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An Atacama road between brine waters. Credit: AlbemarleAn Atacama road between brine waters. Credit: AlbemarleAudits

La mina de litio Planta Salar de Atacama de Albemarle completa la auditoría de vigilancia IRMA

17 April 2026By

El 17 de abril de 2026, la Iniciativa para el Aseguramiento de la Minería Responsable (IRMA) publicó el informe de auditoría de vigilancia de la mina de litio Planta Salar de Atacama de Albemarle, ubicada en el Salar de Atacama, en Chile. La empresa auditora ERM CVS, aprobada por IRMA, llevó a cabo la auditoría y evaluó los avances realizados en el plan de medidas correctivas que la operación se comprometió a cumplir en el informe de auditoría inicial.

El ciclo de evaluación independiente de IRMA ocurre en tres etapas: (1) auditoría inicial, (2) auditoría de vigilancia y (3) auditoría de reevaluación. Las minas en el sistema IRMA deben someterse a una auditoría de vigilancia durante cada ciclo de auditoría de tres años, y esta auditoría debe realizarse entre 12 y 18 meses después de que se haya publicado el informe de la auditoría inicial. Las auditorías de vigilancia no son auditorías completas, lo que significa que no es necesario volver a establecer el cumplimiento de todos los requisitos revisados en la auditoría inicial. Por lo general, durante una auditoría de vigilancia, el equipo auditor verifica que los sistemas y controles de la mina siguen vigentes y funcionan de manera eficaz, y que no se han producido cambios importantes desde la auditoría inicial que afecten negativamente al rendimiento de la mina. La auditoría de vigilancia incluye entrevistas confidenciales con los trabajadores y la participación de los titulares de derechos indígenas y las partes interesadas de la comunidad. Los informes de auditoría inicial y de vigilancia de IRMA para la operación están disponibles en la página de auditoría de la mina Planta Salar de Atacama en la página web de IRMA.

A medida que el Estándar IRMA es reconocido y adoptado alrededor del mundo, estas auditorías son pasos importantes en la profundización del diálogo entre las empresas mineras y las personas afectadas por sus operaciones. Debido a que el proceso IRMA siempre está mejorando a partir de la experiencia de la auditoría más reciente, los resultados de la auditoría deben revisarse e interpretarse en consecuencia.

El sistema independiente IRMA es el único estándar minero global que otorga el mismo poder al sector público (comunidades y titulares de derechos indígenas, trabajadores mineros y defensores del medio ambiente y los derechos humanos) que al sector privado (empresas mineras, compradores de materiales extraídos e inversionistas).

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An Atacama road between brine waters. Credit: AlbemarleAn Atacama road between brine waters. Credit: AlbemarleAudits

Albemarle’s Planta Salar de Atacama Lithium Mine Completes IRMA Surveillance Audit

17 April 2026By

On 17 April 2026 – the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) released the surveillance audit report of Albemarle’s Planta Salar de Atacama Lithium mine, located in Chile’s Salar de Atacama. 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.

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 Planta Salar de Atacama 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).

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ResponsibleSteel Just Transition report coverResponsibleSteel Just Transition report coverStandard

Going beyond decarbonization: Key insights into delivering a just transition for steel and mining sectors

30 March 2026By
Joint effort to understand and promote just transitions in the mining and steel industries

As the global decarbonization effort has advanced, actors in the mining and steel sectors are under pressure to transform production processes, supply chains, and energy systems to meet climate goals. But alongside these changes lies an essential question: how do we ensure that the transition to a low-carbon economy is fair for the workers, communities, and regions that depend on these industries?

Earlier in March IRMA and ResponsibleSteel published a landmark report: Driving just transitions in the mining & steel sectors: The role of voluntary sustainability standards that tackles this question. From that work we developed insights and key learnings from stakeholders:

Put People at the Center of the Transition Process

One of the strongest and most consistent key messages from the project and stakeholder engagement was the need to keep people at the centre of transition processes. Decarbonization is often discussed in terms of technology, emissions targets, and industrial transformation. Yet transitions also reshape livelihoods, local economies, and social structures.

The report underscores that strong and inclusive planning is essential to avoid leaving workers and affected communities behind. Throughout the project, stakeholders repeatedly highlighted the importance of ensuring that transitions must not only be fast, but fair. Workers, Indigenous peoples, and affected communities must have a meaningful voice in decisions that shape their futures.

This reinforced an important insight: “just transition is not only about managing economic change. It is also about justice, rights, and participation.”

The Power of Social Dialogue

Another key learning from the project was the central role of social dialogue. Across interviews and workshops, participants emphasized the need for ongoing engagement between workers, communities, companies, governments, and other stakeholders.

Early and inclusive dialogue is particularly critical when major changes are being planned, such as mine closures, technological shifts, or new supply chains. As one stakeholder reflected during the project,

Social dialogue is therefore not simply a consultation exercise. It involves sharing information, building capacity among stakeholders, and creating spaces where different perspectives can meaningfully shape decisions.

Voluntary sustainability standards can play an important role by creating frameworks that encourage transparency, accountability, and structured engagement.

One of the central questions of the project was how standards systems such as ResponsibleSteel and IRMA can contribute to just transitions in practice.

The Just Transition Framework for Voluntary Sustainability Standards

The focus of this project was the question of how VSSs such as ResponsibleSteel and IRMA can best contribute to driving just transitions in practice.

The project confirmed that many elements of existing standards already address issues relevant to just transition, including human rights due diligence, occupational health and safety, grievance mechanisms, and environmental management. At the same time, the project highlighted areas where further development may be needed. These include supporting worker retraining and skills development, strengthening value-chain-wide due diligence, and ensuring equitable access to the benefits of the low-carbon transition.

To help understand and identify the key elements for a just transition, the project undertook a literature review, mapping exercises of existing standards, key informant interviews, and two in-person workshops. Each activity provided valuable insights and information, which together formed the foundation of a framework that defines principles related to human rights, social equity, inclusive governance, and protections for workers and communities.

Significantly, the framework is not intended to be prescriptive or define minimum requirements. Instead, it serves as a reference point to help VSSs integrate just transition considerations in a way that reflects and is shaped by the realities of each region, industry, and community.

The Value of Collaboration

Transitions in mining and steel do not happen in isolation. They unfold across interconnected supply chains, regulatory systems, and communities. As a result, no single actor can drive meaningful progress alone.

Achieving a just transition requires coordination between many different actors, including companies, workers and unions, governments, civil society, investors, and standards systems. Collaboration between standards organisations themselves can also play an important role by aligning approaches, sharing knowledge, and creating stronger incentives for responsible practices across industries.

The concept of just transition continues to evolve. While there is growing recognition of its importance across governments, industries, and civil society, there is still uncertainty about what implementation looks like in practice and what responsibilities different actors should carry.

This project represents a strong joint effort with key stakeholders and an important step toward understanding how voluntary sustainability standards can contribute to that conversation.

Achieving just transitions will require sustained commitment, continuous learning, and inclusive engagement. Standards alone cannot deliver just transitions, but they can provide practical tools and shared frameworks that help stakeholders navigate complex transitions.

For ResponsibleSteel and IRMA, this work reaffirms our shared commitment to ensuring that the transformation of heavy industries supports not only climate goals, but also fairness, dignity, and opportunity for the workers and communities most affected by change.

This project was made possible thanks to a grant from the ISEAL Innovations Fund, which is supported by the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO and UK International Development.

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Credit: UNclimatechange, CC BY 2.0Credit: UNclimatechange, CC BY 2.0Government

Why IRMA Prioritizes Government Engagement and Robust Legal Frameworks

24 March 2026By

IRMA’s Commitment to Rule of Law Since Our Inception

Since IRMA’s inception, key stakeholders and rights holders, particularly those in governing houses led by NGOs, labor unions, and affected communities, have emphasized that strong laws are needed to govern the mining sector, particularly to protect human rights, Indigenous rights, labor rights, and the environment at mine sites.

Voluntary initiatives can complement laws and their implementation, creating market incentives for mine sites to go beyond legal compliance, but they can never replace the critical role of governments to establish rules for all operators to follow, monitor implementation of those rules, and enforce compliance through appropriate incentives and penalties.

IRMA has affirmed this recognition of the primary role of government and rule of law throughout our development. We have learned a lot through the experience of other sectors, such as forestry, fisheries, and agriculture, to inform our practices, recognizing that where government bodies and voluntary standards work in partnership, this can create increased public engagement in oversight of business practices, incentives to go beyond legal compliance, and recognition of leading practices and innovation. Governments also have a key role setting expectations for imports and are powerful purchasers who can communicate standards that drive their commitment to responsible sourcing.

Chapter 1.1 of the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining is a reflection of IRMA’s commitment to rule of law. The first requirement in this chapter is for the operating company to comply with all applicable host country laws in relation to the mining project. Sites undergo independent third-party assessment and reporting against this and all other applicable requirements in the IRMA Standard, providing added market support to protect environmental and social values alongside economic value.

Subsequent requirements in the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining call on mine sites to go beyond domestic legal requirements, aiming to speed up practical implementation of best practices at the mine site level. These best practices can inform further improvements to legal frameworks and the value of meeting best practice expectations.

IRMA’s Approach to Engagement

IRMA tracks key emerging policies and changes to existing policies, with a focus on jurisdictions with IRMA third-party audits complete or underway. We share information about these and developments of global and regional importance in meetings of the IRMA Law and Policy Forum, available for IRMA Members, and in sector-specific meetings within and across IRMA Member sectors.

IRMA also hosts a Government Task Force where government leaders in their individual capacity–not as formal representatives of a State–participate in cross-jurisdictional discussions on topics relevant to responsible mineral value chains and inform IRMA Standards development to ensure relevance across jurisdictions.

IRMA is engaged in multiple United Nations-level bodies, including through an MOU with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and as an accredited Observer to the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties. While not an accredited Observer, we have also participated in the Convention on Biodiversity Conference of the Parties. IRMA collaborates in multiple UN-led efforts, including recently engaging as an expert in the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals and collaborating in pilots with the UN Transparency Protocol.

IRMA is a Tool for Governments, Policymakers, and Advocates

Governments, policymakers, and advocates use the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining, based on over a decade of global multi-stakeholder dialogue, as a benchmark for internationally recognized best practices and the IRMA system as an avenue to provide market recognition for responsible actors. Governments and policymakers increasingly work with IRMA to incentivize responsible supply chains and enhance trade competitiveness.

IRMA’s use as a best practice reference is supported by independent assessments as well as our incorporation of over 65 international frameworks in the IRMA Standard, identifying practical requirements for implementation at the mine site level.

IRMA uses the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems, a globally recognized framework, as a reference for the development, review, and revision of our Standards. IRMA is ISEAL Code Compliant, which means that IRMA’s adherence to the ISEAL Code has been independently verified.

IRMA has also been independently assessed as fully aligned with the WTO Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations, including the principles of transparency, openness, impartiality and consensus, effectiveness and relevance, coherence, and development dimension, which requires taking into consideration and responding to constraints on engagement in developing countries. We also seek to align with the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Guidelines on Developing Gender-Responsive Standards across our governance structure, documentation, and operational practices.

Learn more about IRMA’s engagement with governments through this fact sheet on How IRMA Benefits Governments and Policymakers and by following updates in the IRMA blog and newsletter. If you are interested in further discussing now best practices in IRMA can be used to improve the legal framework in your jurisdiction, please reach out to us at info@responsiblemining.net.

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SQM's Salar de Atacama lithium operation. Credit: SQMSQM's Salar de Atacama lithium operation. Credit: SQMAudits

SQM’s Salar de Atacama Lithium Mine Completes IRMA Surveillance Audit

17 March 2026By

On 17 March 2026 – the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) released the surveillance audit report of SQM’s Salar de Atacama Lithium mine, located in Chile’s Salar de Atacama. 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.

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 SQM Salar de Atacama 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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Leeufontein pit at Kolomela Iron Ore Mine. Credit: Anglo American KumbaLeeufontein pit at Kolomela Iron Ore Mine. Credit: Anglo American KumbaAudits

Anglo American’s Kolomela Iron Mine Completes IRMA Surveillance Audit

13 March 2026By

On 13 March 2026 the Initiative for Responsible Mining (IRMA) released the surveillance audit report of Anglo American’s Kolomela iron ore mine, located near Kathu in South Africa’s Northern Cape province. 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.

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 Kolomela audit page on the IRMA website.

IRMA audits are important steps in deepening dialogue between mining companies and those affected by their operations. 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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Sishen Mine. Credit: Anglo American KumbaSishen Mine. Credit: Anglo American KumbaAudits

Anglo American’s Sishen Iron Mine Completes IRMA Surveillance Audit

12 March 2026By

On 12 March 2026 the Initiative for Responsible Mining (IRMA) released the surveillance audit report of Anglo American’s Sishen iron ore mine, located near Kathu in South Africa’s Northern Cape province. 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.

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 Sishen audit page on the IRMA website.

IRMA audits are important steps in deepening dialogue between mining companies and those affected by their operations. 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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ResponsibleSteel Just Transition report coverResponsibleSteel Just Transition report coverStandard

Report outlines key considerations for a mining and steel just transition

2 March 2026By

Today, ResponsibleSteel and the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) published a landmark report, Driving just transitions in the mining & steel sectors: The role of voluntary sustainability standards, outlining how voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can help deliver fair and inclusive transitions as heavy industries globally move to decarbonise. It is the first report of its kind, jointly authored by VSSs from the mining and steel sectors.

Developed by ResponsibleSteel and IRMA, the report demonstrates how collaboration across the supply chain provides the necessary understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by both sectors to achieve a truly just transition for mining and steel. ‘Driving just transitions in the mining & steel sectors: The role of voluntary sustainability standards’ introduces nine key principles and five recommendations to help VSSs integrate just transition into their frameworks.

The report also reveals a significant gap—despite commitment at both government and corporate levels to just transition principles, implementation remains slow and inconsistent. With mining responsible for up to 10% of global energy-related emissions and steel also accounting for around 10%, accelerating decarbonisation in these sectors is critical. But without deliberate action, workers and communities most affected by these transitions risk being left behind.

ResponsibleSteel CEO, Annie Heaton, commented, “Decarbonisation is one of the most pressing global issues we face today. But if we ignore its social impacts, we risk serious unintended consequences. With around six million people employed in steel and another 20 million in mining—plus millions more in supply chains and communities that depend on these industries—industry must work together with workers, communities and governments to consider how to plan the transition to benefit people as well as the planet.”

Stakeholders involved in the project—including industry leaders, supply chain actors, academia, governments, trade unions, civil society organisations, local communities, and Indigenous groups—emphasised that these transitions must not only be fast, but fair, putting justice at the heart of industrial change.

IRMA Executive Director Aimee Boulanger observed, “This research shows that for voluntary standards to succeed, they must be structured to improve justice and inclusivity as they decarbonise and protect the environment.”

Key findings from the report included:

  • Justice at the centre: Stakeholders recognised the urgent need to decarbonise but stressed that justice must guide transition planning.
  • Inclusive process: The specific definition of “Just Transition” is highly contested, with varying interpretations. Engaging stakeholders is key to effectively defining the transition scope, identifying social impacts, and shaping mitigation actions.
  • Restorative justice challenges: Addressing restorative justice remains complex, requiring deeper collaboration among governments, companies, VSSs, and historically impacted communities.
  • Flexibility: Just transitions will differ across contexts and sectors. Principles must remain adaptable to be effective.

Funded by the ISEAL Innovations Fund with support from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the report draws on international principles from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the UN Working Group on Human Rights, academic justice theory, interviews with 35 stakeholders, and two in-person workshops held in Brussels and Johannesburg.

This work highlights the unique role VSSs can play in providing practical frameworks for implementation, accountability, and verification, setting a clear reference point for steel and mining companies to plan transitions in a way that is equitable and fair. Both ResponsibleSteel and IRMA will continue to engage with stakeholders to discuss the best way to integrate just transition principles into their respective systems.

Read the full report here.

For More Information

  • Savannah Hayes, Communications Manager, ResponsibleSteel
    communications@responsiblesteel.org│+44 7588 785909
  • Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA)
    info@responsiblemining.net

About ResponsibleSteel
ResponsibleSteel is a global multi-stakeholder standards and certification initiative for the steel industry, committed to being a driving force in the socially and environmentally responsible production of net-zero steel. The ResponsibleSteel International Production Standard is designed to support the responsible sourcing and production of steel through an international system of certification and classification. For more information about ResponsibleSteel, please visit: www.responsiblesteel.org/

About the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA)
IRMA is a nonprofit organisation 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: www.responsiblemining.net

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IRMA Achieves ISEAL Code Compliance

16 February 2026By
We are pleased to announce that IRMA is ISEAL Code Compliant!

ISEAL Code Compliant means that IRMA adheres to ISEAL’s Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems. This is important because ISEAL is a globally recognized framework that requires independently verified compliance, setting a leading example for accountability and improvement.

IRMA has built on its ISEAL Community Membership to now further demonstrate its commitment to continuous improvement by achieving compliance with the ISEAL Code. IRMA now joins two other standard-setting bodies in the mining and metals sector that have also achieved ISEAL Code Compliant status, including the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) and the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC).

Through the assessment process, IRMA has made four key improvements:

  1. Developed Supplemental Guidance on IRMA Board of Directors Voting During Periods of Board Seat Vacancies to further protect equal governance across sectors in IRMA decision-making, a core IRMA value.
  2. Refreshed the IRMA Theory of Change with a new round of input from Board of Directors and Members.
  3. Improved and developed policies regarding data governance and management, and documented IRMA resources and responsibilities.
  4. Created a stand-alone IRMA Exception Procedure to clarify procedures, including stakeholder and rights holder input, for any temporary exception to IRMA assurance rules.

Achieving this ISEAL Code Compliance milestone reaffirms that the IRMA system is built on a foundation of rigor, transparency, and continuous improvement.

About ISEAL
ISEAL is an international non-profit organization that promotes credible sustainability standards. It defines best practices for social and environmental standards systems, provides support to its member organizations, and offers a pathway for businesses and governments to identify trustworthy standards.

ISEAL’s work aims to help improve the effectiveness and impact of sustainability initiatives across various sectors, from agriculture to forestry and more.

Learn more about ISEAL at www.isealalliance.org.

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UNEA-7. Credit: IRMAUNEA-7. Credit: IRMABlog

IRMA at UNEA-7

13 February 2026By

In November 2025, IRMA was accredited to participate in the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA). Observer status grants IRMA access to UNEA and its subsidiary bodies, enabling IRMA to participate in environmental decision-making at the highest level.

While IRMA has engaged in prior UNEA sessions virtually, the seventh session of UNEA (UNEA-7), held from 8 to 12 December 2025 at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, was IRMA’s first opportunity to participate in person as an accredited Observer.

Represented by IRMA’s Law & Policy Director, Kristi Disney Bruckner, IRMA participated in multiple UNEA-7 plenary sessions, leadership dialogues, and side events, as well as the Launch of the UN Task Force on Critical Energy Transition Minerals and negotiations on the Resolution on strengthening international cooperation on the environmentally sound management of minerals and metals.

Representatives from Colombia and Oman provided a briefing on the draft resolution on minerals and metals for IRMA Members just prior to UNEA-7, providing a virtual opportunity for questions and input on the draft. The final resolution supports continuation of implementation efforts of prior minerals and metals-related UNEA resolutions and convenes dialogues among Member States, focal points, and relevant stakeholders and partners. The dialogues, which must have equitable participation among regions and of developing countries, will discuss:

  • Enhancing international cooperation on the sustainable management of minerals and metals
  • Resource recovery from mining waste and tailings through sustainable approaches, such as circularity
  • Best practices for the environmentally sound management of minerals and metals
  • Enhancing cooperation to strengthen technological, technical, financial and scientific capabilities related to management of environmental aspects of minerals and metals, in particular in developing countries

The resolution also requests a report to the 8th session of UNEA (UNEA-8) on progress achieved in implementation of this and prior resolutions on mining and metals.

IRMA contributes to implementation of the resolution by sharing best practices from IRMA Standards with governments, stakeholders and rights holders; participating in collaborations around mining waste and tailings management and opportunities to advance circularity; and helping strengthen capabilities across sectors regarding responsible management of mineral value chains. In collaboration with UNEP, IRMA will also contribute to work under prior UNEA resolutions, such as developing content to be disseminated through UNEP’s Digital Knowledge Hub on the Environmental Aspects of Minerals and Metals, created under the mandate of the 2024 Resolution 6/5 on Environmental Aspects of Minerals and Metals.

IRMA will continue to track developments under UNEA and related implementation efforts, bringing updates and opportunities for input to the attention of IRMA Members. UNEA-8 will be held from 6-10 December 2027 in Nairobi.

About UNEA
UNEA is the world’s highest-level decision-making body for matters related to the environment, with a universal membership of all 193 Member States. UNEA sets the global environmental agenda, provides overarching policy guidance, and defines policy responses to address emerging environmental challenges. It also undertakes policy review, dialogue, and the exchange of experiences, sets the strategic guidance on the future direction of UNEP, and fosters partnerships for achieving environmental goals and resource mobilization.

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