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Public Consultation Begins for Draft Standards

26 October 2023By

Click here to register for webinarsToday we began public consultation for the Draft Standard for Responsible Mining and Mineral Processing, and the Draft Chain of Custody Standard. Public consultation runs through 26 January 2024. For more information on how to comment, please click through to each standard.

The Draft Standard for Responsible Mining and Mineral Processing is an update of the 2018 IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining – the strongest voluntary mining standard in the world, and the only one equally governed by a multistakeholder coalition. The updated draft:

  • Addresses the entire mining process: Mineral Exploration & Development, and Processing in addition to Mining.
  • Adds new chapters on Gender Equality / Gender Protections; Physical Stability; Land and Soil
  • Improves chapters on Financial Transparency and Anti-Corruption; Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC); and Indigenous Peoples
  • Improves how the standard addresses specific topics including greenhouse gas emissions and energy; recycling materials and circularity; operational health & safety; responsible sourcing; human rights; cultural heritage

The new Chain of Custody Standard Draft is designed to provide baseline requirements for tracing material coming from any IRMA-audited mine through the downstream processing of minerals into products, all the way to the end consumer.

Transparently reviewing and updating IRMA Standards ensures they are accountable to all sectors, stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders, and allows for the incorporation of changes in best practice to provide a global responsible mining benchmark. We review every 5 years using the ISEAL Standard Setting Code of Good Practice as a reference.

To provide comment, IRMA is reaching out to a wide and diverse set of stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders, including affected local communities, workers and their unions, nonprofit organizations, mining and minerals processing companies, purchasing and investment companies, governments and international organizations, scientists and researchers. Anyone can provide input. Comments will be confidential on request. All comments will be considered carefully – a summary of comments and IRMA’s responses will be provided after the consultation period ends.

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IRMA’s Work to Advance Circular Economy Approaches

29 September 2023By

IRMA is working across sectors and initiatives to clarify and advance circular economy approaches to responsible production and use of minerals. Circular economy approaches utilize integrated strategies to address a range of climate, environmental, and social issues associated with primary and secondary materials, reducing waste while capturing greater value from materials and processes throughout the life cycle of the mineral.

Circular economy approaches involve a systems approach throughout the materials life cycle, including:

  • designing products and services for material recovery and reuse;
  • establishing better technology, infrastructure, and policies for the extraction of metals and minerals including from consumer products and existing mine waste; and
  • adopting regenerative approaches to ecosystem impacts.

Demands for minerals associated with the energy transition will require expansion of both primary and secondary production of mined materials for decades to come. At the same time, expectations are increasing throughout supply chains regarding low carbon production methods, broader responsible sourcing requirements, and integration of circular economy strategies ranging from production and sourcing of durable goods, enhancing material reuse and recycling, integrating responsibly sourced recycled and scrap material at the mineral processing level, and beyond.

IRMA formed an Expert Working Group on Mining and Circularity in 2022 to inform integration of circular economy approaches into the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining and IRMA system. We will continue to work to clarify, incorporate, and encourage best practice circular economy approaches throughout all stages of extraction, processing, reuse, and recycling of minerals.

Over the past year, IRMA served as a member of the Expert Working Group on the OECD Handbook on Environmental Due Diligence in Mineral Supply Chains, published in September 2023 and including coverage of circularity and enhanced use of secondary sources.

This year IRMA became a member of the Roundtable on the Responsible Recycling of Metals (RRRM) Non-Ferrous Working Group, collaborating in RRRM efforts to advance understanding of appropriate standards, systems, and tools for the responsible production and sourcing of recycled metals.

IRMA will participate in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) this year in Dubai, engaging in roundtables and events focused on improving environmental and social responsibility in mineral supply chains for the energy transition and opportunities to advance circularity.

If you have recommendations for ways IRMA can advance circular economy approaches or wish to share case studies of successful strategies, please contact us at info@responsiblemining.net.

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