Water

Our businesses are committed to continually improving the efficiency with which we use water, reducing our reliance on fresh water, minimising harmful discharges to water and impacts on the quality of local water sources and - especially in water-scarce regions - working with communities and other industry users to manage water resources on a regional basis.

We take a local or regional approach to water management. This is necessary and desirable because of the variation in our operations' water requirements and the diversity of environments in which our operations are located. Each site tailors its water management plan according to the local situation, which in turn helps us to build better relationships with other users of the resource and maintain a licence to operate.

Xstrata has 40 operations, nearly half of our sites, that are located in arid regions across Australia, Argentina, Chile and South Africa, where pressure on water resources is high and water conservation and efficiency is a primary focus. In water- scarce regions, we develop processes that lessen our demands on water-sources and increase our use of recycled water. We work with local authorities to appropriately manage our water consumption in line with local needs and the seasonal nature of rainfall. We engage with other users and local communities to improve the efficiency of water usage.

Sites where water scarcity is deemed to present a current or future risk must implement water conservation plans, set water intensity targets and make their operations more water efficient. Each site's water conservation plan and targets are tailored to its specific activities and to local environmental conditions, including the frequency of storm events.

At operations located in water-abundant areas, our focus is on water quality, effluent treatment and controlling discharges to water, as well as on being a good steward of available resources.

In 2009, we used nearly 206,000 megalitres of fresh water and ground water, and 313,763 megalitres of recycled water. We discharged 274,645 megalitres of treated water, which includes stormwater that may have become contaminated with metals and therefore directed to a water treatment plant.