Stakeholder newsletter: August 2023

10 August 2023

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Being open and transparent, sharing lessons learned and addressing challenges are core tenets of responsible mining. These principles guide all our work at ICMM and none more so than in the area of tailings management.

Last week, ICMM members published their progress towards conformance with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (the Standard) for tailings facilities with the highest potential consequences in the event of a failure.

When ICMM, PRI and UNEP came together to launch the Standard on 5 August 2020, ICMM members made a commitment to be in conformance with the Standard for all tailings facilities within their portfolio classified as ‘extreme’ or ‘very high’ consequences by August 2023, and all other facilities by August 2025. Our members currently operate over 900 tailings facilities, of which around 250 are currently categorised as ‘extreme’ or ‘very high’ consequence.

All ICMM members have disclosed the status of conformance for each facility within these two highest consequence categories and a summary of time bound measures to address any gaps. The links to each company’s disclosures are available here.

Whilst not every site, nor every member has achieved full conformance with the Standard, considerable progress has been made in three years, and I am encouraged by members’ sustained effort in working towards full conformance within the ambitious timeline.

Through implementation of the Standard, we are already seeing transformative improvements across the global mining sector in tailings engineering, management, governance and monitoring. And, it has elevated tailings management to the highest levels of company oversight and accountability, while promoting greater transparency, collaboration, and meaningful engagement with stakeholders.

The commitment by ICMM members to implement the Standard is unequivocal, and members are working diligently to bring any remaining facilities into full conformance.

While we continue to advance this work across our membership, we hope that every mining company, everywhere, embraces the Standard as a top priority.

Warmly,

Features

Blog: What role will you play in the reconciliation of all First Nation Peoples?

When it comes to the mining and metals industry's relationship with Indigenous Peoples, we can't step backwards, and we can't stand still. Indigenous Peoples must be at the forefront of matters that concern and impact them.

For World Indigenous Peoples Day, Director of Social Performance Danielle Martin wrote about the developments in her native Australia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and what role the mining industry has to play. Read the blog here.

Upcoming Events

EXPOSIBRAM
Belém, Brazil • 28 – 31 August

Ro Dhawan and Danielle Martin will be at the Brazilian Mining Expo and Congress (EXPOSIBRAM) discussing sustainability, the future of the Amazon, and mining’s relationship with Indigenous communities. Register here.

The Amazon and New Economies International Conference
Belém, Brazil • 30 August – 1 September

The future of the world is linked to the future of the Amazon. Conserving biodiversity and combating deforestation directly depends on economic alternatives for the Amazon. Ro Dhawan and Danielle Martin will be at The Amazon and New Economies International Conference discussing what we can do to combat the climate emergency and what a path to a sustainable future for the Amazon that combines conservation, net-zero, deforestation, development and social well-being can look like. Register here.

World Resources Forum 2023
Geneva, Switzerland • 4 – 6 September

Organised alongside the UNEA Global Intergovernmental Meeting on Minerals and Metals, the World Resources Forum will act as a supportive platform towards the UN consultative process to improve sustainability along and across global mineral value chains. Register here.

Reuters IMPACT
London, UK • 7 September

Ro Dhawan will be speaking at Reuters IMPACT on accelerating global climate action and the bigger-picture conversations that wide-scale climate action requires. With the risk of supply chain disruption, financial penalties, damaged reputations, and huge drops in revenue on the horizon, the pressure to act is only going to increase. Register here.

Society of Mining Professors (SOMP) Annual Meeting & Conference
Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany • 10 – 17 September

Marcus Addy will be speaking on social performance and ICMM priorities at SOMP’s Annual Meeting & Conference. Register here.

NY Climate Week
New York, USA • 17 – 24 September

Christian Spano will be in New York for Climate Week, discussing how we can collaborate to accelerate emissions reduction with stakeholders including the International Financial Corporation (IFC), World Economic Forum (WEF) and Clean Growth Leadership Network (CGLN). Register here.

Perumin
Arequipa, Peru • 25 – 29 September

As part of Perumin’s agenda of discussions on challenges for the mining industry, its development, and the importance of sustainable growth Marcus Addy will be speaking on a panel on ICMM’s Human Rights Due Diligence Guidance. It will be an opportunity to find out how companies can use the Guidance’s tools to support and strengthen their existing risk management processes and how to better integrate these approaches in a way that is consistent with the UNGPs. Register here.

The Economist’s Sustainability Week: Countdown to COP28
London, UK, and virtual • 2 – 5 October

COP28 is the critical climate event of the year. In the run-up, companies are preparing announcements, tightening their emission-reduction targets and planning new investments. Ultimately, preparing business to stay ahead of climate commitments and on top of the energy transition at this time is vital to its long-term survival. Ro Dhawan will be speaking on a panel on ethical electrification and how that involves ensuring clean and ethical critical mineral supply chains. Register here.

FT Mining Summit – Minerals of the Future
London, UK, and virtual • 5 – 6 October

Investment in the mining industry is critical for the world to produce the vast quantities of minerals and metals needed for the energy transition. As the uncertain global economic outlook presents challenges, how will the industry work to realign production and distribution to fit the new macro environment? Ro Dhawan will be speaking at the FT Mining Summit. Register here.

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