Abstract
ML/ARD Management Plans provide a set of rules and supporting information for the path required to mitigate geochemical loads from a project site to levels protective of human health and the receiving environment. Documentation of ML/ARD Management Plan components necessary to achieve this objective are scattered through the literature and are often inconsistent. Although the specific information necessary for an ML/ARD Management Plan may differ from project to project and between jurisdictions, this presentation outlines key elements to be considered in an environmentally protective ML/ARD Management Plan. This includes a discussion of generic elements generally included in Environmental Management Plans from ISO standards that are applicable to ML/ARD management, direction provided by the GARD Guide, requirements for Mines Act and Environmental Management Act Joint Permit Applications in British Columbia and other sources. The components discussed include the company structure and the roles that facilitate the execution of the management plan, material handling requirements, and a system documenting performance and applying corrective action, if necessary.