Monthly Archives: October 2023

Mogalakwena Mine Assessment and Onsite Audit

27 October 2023By IRMA

Note: This ERM-CVS announcement was originally posted on their website in English and Sepedi.

ERM CVS announces an independent, third-party assessment of ’s Mogalakwena Platinum Ore Mine in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The assessment will measure the Mine against the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) Standard for Responsible Mining.

ERM CVS, an IRMA-approved certification body, will carry out an on-site assessment from:

28 November – 5 December 2023

All stakeholders (community members, workers, and other affected or interested parties) are invited to submit written comments to ERM CVS about the environmental and social performance of the Mogalakwena Mine. Comments should particularly focus on how Mogalakwena Mine’s performance compares with the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. Stakeholders may also contact ERM CVS if they would like to be interviewed as part of the assessment process. When possible, interviews with local stakeholders will be scheduled to take place during the on-site assessment period and this may be via telephone, video-conference, or in-person.

Please register as a stakeholder to receive more information about the Mogalakwena Mine IRMA assessment as it becomes available. To register, submit questions or comments, or request to be interviewed as part of the assessment process, please contact ERM CVS, details below. Comments will be kept confidential upon request.

Email: post@ermcvs.com
Telephone: +27 11 798 4300
WhatsApp: +27 87 195 2993

Post: ERM CVS
Postnet Suite 90,
Private Bag X12,
Tokai, Cape Town,
South Africa, 7966

ERM CVS is an IRMA-approved certification body with head offices in London, England. For more information about ERM CVS go to www.ermcvs.com

For more information on the IRMA mine site assessment process, see: https://responsiblemining.net/what-we-do/assessment/.

If you have concerns about the IRMA mine site assessment process, or the requirements in the IRMA Standard, access IRMA’s Issues Resolution System on the IRMA website: https://responsiblemining.net/what-you-can-do/complaints-and-feedback/

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Public Consultation Begins for Draft Standards

26 October 2023By IRMA

Today we began public consultation for the Draft Standard for Responsible Mining and Mineral Processing, and the Draft Chain of Custody Standard. Public consultation runs through 26 January 2024. For more information on how to comment, please click through to each standard.

The Draft Standard for Responsible Mining and Mineral Processing is an update of the 2018 IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining – the strongest voluntary mining standard in the world, and the only one equally governed by a multistakeholder coalition. The updated draft:

Addresses the entire mining process: Mineral Exploration & Development, and Processing in addition to Mining.
Adds new chapters on Gender Equality / Gender Protections; Physical Stability; Land and Soil
Improves chapters on Financial Transparency and Anti-Corruption; Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC); and Indigenous Peoples
Improves how the standard addresses specific topics including greenhouse gas emissions and energy; recycling materials and circularity; operational health & safety; responsible sourcing; human rights; cultural heritage

The new Chain of Custody Standard Draft is designed to provide baseline requirements for tracing material coming from any IRMA-audited mine through the downstream processing of minerals into products, all the way to the end consumer.

Transparently reviewing and updating IRMA Standards ensures they are accountable to all sectors, stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders, and allows for the incorporation of changes in best practice to provide a global responsible mining benchmark. Reviewing every 5 years also complies with the ISEAL Standard Setting Code of Good Practice.

To provide comment, IRMA is reaching out to a wide and diverse set of stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders, including affected local communities, workers and their unions, nonprofit organizations, mining and minerals processing companies, purchasing and investment companies, governments and international organizations, scientists and researchers. Anyone can provide input. Comments will be confidential on request. All comments will be considered carefully – a summary of comments and IRMA’s responses will be provided after the consultation period ends.