Regions

Lonely tree after the Jagersfontein mine tailings spill. Credit: MACUALonely tree after the Jagersfontein mine tailings spill. Credit: MACUAAfrica

What will we learn from another mine waste tragedy?

22 September 2022By

(Note: this blog appeared in the Sep 22, 2022 IRMA newsletter)

On September 11 in South Africa about 500km southwest of Johannesburg, the tailings dam failed at the Jagersfontein mine waste impoundment. Three people were killed, four more are still missing, and 40 were hospitalized.

This is a tragedy, and all the more so because it was predictable.

IRMA Board member Meshack Mbangula of Mining Affected Communities United in Action and other MACUA leaders are currently in the region, gathering the perspectives of communities. Meshack shares that some are still without water, electricity, sewage management, and with road blockages limiting children’s access to school.

From the world’s repeated recent experience with mine waste disasters, we know that poor tailings facility designs, aging facilities, and increasing frequency of extreme weather associated with climate change will combine to cause more mine waste tragedies around the world for communities living near mining operations.

We can act to minimize that threat. We join with others asking three questions:

  1. How can we prevent the construction of new mining waste facilities with this type of risk to fail?
  2. How can we provide sufficient funds for communities and governments to protect public safety from these mine waste risks even when mine ownership changes?
  3. The unbelievably difficult question of how to put protection of human life first at the thousands of places around the world where these dams already exist?
Meshack Mbangula of MACUA and IRMA's board, witnessing the Jagersfontein tailings spill aftermath. Credit: MACUA
Meshack Mbangula of Mining Affected Communities United in Action and IRMA board member, witnessing the Jagersfontein tailings spill aftermath. Credit: MACUA

The disaster, and reports of years of community effort to raise concern and attention to the risks, shows the importance of ongoing community involvement in addressing a mine’s impacts – for as long as the mine’s impacts exist.

IRMA’s Standard for Responsible Mining seeks to address these issues in not only our chapter on waste management, but also chapters on emergency preparedness and response, protecting water resources, stakeholder engagement, and reclamation, closure and financial assurance.  Learning from this experience will inform the update of how diverse stakeholders together define “best practices” in the IRMA Standard, due out in 2023.

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Zortman-Landusky mine complexZortman-Landusky mine complexGovernment

The IRMA Standard – A Tool For U.S. Mining Law Reform

1 September 2022By

IRMA a Tool for U.S. Mining Law Reform_Examples of Gaps in U.S. Framework - coverOn Tuesday August 30, the IRMA Secretariat submitted a letter to the Biden Administration’s Interagency Working Group (IWG) on mining reform.

The letter provides examples of areas where there are gaps between the good practices in the IRMA Mining Standard and the U.S. legal framework governing the mining sector. Although not comprehensive, the examples identify areas where gaps can be addressed to ensure conformity with good international practice.

These examples are based on a preliminary review of the U.S. legal framework. A requirement-by-requirement comparison between the IRMA Standard and the U.S. legal framework would be necessary to identify all the gaps, and could guide the work of the IWG and support recommendations for improvements to the U.S. legal framework. We recommend that such a study be funded and completed to inform IWG efforts.

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Carrizal home pageCarrizal home pageAudits

Carrizal Mine Surveillance Assessment Update

17 August 2022By

The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) is pleased to announce the upcoming third-party independent surveillance assessment of the Carrizal Mine against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. The Carrizal Mine is located near Zimapan in the Hidalgo province of Mexico. The on-site portion of the surveillance audit will occur 24-27 August 2022.

What is a Surveillance Audit?

A surveillance audit is a mid-cycle verification to ensure no material negative changes have occurred at a site. It is not a re-assessment of all IRMA requirements. Surveillance audits follow much of the same process as a certification audit and include document review, on site-assessment, and community and stakeholder engagement. An IRMA surveillance audit confirms continued performance against critical requirements, verifies ongoing regulatory compliance processes, and evaluates progress on corrective actions. It also follows up on stakeholder input received since the prior audit and areas of risk identified in the previous audit and confirms no major changes have occurred that would impact the previously assessed achievement level.

ERM CVS is the IRMA-approved certification body carrying out the surveillance assessment.

Stakeholder Engagement in the Assessment

Interested stakeholders and members of the public can sign up to receive updates about the Carrizal mine assessment. The Mines Under Assessment page of IRMA’s website will also provide up-to-date information on all assessments.

Mine site stakeholders are invited to submit comments to ERM CVS on the social and environmental performance of the Carrizal Mine (in particular, how the mine measures against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining).

Carrizal Mine stakeholders may also contact ERM CVS if they are interested in being interviewed as part of the assessment process or being notified of the publication of the public report.

Stakeholder comments and expressions of interest in being interviewed as part of the audit process should be submitted by email to post@ermcvs.com.

Email: visit the ERM CVS website for this information and more on the audit.

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

For more information

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U.S. State Department logoU.S. State Department logoGovernment

IRMA presents to the U.S. State Department

17 June 2022By

Today IRMA executive director Aimee Boulanger, and senior policy advisor Kristi Disney Bruckner presented before the Department of State’s Clean Energy Resources Advisory Committee (CERAC). CERAC “advises the Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources on strategies, programs, and policies related to clean energy mineral supply chains.”

IRMA made nine recommendations to CERAC:

  1. Recognize the importance of equal governance in multi-stakeholder leadership, engagement, and public access to information.
  2. Adopt a holistic lens to mining sector management, including a wide range of environmental and social factors.
  3. Use the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining to assess gaps in domestic legal frameworks, and incorporate best practices on international to local levels.
  4. Promote an inclusive, participatory, transparent rights-based approach to relationships between mines and communities, with access to remedy.
  5. Use IRMA standards and audit reports to guide more responsible sourcing of mined materials.
  6. Encourage mines to engage in IRMA, which connects market value with environmental and social responsibility, and encourages continuing improvement while striving toward best practice.
  7. Identify and act on opportunities for the U.S. to be a “first mover” on responsible sourcing of mined materials, due diligence, and circularity.
  8. Foster innovation, strategic planning, and meaningful engagement of workers, communities, NGOs, companies, and investors in the “green” transition
  9. Collaborate with other governments to enhance environmental and social performance and transparency of the mining sector and supply chains.
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IRMA’s Response to Russia’s Attacks on Ukraine

10 March 2022By

IRMA is deeply concerned with the terrible conflict in Ukraine. As we have both private sector and civil society organizations working with IRMA in the region, we have spent the last week reaching out to our participants, other multi-stakeholder standards systems, and experts in auditing. We welcome feedback from any stakeholder on our course of action.

  • IRMA civil society organizations focused on Russia, working for greater environmental and social responsibility in mining, are encouraged to continue to engage in IRMA.
  • Private sector purchasers and investors with concern for more responsible practices may continue to ask mining companies in Russia to measure their performance against the IRMA Standard.
  • For mining companies based in Russia, all effort at this time must be with the IRMA Mine Measure self-assessment tool, which can guide them on areas that may need improvements to protect social and environmental values. No external claims of IRMA achievement by companies using the tool will be allowed in the market. No mining companies in Russia have yet been independently audited against the IRMA Standard. We will not commence auditing in the region until there is greater stability and confidence that diverse stakeholders may safely engage in a robust independent audit. Additionally, a decision has been made to pause membership activities for Russian-based mining companies at this time.

We join the global community in heartache for the suffering at this time of violent conflict there and in other places around the world. We affirm IRMA’s core vision regardless of the geography: 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.

Our position is an initial response and will evolve as appropriate with global circumstances and we welcome your feedback at info@responsiblemining.net.

UPDATE: 21 March 2022

Nornickel Statement

Nornickel is a Russia-based mining company that had pending membership status in IRMA and, as a result, was preparing for independent audit. IRMA has encouraged the company to continue to use the self-assessment tool to understand IRMA requirements and to seek opportunities for improved performance, and we hope to engage in an independent audit in the future. The company has shared with IRMA the following statement:

Nornickel has agreed to pause its pending membership status in IRMA, and will continue to work independently and will continue to use the IRMA Mine Measure self-assessment tool to prepare for independent audit to improve practices that reduce environmental and social impacts. We believe that the findings from this informal exercise will make a useful guide on how we can improve towards IRMA standards, while we are held on pause.

Batani Statement

Batani (International Indigenous Fund for development and solidarity) is a non-governmental organization and an IRMA Member. They have shared with IRMA the following statement:

Batani stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in their struggle for freedom, and we are extremely concerned about ensuring the rights of Indigenous peoples during the war on Ukrainian territory. This war has also created security issues for indigenous peoples living in Russia. As a result, Batani appreciates the steps IRMA has taken to pause the Nornickel audit until it can be done in a manner that ensures the safe engagement of communities affected by the Nornickel operations.

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NGOs

Member Spotlight: Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association

10 March 2022By

From time to time, our blog will feature IRMA Member organizations, allowing them to explain, in their own words, their interest in forwarding more responsible mining and why they are engaged with IRMA.

Below are responses from Fadzai Midzi, Programmes Assistant, ZELA

What is the mission and primary work of ZELA?

Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) exists to promote equitable, just, and sustainable environmental and natural resources management and protection of marginalised communities and citizens in Southern Africa. ZELA is motivated by a strategic mandate to influence mineral resource governance to ensure that communities benefit from exploitation of natural resource. Our, our work is mainly based on legal, policy reforms, partnership building, implementation and participatory research, impact and strategic litigation and movements such as the Publish What You Pay Coalition, that ZELA coordinates.

How did you become engaged with IRMA?

ZELA believes in partnership building locally, regionally, and international. In driving the mission, ZELA has collaborated with likeminded organisations including chairing platforms such as the Alternative Mining Indaba and the Kimberly Process – Civil Society Coalition. Through such platforms, ZELA learnt the value of being affiliated to the IRMA, whose mission is linked with that of ZELA, that is to protect people and the environment directly affected by mining. Thus, ZELA decided to engage and learn from IRMA whose value cannot be overemphasized.

The engagement started in 2019, when UNKI Mine was undergoing its audit certification process. IRMA came into the country when the Zimbabwean government had expressed interest to adopt and implement the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), a globally recognised standard on promoting transparency and accountability in the extractives sector.

Through Unki Mine, IRMA proved that disclosure in mineral exploitation is possible. When the Unki Mine IRMA audit report came out, ZELA managed to raise community awareness on the report, as a way of encouraging grassroot level participation of marginalised communities in development of correctional action plans, in response to the audit. In 2021, ZELA joined IRMA and the organisation has been advocating for adoption of the IRMA audit tool, in Zimbabwe.

Are you finding value in having an IRMA audit report on the performance of a mine in your region?

  • IRMA has ignited our work which is mainly based on evidential rigor to influence better natural resource reforms.
  • We acknowledge the usefulness of the IRMA audit report information helping us to improve our engagements through evidence gathering and access to information provided by the audit reports on mining operations and their impact on communities’ wellbeing, rights, and the environment.
  • The IRMA audit report also informs in carrying out advocacy work during national, regional, and international dialogue processes such as the Zimbabwe Alternative Mining Indaba (ZAMI), the Alternative Mining Indaba (AMI) and the Kimberly Process-Certification Civil Society Coalition
  • The IRMA audit tools help to bring out and plug some of the governance gaps for mining companies, for instance that was noted through the UNKI Mine audit.

What more or different would be helpful to you in your work to drive more responsible practices where mining is happening?

What would be helpful to our work is to have more companies adopt IRMA in Zimbabwe, to prove that the private sector has the capacity to be transparent and promote good governance in natural resource governance. Hopefully, that should encourage government to also take interest in utilising the audit tool for state owned enterprises. Partnerships with other IRMA members, and cross pollination of ideas with other IRMA members, contributes to advocacy for responsible mining.

For more information:
Visit the ZELA website

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Audits

IRMA Announcement: Fenix Assessment (Livent) Stage 1

15 February 2022By
The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) announces the commencement of a third-party independent assessment of Livent’s Fenix lithium brine extraction site against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. The site produces a lithium-rich brine, which it purifies and concentrates into lithium carbonate and lithium chloride. The site is located in the Salar del Hombre Muerto, in Catamarca province, Argentina. SCS Global Services (SCS), an IRMA-approved certification body, will be carrying out the assessment, which begins with a desk review (stage 1), followed at a later date with an on-site audit (stage 2). IRMA will announce the dates of the on-site portion of the audit when those dates are known. For more on assessment scope, see the Fenix Assessment page on the IRMA website. Scope of the Assessment During the assessment the impacts and issues associated with the site will be reviewed, and each operation and facility will be visited. The assessment will include brine extraction, purification, evaporation/concentration, and waste disposal areas at the Fenix site. Stakeholder Engagement in the Assessment Stakeholders are invited to submit written comments to SCS on the social and environmental performance of Livent’s Fenix operations (in particular, how the site measures against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining). Stakeholders may also contact SCS if they are interested in being interviewed as part of the assessment process. Stakeholder comments and expressions of interest in being interviewed as part of the audit process should be submitted by email or mail to:
SCS Global Services 2000 Powell St. #600 Emeryville, California, USA 94608 Email: scourter@scsglobalservices.com
Interested stakeholders and members of the public can visit the Mines Under Assessment page of IRMA’s website to view up-to-date information on all mine site assessments, including the Fenix site (e.g., find out the timing of the stage 2 on-site visit, access the audit results, etc.). Please forward this announcement, and feel free to contact SCS directly to provide names and contact information for other stakeholders who may be interested in knowing about and participating in the Fenix assessment process. For More Information
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Audits

Salar de Atacama (SQM) Commences Assessment

12 January 2022By
The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) announces the commencement of a third-party independent assessment of SQM’s Salar de Atacama site against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. The site produces a lithium-rich brine and potash. The site is located inside SQM’s mining concession area in the Salar de Atacama sector, in the commune of San Pedro de Atacama, El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile. ERM Certification and Verification Services (ERM-CVS), an IRMA-approved certification body, will be carrying out the assessment, which includes a desk review (stage 1) followed by an on-site audit (stage 2). Scope of the Assessment During the assessment the impacts and issues associated with the site will be reviewed, and each operation and facility will be visited. The assessment will include brine extraction, concentration, and waste disposal areas at the Salar de Atacama site. For more on assessment scope, see the Salar de Atacama (SQM) assessment page on the IRMA website. Stakeholder Engagement in the Assessment Stakeholders are invited to submit comments to ERM-CVS on the social and environmental performance of the SQM’s Salar de Atacama operations (in particular, how the site measures against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining). Stakeholders may also contact ERM-CVS if they are interested in being interviewed as part of the assessment process. Stakeholder comments and expressions of interest in being interviewed as part of the audit process should be submitted by email or mail to:
ERM Certification and Verification Services Email: post@ermcvs.com Mail: Exchequer Court, 33 St Mary Axe, London, EC3A 8A
Interested stakeholders and members of the public can visit the Mines Under Assessment page of IRMA’s website to view up-to-date information on all mine site assessments, including the SQM Salar de Atacama site (e.g., find out the timing of the stage 2 on-site visit, access the audit results, etc.). Please forward this announcement, and feel free to contact ERM-CVS directly to provide names and contact information for other stakeholders who may be interested in knowing about and participating in the Salar de Atacama (SQM) assessment process. For More Information
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NGOs

In Memoriam: IRMA Board Member Dewa Mavhinga

6 December 2021By

We honor our friend and colleague.

The staff and Board of Directors of IRMA join with the world in mourning the passing of IRMA Board leader Dewa Mavhinga, Southern Africa Director of Human Rights Watch, who passed away suddenly on 4 December while working in southern Africa. He was 41 years old, and leaves behind his wife Fiona, four young children, and mother. We grieve with the world, send blessings to his family, and honor Dewa’s lifetime of dedicated work in support of the dignity of all people.

Human Rights Watch honors Dewa’s life here.

In a memorial event organized by Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, testimonies on the impact of Dewa’s life included:

“In the way of Desmond Tutu and Martin Luther King. He was a defender for the rights of all, despite race, class, gender or creed — he believed in power of ideas.”

“He was committed to arguing things out, but did so by uplifting other people. It wasn’t the activity of struggle, he humanized the struggle…He saw the humanity of every person he was struggling with. He humanized everyone in society, the victims and the oppressors.”

“He brought faith, community, solidarity, logical disputations as not only values but also as practices…He was a man of faith, not only religious, but faith that the people of Africa would live on the continent free of human rights abuses.”

“From the logic of force, to the force of logic….He was a brilliant man.”

“He was a humble great mind and a unifier…To me his death is like the burning of a library.”

“Dewa became a global go-to person for human rights across southern Africa. We have lost not only a colleague but the world has lost an indefatigable champion. Our hearts are with you all, his family, and everyone who knew him.”

“Dewa would say, ‘if you must choose to be right or to be kind, always choose to be kind.’ Especially coming from a lawyer this is remarkable. He was kind, gentle and yet also fearless.”

Dewa Mavhinga alongside fellow leaders from IRMA’s NGO, labor and community sectors.

With deep appreciation for Dewa, we will continue our work for greater environmental and social responsibility, and fundamental commitment to human rights, where industrial scale mining happens. We are deeply grateful for Dewa‘s years of work on behalf of Human Rights Watch and in service to IRMA’s multistakeholder Board of Directors.

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Audits

IRMA Announcement: On-site audit of Minas Rio, in December

10 November 2021By
The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) announces that, in addition to the five audits recently announced, another on-site audit has been scheduled. Auditors will be carrying out on-site audit activities at the Minas Rio iron ore mine in December 2021.
  • Minas Rio, Zona Rural, Conceição do Mato Dentro, Minas Gerais, Brazil. On-site audit dates: 9 – 12 December.
SCS Global Services , an IRMA-approved certification body, will be carrying out the on-site assessment at the Minas Rio site. Stakeholder engagement in the assessment Stakeholders should contact SCS Global Services if they are interested in being interviewed as part of the assessment process. Interviews with local stakeholders will be scheduled to take place during the on-site audit and may be virtual or in-person, taking into consideration COVID-19 precautions. Stakeholders are also invited to submit comments to SCS Global Services on the social and environmental performance of the mine (in particular, how the site measures against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining).
SCS Global Services Email: scourter@scsglobalservices.com Mail: 2000 Powell Street, Ste. 600 Emeryville, CA 94608 USA Phone: +1 (510) 993-0127
Please forward this announcement, and feel free to contact SCS Global Services directly to provide names and contact information for other mine site stakeholders who may be interested in knowing about and participating in the mine site assessment process. For More Information
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