scope 2 Emissions by Energy Source
- 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.
Air Quality
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.
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.
Full compliance
with relevanty air quality regulations
7.43
tonnes of NOx emissions
1.36
tonnes of CH4 emissions
Waste & Hazardous Materials
Responsible waste and hazardous material management is essential to protect people, ecosystems, and reduce business risk. Gold mining creates various waste and hazardous materials based on the type of mine and operations. Our goal is to minimize and responsibly manage all waste from our operations, seeking new opportunities to cut waste, adopt circular economy practices, and extend product life cycles.
Our objective is to minimize all forms of waste generated by our operations and to manage it responsibly. We look for new opportunities to reduce waste, incorporate circular economy approaches, and extend the life cycle of the products we use.
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fines or penalties recorded related to hazardous materials or chemical spills
0.56
w:o strip ratio
the amount of waste material that was moved to extract a given amount of ore
Camino Rojo Non-Mineral Waste (in tonnes)
- Non-Hazardous
357.27 - Hazardous
45.52