The Standard for Responsible Mining
- The Standard for Responsible Mining v.1.0 (English – EN)
- The Standard for Responsible Mining v.1.0 (Español – ES)
- The Standard for Responsible Mining v.1.0 (French – FR)
- The Standard for Responsible Mining v.1.0 (Português – PT)
- The Standard for Responsible Mining v.1.0 (Chinese – ZH)
- Guidance Document for the Standard for Responsible Mining (English – EN) – NOTE: Español, Português and other language versions of the Guidance Document will be published after the finalization of the updated Standard)
- Guidance for Chapter 2.6-Reclamation and Closure: financial assurance (May 2023 – this supersedes Nov 2022 guidance) (English – EN)
- Critical Requirements from the IRMA Standard (English – EN)
- Fact Sheet: Gender Equality and Gender-Based Protections in the IRMA Mining Standard
- Hoja de datos: Equidad de género y protecciones basadas en el género en la minería a gran escala
- Fact Sheet: IRMA’s Approach to Indigenous Rights and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (English – EN)
Principle 1: Business Integrity
- Chapter 1.1—Legal Compliance
- Chapter 1.2—Community and Stakeholder Engagement
- Chapter 1.3—Human Rights Due Diligence
- Chapter 1.4— Complaints and Grievance Mechanism and Access to Remedy
- Chapter 1.5—Revenue and Payments Transparency
Principle 2: Planning and Managing for Positive Legacies
- Chapter 2.1—Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Management
- Chapter 2.2—Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
- Chapter 2.3—Obtaining Community Support and Delivering Benefits
- Chapter 2.4—Resettlement
- Chapter 2.5—Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Chapter 2.6—Planning and Financing Reclamation and Closure
Principle 3: Social Responsibility
- Chapter 3.1—Fair Labor and Terms of Work
- Chapter 3.2—Occupational Health and Safety
- Chapter 3.3—Community Health and Safety
- Chapter 3.4—Mining and Conflict-Affected or High-Risk Areas
- Chapter 3.5—Security Arrangements
- Chapter 3.6—Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining
- Chapter 3.7—Cultural Heritage
Principle 4: Environmental Responsibility
- Chapter 4.1—Waste and Materials Management
- Chapter 4.2—Water Management
- Chapter 4.3—Air Quality
- Chapter 4.4—Noise and Vibration
- Chapter 4.5—Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Chapter 4.6—Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Protected Areas
- Chapter 4.7—Cyanide
- Chapter 4.8—Mercury Management
Drafts of the Standard for Responsible Mining
- Draft Standard for Responsible Mining, version 1.0 (2014)
- Comments and Responses to Stakeholder Feedback on Draft v.1.0
- Draft Standard for Responsible Mining, version 2.0 (2016)
- Comments and Responses to Stakeholder Feedback on Draft v.2.0
Field Tests
Draft Standards for Public Consultation
- DRAFT Standard for Responsible Mining and Mineral Processing 2.0 (English, pdf | spreadsheet)
- Application of Standard 2.0 to all phases of Mineral Development Projects and Operations – Proposed Normative Requirements for Exploration, Project Development, Project Permitting, Mining Operations, and Mineral Processing (English, pdf | spreadsheet)
- Estándar IRMA para Minería Responsable y Procesamiento Responsable de Minerales 2.0 (Español, pdf)
- Terms of Reference (TOR): IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining and Mineral Processing (English, pdf)
- Online Commenting
- More Information
Principle 1: Business Integrity
- Chapter 1.1—Legal Compliance
- Chapter 1.2—Community and Stakeholder Engagement
- Chapter 1.3—Human Rights Due Diligence
- Chapter 1.X (NEW)—Gender Equality & Gender Protections
- Chapter 1.4— Complaints and Grievance Mechanism and Access to Remedy
- Chapter 1.5—Financial Transparency and Anti-Corruption
- Chapter 1.XX (NEW)—Mineral Supply Chain and Responsible Sourcing
Principle 2: Planning and Managing for Positive Legacies
- Chapter 2.1—Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Management
- Chapter 2.2—Indigenous Peoples and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
- Chapter 2.3—Obtaining Community Support and Delivering Benefits
- Chapter 2.4—Land Acquisition, Displacement, and Resettlement
- Chapter 2.5—Community Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Chapter 2.6—Planning and Financing Reclamation and Closure
Principle 3: Social Responsibility
- Chapter 3.1—Fair Labor and Terms of Work
- Chapter 3.2—Occupational Health and Safety
- Chapter 3.3—Community Health and Safety
- Chapter 3.4—Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Area Due Diligence
- Chapter 3.5—Security Arrangements
- Chapter 3.6—Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining
- Chapter 3.7—Cultural Heritage
Principle 4: Environmental Responsibility
- Chapter 4.1—Waste and Materials Management
- Chapter 4.2—Water Management
- Chapter 4.X (NEW)—Management of Physical Stability
- Chapter 4.3—Air Quality
- Chapter 4.4—Noise and Vibration
- Chapter 4.5—Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Chapter 4.6—Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Protected Areas
- Chapter 4.XX (NEW)—Land and Soil Management
When draft Standard 2.0 is finalized, the standard and guidance will be updated and translated into multiple languages.
Chain of Custody Draft
- IRMA’s draft Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard 1.0, released in 2020, is still available for download. Comments on this draft and pilot testing informed draft 2.0.
Exploration and Development Draft – IRMA Ready
- Download the full 2021 draft IRMA-Ready Standard (includes all six stages of exploration and development) as a pdf or as an Excel spreadsheet
- To access separate chapters, or to pilot IRMA Ready, visit the dedicated IRMA Ready page.
Mineral Processing Draft
Resources for Mines
- Read about self-assessment on our website
- Mine Measure Instruction Manual (English)
- Mine Measure Data Privacy Policy
- Achievement level calculator for self-assessing mines
- Visit the Mine Measure self-assessment and audit preparation website
Audit-related Documents
- Assessment Manual for Mines (Updated Sep 2022)
- Application Form for Independent Mine Site Assessment (Updated May 2024)
- Participation Agreement-2024-v01 (Archive: 2023 version)
- Administration Fee Policy (formerly the “Certification Fee Policy”)
- Assurance Committee Record of Decision resolving Surveillance Audit related questions (June 23, 2022)
- IRMA Assurance Committee Record of Decision: Financial Assurance and Reporting Revisions (May 2023)
- IRMA Assurance Committee Record of Decision: Limited option for score and achievement level adjustment at initial surveillance audit (Feb 2024, posted May 2024)
Supporting Information
- Mining operations independently assessing against the IRMA Standard
- IRMA: A Deep Dive for Mining Companies (Dec 2023 webinar)
- IRMA is working with SCS Global Services, KPMG Performance Registrar Inc. (KPMG PRI) and ERM Certification and Verification Services (ERM-CVS) as its audit program partners. SCS, KPMG PRI and ERM-CVS have experience auditing social, environmental and technical issues at industrial-scale mines. Interested mines should contact our approved Certification Bodies directly to request a bid, or find out more about their services:
ERM-CVS: Will Huggett will.huggett@ermcvs.com
KPMG PRI: Kim Swanzey kswanzey@kpmg.ca
SCS Global Service: Susan Courter scourter@scsglobalservices.com
Resources for Auditors
Guides
- Assessment Manual (Refer to the Assessment Manual for Mines for an updated description of the IRMA independent audit process. A revision underway to the Assessment Manual will apply for all parties interested in the assessment process.)
- Auditor Guide to Mine Measure Tool (July 2021)
- IRMA Assurance Committee Record of Decision: Financial Assurance and Reporting Revisions (May 2023)
- IRMA Assurance Committee Record of Decision: Limited option for score and achievement level adjustment at initial surveillance audit (Feb 2024, posted May 2024)
Templates
- Auditor Excel Reporting Template – Excel (March 2022)
- Public Initial Audit Report Template – Word (Feb 2022)
- Public Surveillance Audit Report Template – Word (December 2023)
Governance and Oversight
- Certification Body Requirements v2.1 (July 2023). This document is being reviewed; however, these requirements are effective on the date of publication.
- Oversight Procedure for Certification Bodies (December 2023) is used by the external firm IRMA has selected to support the assessment of qualifications and conformity to the IRMA requirements.
Other
- Interim Policy on Auditing During Exceptional Circumstances (COVID-19)
- Surveillance Audit Assurance Committee Record of Decision (June 2022)
- IRMA Issues Resolution Procedure — See Policies and Procedures
- Standard Guidance Document (June 2023) – See Standard Documentation & Guidance
Introduction to the IRMA Audit Firm Approval Process
- Recording of the Introduction to the Audit Firm Approval Process – 5 Dec 2023 zoom meeting
- Slides from the Introduction to the Audit Firm Approval Process – 5 Dec 2023 zoom meeting
Frequently Asked Questions
- If you are an audit firm and you want to apply to be an approved IRMA Certification Body, please complete the IRMA Certification Body Application Form and submit to audit.application@responsiblemining.net. More information about what it means to be a Certification Body is available here.
- If you are an individual auditor and you want to be an approved IRMA auditor, please complete the IRMA Auditor Application Form and submit to audit.application@responsiblemining.net. This application process is open to auditors that are associated with, or who want to contract independently to, approved certification bodies. All IRMA audits must be conducted under the management of an approved certification body.
- Is there a deadline for submitting applications?
No, applications will be received on an ongoing basis. However, IRMA reserves the right to limit the number of certification bodies that are approved at any given time, to ensure that audit firms are supported in their IRMA assurance program. - Does IRMA recognize other programs in lieu of approval by IRMA?
IRMA does not have any specific reciprocity agreements with other standards bodies for approval, however, experience with programs relating to management system certification, responsible extraction schemes, or experience in a variety of international performance standards will enhance a company or an auditor’s qualifications for approval. Details on qualifications are provided in our program documents and in the application forms. - Are there fees associated with becoming an approved certification body?
Yes. Fees are described in the Oversight Procedure. There is an annual fee due to IRMA upon approval; this fee will be invoiced directly from IRMA to the certification body. There are also costs associated with the oversight process including costs to cover application review, head offices assessments, witness assessments, and others. These fees are due to our oversight body, Assurance Services International. - Are there fees associated with becoming an approved auditor?
Auditors are not required to pay a separate fee to become approved. However, IRMA does provide required training, and there is a fee associated with training. These fees will be shared prior to the promotion of any training events. - What qualifications do you have to meet to become an approved auditor?
The auditor qualifications, along with other key team members of an IRMA assurance team, are presented in Annex B of the Certification Body Requirements. IRMA does not provide general approval of auditors; however, auditors wishing to attend IRMA auditor training will be reviewed and approved for training participation. Auditors who have been identified to participate in an audit are reviewed in conjunction with specific audits and their roles on those audits. Once an auditor has submitted qualifications to IRMA, their credentials do not need to be resubmitted unless they intend to audit a subject area not previously reviewed and approved. - Do currently approved audit firms or auditors need to apply?
Yes. Because this application process is new, we are asking all firms and all auditors to apply in order to establish a baseline of information about each applicant. - When will the next IRMA training occur?
IRMA is currently working to plan our next series of IRMA auditor training sessions. IRMA training is a multi-day training requirement, and we are considering options for hybrid training methods that could include a combination of independent review, virtual training, and in person sessions. More will be shared as we confirm details. There will be a fee associated with auditor training. - Who is the primary contact for the audit firm and auditor application process?
Initially, all applications are submitted to IRMA at audit.application@responsiblemining.net.
After initial review by IRMA, audit firm applications are forwarded to ASI who will then facilitate the rest of the application process. Inquiries about the status and outcome of the application and oversight process should be directed to ASI. Questions about the IRMA assurance process, auditor training, or general inquiries about IRMA can be submitted to info@responsiblemining.net. - What is involved in the IRMA Assurance Process?
The most current description of the IRMA process is described in the Assessment Manual for Mines. This document is currently under review; once completed and approved, it will be published to the IRMA website. Where recent documents, such as the Certification Body Requirements reference the “IRMA Assurance Manual”, the Assessment Manual for Mines can be consulted until it is replaced.
Resources for Communities
- IRMA: Alat Bantu untuk LSM, Masyarakat dan Pemimpin Buruh (Oct 2022)
- Proses Jaminan IRMA (Dec 2022)
- Perkenalan kepada IRMA (Dec 2022)
- What is IRMA? (Sep 2021)
- IRMA: A Tool for NGO, Community and Labor Leaders (Oct 2022)
- IRMA: Alat Bantu untuk LSM, Masyarakat dan Pemimpin Buruh (Oct 2022)
- How is Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) addressed by the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining? (Sep 2021)
- How to file a complaint related to IRMA? The IRMA issues resolutions procedure. (Sep 2021)
- Sample letter to mining companies (Oct 2022)
- Community Impact Survey template (Oct 2022)
- IRMA Audits & Communities: a Pre-Audit Overview (Nov 2022)
- MinSus: Enhancing Access to Information, Community Engagement, and Environmental and Social Performance in the Andean Region through IRMA (2023)
- ¿Qué es IRMA? (Sep 2021)
- ¿Cómo se aborda el Consentimiento libre previo e informado (CLPI) en el Estándar para la Minería Responsable de IRMA? (Sep 2021)
- ¿Cómo presentar una queja relacionada con IRMA? El Procedimiento de IRMA para la Resolución de Agravios (Sep 2021)
- Modelo de carta a empresas mineras (Oct 2022)
- Encuesta a la comunidad sobre el impacto (Oct 2022)
- Un resumen previo a la auditoría para las comunidades (Nov 2022)
- MinSus: Mejorando el acceso a la información, a la participación comunitaria y el desempeño ambiental y social en la región andina a través del Estándar IRMA
IRMA System Documents and Resources
Internal
- Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy
- Antitrust Compliance Policy
- Bylaws v.2.0
- Confidentiality Policy
- Conflict of Interest Policy – Directors
- Conflict of Interest Policy – Personnel
- Whistleblower Policy
External
- Communications and Claims Policy – v.2.0 (Apr 2023)
- Issues Resolution Procedure
- Mine Measure Data Privacy/Security Policy
- Policy on Association
- Stakeholder Complaints Process
- Standards Development Procedure
- Standard Setting Public System Report
Auditor Related
- Auditor focused policies and related documents are found in the Auditor Resources section of this page
Press releases, webinars/presentations and other material
- IRMA leaders react to Brazil mine tailings failure (30 January 2019)
- First Mine Audited Against World’s Most Rigorous Mining Standard (21 October 2020) – English and Spanish
- IRMA and ARM agreement to promote collaborative approaches between large-scale mining and ASM (10 November 2020)
- Albemarle Atacama Audit report – English (June 2023)
- Albemarle Atacama Audit report – Español (June 2023)
- Introduction to IRMA (April 2022)
- IRMA Ready Introduction Webinar (December 2021)
- IRMA Ready Pilot Webinar (December 2021)
- Introduction to the IRMA draft Standard for Responsible Mineral Processing (29 June 2021)
- IRMA – Due Diligence Beyond Geographic Criteria – Presentation for OECD’s 14th Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains (26 April 2021)
- IRMA Public Webinar: Climate Change and the Push for More Mining (25 September 2020)
- IRMA Public Webinar: IRMA’s Value for Mining Companies (27 July 2020)
- IRMA Public Webinar: IRMA’s Value for Purchasers and Investors (18 June 2020)
- IRMA Public Webinar: Responsible Mining in the Time of COVID-19 (20 May 2020)
- IRMA Public Webinar: What is IRMA and how can you use it? (19 May 2020)
- IRMA Public Webinar: Update on Standard for Responsible Mining (July 2019)
- IRMA Self-Assessment Webinar (October 2018)
Albemarle Atacama Audit report – English (June 2023)
Albemarle Atacama Audit report – Español (June 2023)
Introduction to IRMA (April 2022)
IRMA Ready Introduction Webinar (15 December 2021)
IRMA Ready Pilot Webinar (16 December 2021)
Introduction to the IRMA draft Standard for Responsible Mineral Processing (29 June 2021)
IRMA – Due Diligence Beyond Geographic Criteria – Presentation for OECD’s 14th Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains (26 April 2021)
IRMA Public Webinar: Climate Change and the Push for More Mining (25 September 2020)
IRMA Public Webinar: IRMA’s Value for Mining Companies (27 July 2020)
IRMA Public Webinar: IRMA’s Value for Purchasers and Investors (18 June 2020)
IRMA Public Webinar: Responsible Mining in the Time of COVID-19 (20 May 2020)
IRMA Public Webinar: What is IRMA and how can you use it? (19 May 2020)
- Recognition of IRMA (updated April 2024)
- IRMA: Sebuah Alat untuk Tata Kelola Rantai Pasokan Indonesia yang Bertanggung Jawab (27 October 2021)
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