Audits

GCO operation. Credit: ErametGCO operation. Credit: ErametAudits

Eramet’s Grande Côte Operation completes first IRMA audit in Senegal

5 February 2026By
Senegal’s first mineral sands mine reaches IRMA 50 when audited against the world’s only equally governed mining standard

5 Feb 2026 – Today the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) released the audit of the Eramet Grande Côte Operation (EGC), the Senegalese subsidiary of the Eramet Group, against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. Independent audit firm SCS Global Services (SCS) assessed EGC at IRMA 50 when measuring its performance against the Standard’s best practice social and environmental criteria.

Achieving IRMA 50 means SCS verified that EGC at least substantially met all 40 critical requirements of the IRMA Standard, as well as scored at least 50% in each of Standard’s the four principle areas: social responsibility, environmental responsibility, business integrity and planning for positive legacies.

The full audit reports (in English and French) are available on the EGC audit page on the IRMA website: https://responsiblemining.net/egc

The information stakeholders need to decide what’s going well — and what may require more attention.

“This report demonstrates that mines can point to transparent, independent evaluations of their environmental and social performance,” said Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of IRMA. “Through detailed IRMA audit reports, mining companies, communities and companies that purchase mined materials can gain the information they need, to decide what’s going well — and what may require more attention — at specific mines.”

The IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining is recognized and adopted around the globe, where audits like EGC’s are steps in a deepening dialogue between mining companies and those affected by their operations.

“An increasing number of community members and workers are engaging in IRMA audits, and they’re using the audit reports to communicate directly with the mining company about their priorities for improvement,” Ms. Boulanger said. “If readers find results inconsistent with their experience, we encourage them to share their perspectives with IRMA and the company so that we can improve the audit review process and support continuing improvement at the site—as community members and NGOs have already done in this case.”

“Achieving IRMA 50 is a powerful validation of the progress made by Eramet Grande Côte Operations and of the Group’s commitment to Act for Positive Mining,” said Virginie de Chassey, Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer at Eramet Group. She continued, “IRMA provides the most comprehensive, transparent, and rigorous standard in our sector, and this assessment confirms that our responsible mining practices are delivering measurable outcomes on the ground. This milestone reflects not only the work of Eramet Grande Côte’s teams, but also our ambition to build trust by operating to the highest international expectations.”

Including the EGC operation, 27 industrial-scale mines worldwide are within the IRMA independent assessment system. After an initial self-assessment, a participating mine engages a third-party audit firm — trained and approved by IRMA — to conduct a detailed independent evaluation, including on-site visits to the mine and nearby communities. Following the release of the initial audit, a shorter surveillance audit checks on the mine’s performance. Three years after the initial audit, the operation is fully audited again. (Note: The first mines audited in the IRMA system have had extensions to this timeline due to Covid delays and launch-phase learning; updated full reviews will be required to maintain or increase achievement scores.)

The independent IRMA system is the only global mining standard that provides equal power to the public sector (communities and Indigenous rights holders, mine workers, and environmental and human rights advocates) alongside the private sector (mining companies, mined materials purchasers and investors).

For More Information:

About IRMA
IRMA is a nonprofit organization working to protect people and the environment directly affected by mining by creating financial value for industrial-scale mining operations independently assessed against IRMA’s best practice Standard for Responsible Mining. For more information, visit: responsiblemining.net

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GCO operation. Credit: ErametGCO operation. Credit: ErametAudits

L’exploitation Grande Côte d’Eramet réalise son premier audit IRMA au Sénégal

5 February 2026By
La première mine de sables minéralisés du Sénéral a obtenu le score d’IRMA 50 après avoir été auditée à l’aune de la seule norme minière au monde régie de manière équitable

5 février 2026 — L’Initiative pour l’assurance d’une exploitation minière responsable (IRMA) publie aujourd’hui l’audit de Grande Côte Opérations d’Eramet (EGC), la filiale sénégalaise du Groupe Eramet, réalisé par rapport à la Norme IRMA pour une exploitation minière responsable. Le cabinet d’audit indépendant SCS Global Services (SCS) a attribué le niveau IRMA 50 à EGC après avoir mesuré ses performances par rapport aux critères sociaux et environnementaux des meilleures pratiques de la norme.

L’attribution du niveau de conformité IRMA 50 signifie que SCS a vérifié que l’exploitation satisfaisait au moins de manière substantielle à l’ensemble des 40 exigences essentielles de la Norme IRMA, et obtenait une note d’au moins 50 % dans chacun des quatre domaines principaux de la Norme : responsabilité sociale, responsabilité environnementale, intégrité de l’entreprise et planification pour un héritage positif.

Les rapports d’audit complets sont disponibles sur la page d’audit d’EGC1 du site Internet de l’IRMA : https://responsiblemining.net/egc

Les informations dont les parties prenantes ont besoin pour déterminer ce qui fonctionne bien et ce qui nécessite davantage d’attention.

« Ce rapport démontre que les mines peuvent se prévaloir d’évaluations transparentes et indépendantes de leurs performances environnementales et sociales », déclare Aimee Boulanger, directrice exécutive de l’IRMA. « Grâce aux rapports d’audit détaillés de l’IRMA, les entreprises minières, les communautés et les entreprises qui achètent des matériaux extraits peuvent obtenir les informations dont elles ont besoin pour déterminer ce qui fonctionne bien et ce qui nécessite davantage d’attention dans une mine particulière. »

La Norme de l’IRMA est reconnue et adoptée dans le monde entier. Ainsi, les audits tels que celui d’EGC constituent des étapes dans l’approfondissement du dialogue entre les entreprises minières et les personnes touchées par leurs activités.

« Un nombre croissant de membres des communautés et de travailleurs participent aux audits de l’IRMA et utilisent les rapports d’audit pour communiquer directement à l’entreprise minière leurs priorités en matière d’amélioration », explique Mme Boulanger. « Si les lecteurs constatent des résultats qui ne correspondent pas à leur expérience, nous les encourageons à partager leur point de vue avec l’IRMA et l’entreprise afin que nous puissions améliorer le processus de vérification des audits et soutenir l’amélioration continue sur place, comme l’ont déjà fait les membres des communautés et les ONG dans le cas présent. »

« L’obtention du score d’IRMA 50 constitue une validation convaincante des progrès réalisés par Eramet Grande Côte Opérations et de l’engagement du Groupe à poursuivre son projet d’entreprise minière responsable, Act for Positive Mining », déclare Virginie de Chassey, directrice du développement durable et de l’engagement d’entreprise du Groupe Eramet, avant d’ajouter : « L’IRMA fournit la norme la plus exhaustive, la plus transparente et la plus rigoureuse de notre secteur, et cette évaluation confirme que nos pratiques minières responsables produisent des résultats mesurables sur le terrain. Cette réussite reflète non seulement le travail accompli par les équipes d’Eramet Grande Côte, mais aussi notre ambition d’instaurer la confiance en satisfaisant aux attentes internationales les plus élevées. »

Le système d’évaluation indépendant de l’IRMA concerne 27 mines d’échelle industrielle, GCO comprise, réparties à travers le monde. Après une autoévaluation initiale, une mine participante engage un cabinet d’audit tiers, formé et approuvé par l’IRMA, pour mener une évaluation indépendante détaillée, comprenant des visites du site de la mine et dans les communautés voisines. Après la publication de l’audit initial, un audit de surveillance plus court vérifie les performances de la mine. Trois ans après l’audit initial, l’exploitation fait à nouveau l’objet d’un audit complet. (Remarque : les premières mines auditées selon le système de l’IRMA ont bénéficié de reports de ces échéances en raison des retards occasionnés par la COVID et de l’apprentissage inhérent à la phase de démarrage ; des révisions complètes actualisées seront nécessaires pour maintenir ou augmenter les niveaux de conformité atteints.)

Le système indépendant de l’IRMA constitue la seule norme minière mondiale qui accorde les mêmes pouvoirs au secteur public (communautés et titulaires de droits autochtones, travailleurs de la mine, défenseurs de l’environnement et des droits humains) qu’au secteur privé (entreprises minières, acquéreurs de matériaux extraits et investisseurs).

Pour plus d’informations :

About IRMA
IRMA est une organisation à but non lucratif qui œuvre à la protection des personnes et de l’environnement directement touchés par l’exploitation minière en créant une valeur financière pour les opérations minières à échelle industrielle évaluées de manière indépendante selon la norme IRMA relative aux meilleures pratiques en matière d’exploitation minière responsable. Pour plus d’informations, rendez-vous sur : responsiblemining.net

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Minas-Rio iron ore mine. Credit: Anglo AmericanMinas-Rio iron ore mine. Credit: Anglo AmericanAudits

Mina de ferro Minas Rio da Anglo American conclui auditoria de vigilância IRMA

20 January 2026By

(english)

Em 20 de janeiro de 2026, a Iniciativa de Asseguração de Mineração Responsável (IRMA) publicou o relatório de auditoria de vigilância da mina de ferro Minas Rio da Anglo American, localizada no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. A empresa de auditoria SCS Global Services, aprovada pela IRMA, conduziu a auditoria e avaliou o progresso feito no plano de ação corretiva que a operação se comprometeu a cumprir no relatório de auditoria inicial.

O ciclo de avaliação independente da IRMA ocorre em três etapas: (1) auditoria inicial, (2) auditoria de vigilância e (3) auditoria de reavaliação. As minas no sistema IRMA devem passar por uma auditoria de vigilância durante cada ciclo de auditoria de três anos, e essa auditoria deve ocorrer entre 12 e 18 meses após a divulgação pública do relatório da auditoria inicial. As auditorias de vigilância não são auditorias completas, o que significa que não é necessário restabelecer a conformidade com todos os requisitos analisados na auditoria inicial. Normalmente, durante uma auditoria de vigilância, a equipe de auditoria verifica se os sistemas e controles da mina ainda estão em vigor e funcionando de forma eficaz, e se não ocorreram mudanças significativas desde a auditoria inicial que afetem negativamente o desempenho da mina. A auditoria de vigilância inclui entrevistas confidenciais com trabalhadores e o envolvimento com detentores de direitos indígenas e partes interessadas da comunidade. Os relatórios da auditoria inicial e de vigilância da IRMA para a operação estão disponíveis na página de auditoria da mina Minas Rio no site da IRMA.

Como o Padrão IRMA é reconhecido e adotado em todo o mundo, essas auditorias são etapas importantes em um diálogo mais profundo entre as empresas de mineração e as pessoas afetadas por suas operações. Como o processo IRMA está sempre melhorando com base na experiência da auditoria mais recente, os resultados da auditoria devem ser revisados e interpretados de acordo.

O sistema independente IRMA é o único padrão global de mineração que oferece poder igual ao setor público (comunidades e detentores de direitos indígenas, trabalhadores de minas e defensores dos direitos humanos e ambientais) e ao setor privado (empresas de mineração, compradores de materiais extraídos e investidores).

Para obter mais informações:

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Minas-Rio iron ore mine. Credit: Anglo AmericanMinas-Rio iron ore mine. Credit: Anglo AmericanAudits

Anglo American’s Minas-Rio Iron Ore Mine Completes IRMA Surveillance Audit

20 January 2026By

(português)

On 20 January 2026 – the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) released the surveillance audit report of Anglo American’s Minas-Rio iron ore mine, located in Brazil’s state of Minas Gerais. IRMA-approved audit firm SCS Global Services conducted the audit and assessed the progress made on the corrective action plan that the operation committed to in the initial audit report.

IRMA’s independent assessment cycle occurs in 3 stages: (1) initial audit, (2) surveillance audit, and (3) reassessment audit. Mines in the IRMA system must undergo a surveillance audit during each 3-year audit cycle, and this audit must occur between 12 and 18 months after an initial audit report has been publicly released.

Surveillance audits are not full audits, meaning that conformance with all requirements reviewed in the initial audit does not need to be re-established. Typically, during a surveillance audit the audit team verifies that the mine’s systems and controls are still in place and are functioning effectively, that no major changes have occurred since the initial audit that negatively affect the mine’s performance. The surveillance audit includes confidential interviews with workers and engagement with Indigenous rightsholders and community stakeholders. The initial and surveillance IRMA audit reports for the operation are available on the Minas-Rio mine audit page on the IRMA website.

As the IRMA Standard is recognized and adopted around the globe, these audits are important steps in a deepening dialogue between mining companies and those affected by their operations. Because the IRMA process is always improving from the experience of the most recent audit, audit results should be reviewed and interpreted accordingly.

The independent IRMA system is the only global mining standard that provides equal power to the public sector (communities and Indigenous rights holders, mine workers, and environmental and human rights advocates) alongside the private sector (mining companies, mined materials purchasers and investors).

For More Information:

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Kamativi Mining Company Source:KMCKamativi Mining Company Source:KMCAudits

Kamativi’s lithium operation to be audited

12 December 2025By

Kamativi Lithium Mining Operation to be independently audited against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining

Kamativi Mining Co, owned by Yahua Group, has signed agreements with IRMA and IRMA-approved audit firm Resilience Environmental Assurance (REA) to independently assess its Kamativi lithium mining operation against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. The Kamativi mine is located in the Hwange District of Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland North Province.

The assessment includes a desk review (stage 1) followed by an on-site audit (stage 2) Stage 2 includes confidential interviews with local communities and workers without mine management present. After the on-site audit REA will draft an audit report which IRMA and Kamativi will then review, after which the company may choose to release the report or take up to twelve months to implement corrective actions first. When complete, IRMA will publish the final audit report in which REA assigns an overall IRMA Achievement Level, and explains how and why they scored Kamativi against each of the 400+ requirements of the IRMA Standard.

Stakeholder engagement in the assessment

Interested stakeholders and members of the public can sign up to receive updates about the Kamativi independent assessment (e.g., the timing of the stage 2 onsite visit, link to public summary of audit results). The Mines Under Assessment page of IRMA’s website will also provide up-to-date information on all assessments.

Members of the community, public officials, workers and representatives of the workforce, or other organizations are invited to submit comments regarding how the mine site is managing their impacts to the environment including air, water, waste, greenhouse gases, and ecosystems; how the mine supports their workforce; and how the mine interacts with the surrounding community, and how it impacts the community, positively or negatively.

Interested parties may contact the independent audit firm, REA, to share comments or to ask to be interviewed as part of the audit process. The audit firm can be reached via:

Email: stakeholderInput@resilience-assurance.com

Web form

or

REA QR code for webform

WhatsApp: +27 73 112 5526

or

REA QR code for WhatsApp

Please share this announcement, and feel free to contact REA directly to provide names and contact information for other REA stakeholders who may be interested in knowing about and participating in the mine site assessment process.

More Information 
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Communities

Bridging the Gap: How IRMA Helped Rebuild Trust Between Mine and Community

5 December 2025By

Cover of Unki Case StudyEarlier in 2025, IRMA published a case study of the IRMA audit of the Unki mine in Shurugwi, Zimbabwe: Bridging the Gap: How IRMA Helped Rebuild Trust Between Mine and Community, excerpted below.

In the Beginning, Voices Were Lost in Translation

Before the audit, community members rarely had a seat at the table. Now, they bring the chairs.

That’s how it feels in Shurugwi, Zimbabwe, where a shift in how mining is done – and who gets to speak about it – has started to take hold.

The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), a global standard for more responsible mining, played a big role in that shift. IRMA is not just about emissions or tick-box safety, but the full picture: labor, land, community, biodiversity, water, human rights. It brings companies, workers, communities and civil society to the same table, and it doesn’t just ask for compliance — it pushes for better.

The audits are independent, the findings are public, and the focus is on shared progress. Change doesn’t come from slogans or public relations campaigns. It comes from patient work: dialogue, discomfort, and the simple act of being heard.

Read the rest of the Unki case study.

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Audits

SCS to Conduct On-site IRMA Renewal Assessment of Valterra Platinum’s Unki Mine

7 November 2025By

Read this announcement in Shona

SCS Seeks Input from Local Community and Other Stakeholders

Today, November 7, SCS Global Services announces that from December 8 to December 13, its auditors will visit Valterra Platinum’s Unki Mine in the Midlands Province, Zimbabwe, to conduct the on-site phase of its independent Renewal Assessment (audit) evaluating the site’s continuing performance against the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) Standard for Responsible Mining.

During the onsite visit, independent auditors from SCS Global Services will inspect the operation and associated facilities and collect feedback from local stakeholders – anyone directly or indirectly affected by the mine including community members, mine workers, and government officials.

The IRMA assessment results will be published on the IRMA audit page and available on request from the site. The IRMA audit report will describe how and why SCS Global Services scored Unki Mine against each of the 428 requirements of the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. The report will also  present an overall achievement level: IRMA Transparency, IRMA 50, IRMA 75, or IRMA 100.

8-13 December 2025

Your comments will help SCS Global Services assess the impact of Unki Mine on local communities and measure its performance against best mining practices. SCS Global Services invites you to sign up for an interview with auditors during the on-site visit, and/or submit written comments about Unki Mine using the contact details below.

Interviews can be held in Shona or English. Interviews requested by November 30 can be conducted remotely or in-person. Interview requests made after that date will most likely be conducted remotely but may also be conducted in-person if time permits, and remotely if it does not. Written comments can be submitted anytime until December 19.
On the web

Email: feedback@scsglobalservices.com

Telephone: +1 520 248 4276 (voice or text)

QR code to access online form:

QR code for SCS-IRMA-feedback
Comments and interviews are confidential and interviews are conducted without mine personnel present. SCS Global Services does not share the names of stakeholder interviewees/commenters or copies of written comments with Valterra Platinum or IRMA. Only the general nature of comments will be summarized in the final audit report.

Valterra Platinum uses the results on environmental and social performance of the Unki Mine to improve its practices. Other stakeholders, particularly affected communities and mine workers, may use this audit report to engage with Valterra Platinum and others to improve the operation in the ways that matter most to them.

Unki underwent a comprehensive Initial Audit in 2021 achieving IRMA 75, followed 3 years later by an abbreviated Surveillance Audit to ensure site performance still supported its IRMA Achievement level and to monitor progress on the site’s Corrective Action Plan. Before the expiration of IRMA Achievement level, the operation completes a comprehensive Renewal Audit at which point the audit firm awards a new IRMA Achievement level. Ordinarily the entire initial-surveillance-renewal audit cycle takes 3 years, but because Unki was the first operation to complete the cycle the timeframe was extended to accommodate learnings and process improvements

More Information 
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Part of the Sorowako complex Credit:PT Vale IndonesiaPart of the Sorowako complex Credit:PT Vale IndonesiaAsia

ERM CVS Akan Melakukan Penilaian Lapangan IRMA di Tambang Sorowako, PT Vale Indonesia Tbk

5 November 2025By

Dari auditor independen yang disetujui oleh IRMA, ERM CVS. Baca pengumuman ini dalam bahasa Inggris.

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ERM CVS Meminta Masukan dari Masyarakat Setempat dan Pemangku Kepentingan Lainnya untuk melengkapi proses penilaian audit IRMA

5 November 2025, ERM Certification and Verification Services (ERM CVS) mengumumkan bahwa pada 1–5 Desember 2025, tim auditor independen akan mengunjungi operasi pertambangan PT Vale Indonesia di Sorowako, Sulawesi Selatan, untuk melaksanakan tahapan penilaian lapangan sebagai bagian dari proses peninjauan atas standar Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA). Audit independen ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi kinerja operasi tambang berdasarkan Standar IRMA untuk Pertambangan yang Bertanggung Jawab. ERM CVS merupakan lembaga audit independen pihak ketiga yang telah disetujui oleh IRMA untuk melakukan audit berdasarkan standar tersebut.

Selama kunjungan lapangan, tim auditor ERM CVS akan meninjau area operasi tambang dan fasilitas terkait, serta mengumpulkan masukan dari para pemangku kepentingan lokal — termasuk anggota masyarakat, pekerja tambang, pejabat pemerintah, dan pihak lain yang secara langsung maupun tidak langsung terdampak oleh kegiatan pertambangan.

Setelah audit selesai, hasil penilaian akan disajikan dalam laporan publik yang akan diterbitkan secara lokal dan di situs resmi IRMA (Inggris). Laporan ini akan menjelaskan penilaian PT Vale Sorowako terhadap lebih dari 400 persyaratan dalam Standar IRMA, beserta alasan penentuan setiap skor yang diberikan. Audit ini juga akan menentukan tingkat capaian keseluruhan: IRMA Transparency, IRMA 50, IRMA 75, atau IRMA 100 (Inggris).

Hasil audit ini akan membantu PT Vale Indonesia dalam meningkatkan praktik pertambangan yang bertanggung jawab. Bagi pemangku kepentingan — terutama masyarakat sekitar dan pekerja — laporan ini menjadi sarana untuk berdialog secara setara dengan perusahaan terkait hal-hal yang paling penting bagi mereka.

1 – 5 Desember 2025

ERM CVS mengundang seluruh pemangku kepentingan untuk berpartisipasi dengan memberikan masukan atau mengikuti wawancara bersama auditor. Masukan Anda akan membantu menilai dampak sosial, lingkungan, dan ekonomi dari kegiatan operasional PT Vale Sorowako serta mengukur sejauh mana praktiknya sejalan dengan prinsip pertambangan yang bertanggung jawab.

Wawancara dapat dilakukan dalam Bahasa Indonesia atau Bahasa Inggris. Permintaan wawancara yang diterima sebelum 21 November 2025 dapat dijadwalkan secara luring (tatap muka) atau daring (online). Permintaan setelah 21 November akan disesuaikan dengan ketersediaan waktu. Masukan tertulis dapat dikirimkan hingga 5 Desember 2025 untuk dimasukkan dalam hasil audit.

Gunakan informasi kontak di bawah ini untuk meminta wawancara atau mengirimkan komentar.
Situs

Surel: post@ermcvs.com

Kode QR untuk mengakses formulir online:

ERM CVS contact QR code
Seluruh masukan dan wawancara bersifat rahasia. Wawancara dilakukan tanpa kehadiran perwakilan perusahaan, dan ERM CVS tidak akan membagikan identitas atau komentar tertulis para pemangku kepentingan kepada PT Vale Indonesia maupun IRMA. Hanya gambaran umum dari masukan yang akan dirangkum dalam laporan akhir audit.

Untuk informasi lebih lanjut tentang

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Part of the Sorowako complex Credit:PT Vale IndonesiaPart of the Sorowako complex Credit:PT Vale IndonesiaAsia

ERM CVS to Conduct On-site IRMA Assessment of PT Vale Indonesia Tbk’s Sorowako Mine

5 November 2025By

From IRMA approved independent auditor ERM CVS. View/download the announcement in Bahasa Indonesia.

ERM CVS Seeks Input from Local Community and Other Stakeholders

5 November 2025, ERM Certification and Verification Services (ERM CVS) announces that from 1-5 December 2025, an independent audit team will visit PT Vale Indonesia’s Sorowako mining operations in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, to conduct the on-site phase of its Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) assessment. This independent audit evaluates the operation’s performance against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. ERM CVS is an independent, third-party audit firm approved by IRMA to perform assessments against its standard.

During the on-site visit, ERM CVS auditors will tour the mine and its associated facilities and collect feedback from local stakeholders — including community members, mine workers, government officials, and others directly or indirectly affected by the operation.

Upon completion, the audit will result in a publicly available report, published on the IRMA audit page. The report will outline how PT Vale’s Sorowako operations performed against more than 400 requirements of the IRMA Standard, providing detailed explanations of the scores assigned. The audit will also determine an overall achievement level: IRMA Transparency, IRMA 50, IRMA 75, or IRMA 100.

The audit findings will enable PT Vale Indonesia to enhance its responsible mining practices. For stakeholders —particularly community members and workers — the report provides an opportunity to engage constructively with the company on areas of shared concern and improvement.

1 – 5 December 2025

ERM CVS invites all stakeholders to participate by sharing feedback or requesting an interview with the auditors. Your insights will help assess the social, environmental, and economic impacts of PT Vale’s operations and measure its alignment with responsible mining best practices.

Interviews can be conducted in English or Bahasa Indonesia. Requests submitted by 21 November 2025 can be scheduled in-person or remotely. Requests made after 21 November will be accommodated as time permits. Written comments can be submitted until 5 December 2025 to be included in the audit.
On the web

Email: post@ermcvs.com

QR code to access online form:

ERM CVS contact QR code
Comments and interviews are confidential, and interviews are conducted without mine personnel present. ERM CVS does not share the names of stakeholders or copies of written comments with the mine or IRMA. Only the general nature of comments will be summarized in the final audit report.

For more information

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Barro Alto. Credit: Anglo AmericanBarro Alto. Credit: Anglo AmericanAudits

Anglo American’s Barro Alto Nickel Mine Completes IRMA Surveillance Audit

31 October 2025By

On 31 October 2025 the Initiative for Responsible Mining (IRMA) released the surveillance audit report of Anglo American’s Barro Alto nickel mine, located in Brazil’s state of Goiás. IRMA-approved audit firm ERM CVS conducted the audit and assessed the progress made on the corrective action plan that the operation committed to in the initial audit report. Throughout the surveillance audit, ERM CVS found Chapter 2.2 – Free, Prior and Informed Consent of the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining as relevant and this chapter will be fully evaluated during the renewal audit.

IRMA’s independent assessment cycle occurs in 3 stages: (1) initial audit, (2) surveillance audit, and (3) reassessment audit. Mines in the IRMA system must undergo a surveillance audit during each 3-year audit cycle, and this audit must occur between 12 and 18 months after an initial audit report has been publicly released. Surveillance audits are not full audits, meaning that conformance with all requirements reviewed in the initial audit does not need to be re-established. Typically, during a surveillance audit the audit team verifies that the mine’s systems and controls are still in place and are functioning effectively, that no major changes have occurred since the initial audit that negatively affect the mine’s performance. The surveillance audit includes confidential interviews with workers and engagement with Indigenous rightsholders and community stakeholders. The initial and surveillance IRMA audit reports for the operation are available on the Barro Alto Mine audit page on the IRMA website.

As the IRMA Standard is recognized and adopted around the globe, these audits are important steps in a deepening dialogue between mining companies and those affected by their operations. Because the IRMA process is always improving from the experience of the most recent audit, audit results should be reviewed and interpreted accordingly.

On February 18, 2025, Anglo American announced the sale of the Barro Alto operation to MMG Singapore Resources Pte. Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of MMG Limited. The sale of the operation is subject to a number of conditions, including customary competition and regulatory clearances, with completion of the sale expected by Q3 2025.

The independent IRMA system is the only global mining standard that provides equal power to the public sector (communities and Indigenous rights holders, mine workers, and environmental and human rights advocates) alongside the private sector (mining companies, mined materials purchasers and investors).

NOTE: A Portuguese language version of this report will be published within the next week.

For More Information:

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