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Sulfidic tremolitite (platinum-palladium ore) Credit: James St. John via Wikimedia Commons under CC-by-2.0Sulfidic tremolitite (platinum-palladium ore) Credit: James St. John via Wikimedia Commons under CC-by-2.0Mining

How IRMA Benefits the Mining Sector

20 January 2025By

A new resource for the mining sector is now available on the IRMA website.

IRMA acknowledges the challenges mining companies face, such as the fact that governments have not always required certain standards, the market didn’t previously value them, and that companies often operate in complex regions. By using IRMA, mining companies can tell a transparent and truthful story about the materials we rely on every day, highlighting ongoing efforts and progress.

How IRMA Benefits Mining Operators describes how IRMA offers a robust solution by providing a comprehensive, independently verified standard and assessment system that allows mining companies to receive credit for the positive work they are already doing, while also identifying areas for improvement.

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Credit: rawpixel.com Free CC0 imageCredit: rawpixel.com Free CC0 imageBlog

How IRMA Benefits Downstream Purchasers

20 January 2025By

A new resource for the downstream purchasing sector is now available on the IRMA website.

Downstream purchasers, as customers of mined materials, have a significant interest in how those materials are extracted and processed. Current and emerging regulations, as well as the expectations of consumers, investors, and affected stakeholders – as well as companies’ own business needs to address risk
and build resilience – are driving companies to increase visibility over their supply chain and expect more responsible performance at every stage. By using IRMA, downstream purchasers can leverage a transparent and truthful story about the materials we rely on every day.

How IRMA Benefits Downstream Purchasers describes how IRMA provides a credible system for demonstrating that materials have been extracted to a widely accepted standard that meets a broad range of ESG metrics and safeguards, providing unprecedented visibility into individual mine performance. Included are IRMA’s benefits to purchasers and our value proposition.

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Mining Indaba 2025 logoMining Indaba 2025 logoAfrica

IRMA at Mining Indaba 2025

7 January 2025By

This is where you will find IRMA at Indaba 2025:

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Balama Graphite operation in Mozambique. Credit: Syrah ResourcesBalama Graphite operation in Mozambique. Credit: Syrah ResourcesPress Release

Syrah’s Balama is 1st graphite operation to complete IRMA audit

19 December 2024By

[em português]

19 December – Today the Initiative for Responsible Mining (IRMA) released the results of an independent audit of Syrah’s Balama graphite operation (“Balama”) in Mozambique against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. Balama achieved IRMA 50 after the independent audit firm SCS Global Services measured its performance versus the Standard’s 400+ criteria.

Balama is one of 22 industrial-scale mining operations worldwide engaged in independent audits with the IRMA 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.

IRMA 50 means SCS Global Services verified Balama met all critical requirements of the IRMA Standard, as well as at least 50% of the Standard’s criteria in each of the four areas: social responsibility, environmental responsibility, business integrity and planning for positive legacies. The full audit report is available on the Balama audit page at responsiblemining.net.

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

“This report demonstrates that mines supplying materials essential to the renewable energy transition 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.”

As the IRMA Standard is recognized and adopted around the globe, these audits are just the first steps in a deepening dialogue between mining companies and those affected by their operations. And because the process is still evolving, IRMA cautions that the initial results should be reviewed and interpreted accordingly.

“If the results don’t fully reflect the experience of communities or other affected groups, we want to hear from them,” Ms. Boulanger said. “We’ll help them communicate with the company to better understand its performance, and with the auditors on any issues they feel were overlooked in the review. This is a cornerstone of our own commitment to transparency. We invite anyone who has criticisms of our work to join us in making it better. Finding ways to improve is built into our system — and a measure of its success.”

“This accomplishment is a first in the global graphite industry and highlights nearly a decade of strengthening our differentiated ESG performance.”

“Achieving IRMA 50 is a significant milestone for Syrah in our commitment to operate in line with international best practice for responsible mining. This accomplishment is a first in the global graphite industry and highlights nearly a decade of strengthening our differentiated ESG performance, particularly Balama’s strong safety record, investment in training and developing a highly skilled workforce, ongoing community development, human rights due diligence, legal governance and compliance, stakeholder engagement and demonstrated commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Syrah Managing Director and CEO, Shaun Verner.

The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) is (1) a voluntary mining standard describing best practices to protect people and the environment, (2) an assurance process to measure mines against that standard, and (3) an organization equally governed by representatives of six affected stakeholder sectors – communities, organized labor, NGOs, finance, purchasers and mining companies — that oversees the standard and the assurance process. IRMA is globally unique in that its governance provides communities equal power to mining companies, and the non-commercial interests the same power as commercial interests.

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Balama Graphite operation in Mozambique. Credit: Syrah ResourcesBalama Graphite operation in Mozambique. Credit: Syrah ResourcesPress Release

Balama é a primeira operação de grafite a concluir a auditoria da IRMA

19 December 2024By

[in english]

19 de Dezembro – Hoje, a Iniciativa para a Garantia de Mineração Responsável (IRMA) divulgou os resultados de uma auditoria independente da operação de grafite da Syrah em Balama (“Balama”) em função do Padrão para a Mineração Responsável da IRMA. Balama atingiu o nível IRMA 50 depois de a firma de auditoria independente SCS Global Services ter medido o seu desempenho em relação aos mais de quatrocentos critérios do Padrão.

A operação da Syrah em Balama é uma das 22 operações mineiras de escala industrial em todo o mundo envolvidas em auditorias independentes com o sistema IRMA. Após uma auto-avaliação inicial, uma mina participante contrata uma empresa de auditoria externa, com formação e aprovação da IRMA, para efectuar uma avaliação independente pormenorizada, incluindo visitas presencias a operação mineira e às comunidades próximas.

O IRMA 50 significa que a SCS Global Services verificou que Balama cumpria todos os requisitos críticos do Padrão IRMA, bem como pelo menos 50% dos critérios do Padrão em cada uma das quatro áreas: responsabilidade social, responsabilidade ambiental, integridade empresarial e planeamento para legados positivos. O relatório de auditoria completo está disponível na página da auditoria de Balama em responsiblemining.net.

“As informações necessárias para decidir o que está a correr bem e o que pode exigir mais atenção.”

“Este relatório demonstra que as minas que fornecem materiais essenciais com vista à transição para as energias renováveis podem apontar para avaliações transparentes e independentes do seu desempenho ambiental e social”, afirmou Aimee Boulanger, Directora Executiva da IRMA. “Através de relatórios de auditoria da IRMA pormenorizados, as empresas de mineração, as comunidades e as empresas que adquirem os materiais extraídos podem obter as informações necessárias para decidir o que está a correr bem e o que pode exigir mais atenção em minas específicas.”

Dado que o Padrão da IRMA é reconhecido e adoptado em todo o mundo, estas auditorias são apenas os primeiros passos no aprofundamento do diálogo entre as empresas mineiras e as pessoas afectadas pela respectiva actividade. E porque o processo ainda está em evolução, a IRMA adverte que os resultados iniciais devem ser revistos e interpretados em conformidade.

“Se os resultados não reflectem plenamente a experiência das comunidades, dos titulares de direitos indígenas ou de outros grupos afectados, queremos ouvir as respectivas opiniões”, afirmou a Sra. Boulanger. “Ajudá-los-emos a comunicar com a empresa para compreender melhor o seu desempenho e com os auditores sobre quaisquer questões que achem que tenham sido negligenciadas na análise. Esta é uma pedra basilar do nosso compromisso para com a transparência. Convidamos qualquer pessoa que tenha críticas acerca do nosso trabalho a juntar se a nós para o tornarmos melhor. A procura de maneiras de melhorar está incorporada no nosso sistema e é uma medida do seu sucesso.”

“Esta conquista é a primeira na indústria global de grafite e destaca quase uma década de fortalecimento do nosso desempenho diferenciado em ESG”

“Alcançar o IRMA 50 é um marco significativo para a Syrah no seu compromisso de operar em linha com as melhores práticas internacionais de mineração responsável. Esta conquista é a primeira na indústria global de grafite e destaca quase uma década de fortalecimento do nosso desempenho diferenciado em ESG. O sólido registo de segurança de Balama, o investimento em formação e no desenvolvimento de uma força de trabalho altamente qualificada, o contínuo desenvolvimento na comunidade, a devida diligência em matéria de direitos humanos, a governação e conformidade legal, o envolvimento com as partes interessadas e o compromisso demonstrado com a sustentabilidade ambiental foram elementos cruciais no processo com o IRMA”, destacou o Diretor-Executivo e CEO da Syrah, Shaun Verner.

A Iniciativa para a Garantia de Mineração Responsável (IRMA) é: (1) um padrão de mineração voluntário que descreve as melhores práticas para proteger as pessoas e o ambiente, (2) um processo de garantia para mensurar as minas em função desse padrão, e (3) uma organização dirigida em pé de igualdade por representantes de seis sectores de partes interessadas afectadas (comunidades, trabalhadores organizados, ONG, sector financeiro, compradores e empresas mineiras) que supervisiona a norma e o processo de garantia. A IRMA é mundialmente única no sentido em que a sua governação proporciona às comunidades um poder equivalente ao das empresas mineiras e aos interesses não comerciais um poder igual ao dos interesses comerciais.

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Credit:PT Vale IndonesiaCredit:PT Vale IndonesiaAudits

PT Vale Indonesia commits Sorowako to IRMA audit

17 December 2024By

PT Vale Indonesia Tbk (PTVI) has committed its Sorowako nickel operation in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi Province to third-party independent assessment against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. PT Vale Indonesia is jointly controlled by Vale Canada Limited and MIND ID, Indonesia’s mining industry holding company.

“By volunteering Sorowako for an independent audit against the world’s most rigorous global mining standard, PT Vale Indonesia is providing unprecedented transparency into the operations of a Sulawesi mine,” said IRMA Executive Director Aimee Boulanger. “They are effectively putting themselves under a microscope and welcoming affected stakeholders to examine their mine and help them make their mine more responsible.”

“To further strengthen our commitment to responsible mining, we are committing our Sorowako Mine Site to IRMA independent audit. This is a significant milestone in our responsible mining journey which will later include the rest of our mining and processing operations. Through this, we aim to increase transparency and accountability, aligning with best practices that resonate with our stakeholders,” said PT Value Chief of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Bernardus Irmanto. “To help achieve this, the IRMA audit report will provide those affected by our mine the information they need to engage in meaningful dialogue about where Sorowako is achieving best practice, and where there is more work to be done.”

The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) is (1) a voluntary mining standard describing best practices to protect people and the environment, (2) an assurance process to measure mines against that standard, and (3) an organization equally governed by representatives of six affected stakeholder sectors – communities, organized labor, NGOs, finance, purchasers and mining companies — that oversees the standard and the assurance process. IRMA is globally unique in that its governance provides communities equal power to mining companies, and the non-commercial interests the same power as commercial interests.

PTVI produced 10% of total nickel production in Indonesia (2023), primarily operating out of Sorowako, South Sulawesi. In Q3 2024, PTVI produced 18,008 metric tons of nickel in matte—class 1 nickel—a critical material in stainless steel and battery production. Founded in 1968 as PT International Nickel Indonesia Tbk (INCO) the company became PT Vale Indonesia in 2011.

ERM CVS, an IRMA-approved independent audit firm, will be carrying out the assessment, which includes a desk review (stage 1, which starts on December 17 for Sorowako) followed by an onsite audit (stage 2). Using the contact information below, members of the affected community, public officials, representatives of the workforce, or other organizations are invited to submit comments starting now regarding how the mine site is managing their impacts to the environment including air, water, waste, greenhouse gasses, 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 also ask to be interviewed by auditors once they are on the mine site.

For More Information

  • To follow the progress of the IRMA assessment, visit the IRMA website for Sorowako’s independent assessment status page
  • If you would like more information on how the audit of the Sorowako operation will be conducted against the IRMA standard — contact IRMA’s Director of Assurance: Michelle Smith, msmith@responsiblemining.net
  • Interested parties may reach out to ERM CVS in advance of the audit to ask to be interviewed by auditors either by phone or video conferencing or in person, once the auditors are on the mine site. 30 days prior to the onsite audit, ERM CVS will make its own announcement and invitation directly to local communities and workers. The audit firm can be reached by email at: post@ermcvs.com
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Standards

New version of the IRMA Guidance Document available (V1.3)

17 December 2024By

The IRMA Guidance Document to the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining V1.0 has been updated.

This latest version (V1.3), is available in English, and can be found under our Resources webpage.

Minor modifications were made in this updated version (V1.3) to ensure continued improvement on clarity, and auditability. The changes made are non-substantive changes that do not alter the intent of any requirement, and are based on learning and experience from audits and implementation.

Summary of changes – V1.3:
Chapter 2.5—Emergency Preparedness and Response: Updated links to APELL for Mining and APELL Handbook
(2nd Edition) to ensure access to original documents is maintained.

Chapter 3.5—Security Arrangements: Updated the chapter relevance to clarify applicability to any situation wheresecurity personnel are used at, or could be expected to be deployed to, the mine site or associated facilities, or in relation to transportation of products or ore, regardless of the level of decision-making and control of the operating company over such deployment. The sole term “used” had inadvertently limited interpretation of the chapter and requirement relevancy in a manner contradictory to the original intent of this chapter. This has also been reflected in the language used in the relevant means of verification and explanatory notes. Replaced the term “public security providers” with “authorities in charge of public security forces” to ensure coverage of situations where public security forces are “deployed” in spite of a formal arrangement with the operating company to “provide” such forces.

Chapter 4.7—Cyanide Management: Updated expectations for non-gold/silver mines that are not eligible for ICMI certification.

Indigenous Peoples: Capitalized all occurrences of “Indigenous Peoples” and updated all references to “Indigenous Peoples living in voluntary isolation” to also use the internationally recommended term of “Uncontacted Indigenous Peoples”. See updated Glossary for more details on these terms. This is relevant to Chapters 2.2, 2.4, and 3.7. Clarified expectations in situations where Uncontacted Indigenous Peoples or Indigenous Peoples Living in Voluntary Isolation or Initial Contact may be affected.

Glossary: Removed broken links to the Glossary of the IRMA Standard, as well as references to an overall glossary “at the end of the document” that was not included. Updated definitions of ‘Indigenous Peoples’ to account for the more modern and inclusive approach used currently by IRMA. Added new definitions for ‘Indigenous Peoples in Initial Contact’, ‘Indigenous Peoples Living in Voluntary Isolation’, and ‘Uncontacted Indigenous Peoples’. Updated definition of ‘Worker’ to ensure management personnel are also included.

General: For consistency, clarified in the Explanatory Notes that where references to “certification” / “certified” / ”certify” by IRMA appears in the formal language of a critical requirement, failure to meet such requirement will not only prevent the company to achieve IRMA 100, but also to achieve any Achievement Level higher than IRMA Transparency. Updated contact details of IRMA Standards Director.

IRMA Policy on Association: Replaced all references and links to the draft Policy with references and links to the official version approved in October 2023 by IRMA Board of Directors.”

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Marikana. Credit: Sibanyne-StillwaterMarikana. Credit: Sibanyne-StillwaterAudits

ERM CVS to Conduct On-site Assessment of Marikana

25 October 2024By

ERM CVS to Conduct On-site IRMA Assessment of Sibanye-Stillwater Marikana;
Audit Firm Seeks Input from Local Community and Other Stakeholders

[isiXhosa | Setswana | English]

Today, 25 October 2024, ERM CVS announces that on November 25 – December 6, 2024 it will visit the Sibanye-Stillwater Marikana mining operations in the Rustenburg/Mabineg local municipality, South Africa to conduct the onsite phase of its independent, third-party Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) assessment of the operation. In May Sibanye-Stillwater announced its commitment of the Marikana operation to IRMA independent audit.

When finished, an IRMA assessment results in a public audit report released locally and on the internet. This report will describe how ERM CVS scored Sibanye-Stillwater Marikana against each of the 400+ requirements of the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining, and why ERM CVS gave Sibanye-Stillwater Marikana that score. The report will also assign an overall achievement level: IRMA Transparency, IRMA 50, IRMA 75, or IRMA 100.

Sibanye-Stillwater can use this information about the environmental and social impacts of the Marikana mining operation to improve its practices. Other stakeholders, particularly affected communities, may use this audit report to engage with Sibanye-Stillwater and others on a more equal footing to improve the operation in the ways that matter most to them.

During ERM CVS’s time at Sibanye-Stillwater Marikana, they will collect feedback from local stakeholders – anyone directly or indirectly affected by the mine — including community members, mine workers, and government officials. The ERM CVS team will also inspect the operation and its associated facilities.

November 25 – December 6, 2024

ERM CVS invites you to sign-up for an interview while we are in the area, and/or submit written comments about Sibanye-Stillwater Marikana using the contact details below. You must contact us before 11 November 2024 to be interviewed. Written comments submitted before 4 December 2024 will be considered.

Scan to access ERM CVS contact form
Scan to access ERM CVS contact form

On the web: ermcvs.com/contact-us
Email: post@ermcvs.com

Interviews occur without mine personnel present. Interviews with non-management workers occur without management present and occur offsite on request. Comments will be kept confidential upon request.

Your comments will help ERM CVS assess the impact of Sibanye-Stillwater Marikana on local communities and measure its performance against best mining practices.

ERM CVS is an independent IRMA-approved and trained audit firm. For more about ERM CVS visit ermcvs.com.

IRMA’s mission is to protect the environment and people directly affected by mining. For more about IRMA including the assessment process, the IRMA Standard, and to see audit reports of other mines visit responsiblemining.net.

For Marikana audit status: responsiblemining.net/marikana

If you have concerns or complaints about the IRMA mine site assessment process or the IRMA Standard visit responsiblemining.net/complaints

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Chain of Custody

Responding to Market Demand, IRMA Releases Chain of Custody Standard

23 October 2024By

In September, IRMA’s equally-governed, multi-stakeholder board approved IRMA’s new Chain of Custody Standard (CoC Standard). The CoC Standard sets requirements for tracking material produced from mining operations audited against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining, enabling consumer-facing brands and other actors along the supply chain to make credible claims that they are using materials from  IRMA-assessed mines.

Chain of Custody Standard v1.0 coverIRMA developed the CoC Standard and system in response to demands from consumer-facing brands and other companies for independently verified socially and environmentally responsible mined materials. Using specific requirements for tracking material from verified IRMA-audited mines and mineral processors, companies can better understand impacts in their supply chains, choose to buy from operators increasing transparency, and support their suppliers to improve practices.

The CoC Standard is also designed to be compatible with other standards programs that ensure responsible sourcing of mined materials downstream of the mine (e.g., ResponsibleSteel). In addition, IRMA developed the CoC Standard to work in concert with existing and emerging traceability services and technologies (e.g., block chain, mineral ID scanning, testing, etc.).

Based on the ISO 22095:2020 guidance, the CoC Standard allows for five different chain of custody models for chain of custody systems. Four models require and assure the actual physical presence of material with an IRMA Achievement Level: Identity Preserved, Segregated, Controlled Blending, and Mass Balance. One model is not connected to the physical flow of material, but an administrative record to ensure the quantity and achievement levels booked for materials from IRMA-assessed mines are not exceeded by the claims for those materials: Book and Claim Credits. Each model has specific requirements that allow different claims to be made about materials or products that are delivered using that chain of custody model.

“The release of the IRMA Chain of Custody Standard is an important milestone for Fairphone and the rest of the industry. This Standard enables us to provide independent proof that our responsible sourcing practices are in line with our material use responsibility: the Book and Claim Credits model provides a legitimate and workable solution for complex supply chains assuring we cover our material use with responsible production, whilst the Mass Balance model also assures the flow of these materials throughout the supply chain. At Fairphone, we look forward to piloting this standard to improve transparency and invite our industry peers to join.” – Lisa Minère, Project Manager Fair Mining at Fairphone.

“The lack of visibility into the origin of key metals in our renewable energy projects is a big hurdle to mapping and mitigating social and environmental risks in our metal supply chains. While increasing transparency has its challenges, it is possible and needed to advance our work to ensure responsible mined materials for the renewable energy transition. We support IRMA developing their new Chain of Custody Standard to work towards this goal.”– Joel Frijhoff, Sustainability Due Diligence Manager at Ørsted.

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Stewart Investors logoStewart Investors logoPress Release

Stewart Investors is 1st investment manager to join IRMA

14 October 2024By

EDINBURGH, United Kingdom and SEATTLE, United States — Stewart Investors, an active long-only equity specialist and a global leader in sustainable investing, has become the first investment management firm to become a member of the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), an organization addressing the global demand for more socially and environmentally responsible mining.

With a global presence, IRMA’s members include both civil society and corporate entities from across the globe, representing the mining industry, consumer-facing brands, labor unions, NGOs, and mining-impacted communities, including Indigenous rights holders. Board members include: Anglo American, Mercedes-Benz, Human Rights Watch, IndustriALL Global Union, Batani Foundation, and Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA).

As the first investment firm to become a member of IRMA, Stewart Investors joins a network of nearly 100 members committed to a common vision: a world where the mining industry respects the human rights and aspirations of affected communities, provides safe, healthy and supportive workplaces, minimizes harm to the environment, and leaves positive legacies.

“Stewart Investors is strongly aligned with IRMA’s mission and looks forward to continuing to learn from its expertise as the first investment manager to become a member. Responsible mineral sourcing is a strategic imperative for companies and investors across sectors, and we see membership and collaboration with IRMA as an exciting opportunity to bring stakeholders together and leverage collective action to drive progress,” said Chris McGoldrick, Senior Investment Analyst, Stewart Investors

Stewart Investors became involved with responsible mineral sourcing in 2020 when discussions with companies, particularly in the electronics sector, led the investment team to commission research on conflict minerals in the semiconductor supply chain. Since then, Stewart Investors has engaged with over 30 companies on the issue and led an ongoing collaborative engagement initiative with over 160 investor supporters representing US$6.59 trillion of assets under management to encourage best practices in mineral due diligence and disclosure.

“We welcome Stewart Investors as the first investment manager in IRMA’s membership. Its team has already taken an active leadership role in the industry, leveraging a broad investor network to advocate for more responsible mining. This membership signals that investors are adding their voice to the chorus of consumer-facing brands encouraging mining companies to assess through IRMA. We commend the firm’s engagement and commitment to work with the other stakeholders to drive positive change in an industry upon which we all rely,” said Rebecca Burton, Deputy Director, Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance

IRMA is a system in three parts. It is a voluntary, global mining standard describing best practices to protect people and the environment, an assurance process to independently and transparently measure mines against that standard, and an organization that works to build value for all stakeholders involved in and impacted by mining. IRMA is unique in that its governance provides civil society and workers equal power to the mining industry and other corporate actors. This unique model contributes to its credibility, which in turn provides a range of benefits for mines assessed in the system.

Investment managers have a unique role in IRMA’s membership, as they can directly encourage mining companies to be assessed and also recommend consumer-facing brands in their portfolios to encourage their suppliers to engage.

About Stewart Investors
Founded in 1988, Stewart Investors is an active, long-only equity manager focused on sustainable investing. Based in Edinburgh, the firm also has offices in London, Frankfurt, Singapore, New York, Hong Kong, and Sydney. For more information, visit: www.stewartinvestors.com

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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