Mining has direct impacts associated with extraction and indirect impacts connected with the smelting of the ore. Similarly, the smelting has direct impacts of its own particular process and the indirect impacts are those related to the extraction and transportation of the ore.

Wherever you work there are impacts caused directly by what you do as well as indirect impacts of our processes. The indirect impacts of our own processes, and others, form a chain of impacts.

Click for very indirect impacts!

Clearly all activities have an impact on the environment at some point - but not necessarily at your site. These parts - or functions of work, all have indirect impacts. These functions should not be confused with 'aspects' of work, which we usually mean those parts which we have direct control over.

We have less control over the functions of work that create indirect impacts.

There are several functions of work that create indirect impacts. We need to look into each function to see how the environmental impacts are created and where they appear.