surveillance audit

Barro Alto. Credit: Anglo AmericanBarro Alto. Credit: Anglo AmericanAudits

Anglo American’s Barro Alto Nickel Mine Completes IRMA Surveillance Audit

31 October 2025By

On 31 October 2025 the Initiative for Responsible Mining (IRMA) released the surveillance audit report of Anglo American’s Barro Alto nickel mine, located in Brazil’s state of Goiás. 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. Throughout the surveillance audit, ERM CVS found Chapter 2.2 – Free, Prior and Informed Consent of the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining as relevant and this chapter will be fully evaluated during the renewal audit.

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 Barro Alto 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.

On February 18, 2025, Anglo American announced the sale of the Barro Alto operation to MMG Singapore Resources Pte. Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of MMG Limited. The sale of the operation is subject to a number of conditions, including customary competition and regulatory clearances, with completion of the sale expected by Q3 2025.

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).

NOTE: A Portuguese language version of this report will be published within the next week.

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Barro Alto. Credit: Anglo AmericanBarro Alto. Credit: Anglo AmericanAudits

Mina de níquel Barro Alto da Anglo American conclui auditoria de vigilância IRMA

31 October 2025By

Em 31 de outubro de 2025, a Iniciativa de Asseguração de Mineração Responsável (IRMA) publicou o relatório de auditoria de vigilância da mina de níquel Barro Alto da Anglo American, localizada no estado de Goiás, Brasil. A empresa de auditoria ERM CVS, aprovada pela IRMA, conduziu a auditoria e avaliou o progresso feito no plano de ação corretiva que a operação se comprometeu a cumprir no relatório de auditoria inicial. Ao longo da auditoria de vigilância, a ERM CVS considerou o Capítulo 2.2 – Consentimento Livre, Prévio e Informado do Padrão IRMA para Mineração Responsável como relevante, e esse capítulo será avaliado integralmente durante a auditoria de renovação.

O ciclo de avaliação independente da IRMA ocorre em três etapas: (1) auditoria inicial, (2) auditoria de vigilância e (3) auditoria de reavaliação. As minas no sistema IRMA devem passar por uma auditoria de vigilância durante cada ciclo de auditoria de três anos, e essa auditoria deve ocorrer entre 12 e 18 meses após a divulgação pública do relatório da auditoria inicial. As auditorias de vigilância não são auditorias completas, o que significa que não é necessário restabelecer a conformidade com todos os requisitos analisados na auditoria inicial. Normalmente, durante uma auditoria de vigilância, a equipe de auditoria verifica se os sistemas e controles da mina ainda estão em vigor e funcionando de forma eficaz, e se não ocorreram mudanças significativas desde a auditoria inicial que afetem negativamente o desempenho da mina. A auditoria de vigilância inclui entrevistas confidenciais com trabalhadores e o envolvimento com detentores de direitos indígenas e partes interessadas da comunidade. Os relatórios da auditoria inicial e de vigilância da IRMA para a operação estão disponíveis na página de auditoria da mina Barro Alto no site da IRMA.

Como o Padrão IRMA é reconhecido e adotado em todo o mundo, essas auditorias são etapas importantes em um diálogo mais profundo entre as empresas de mineração e as pessoas afetadas por suas operações. Como o processo IRMA está sempre melhorando com base na experiência da auditoria mais recente, os resultados da auditoria devem ser revisados e interpretados de acordo.

Em 18 de fevereiro de 2025, a Anglo American anunciou a venda da operação Barro Alto para a MMG Singapore Resources Pte. Ltd, uma subsidiária integral da MMG Limited. A venda da operação está sujeita a uma série de condições, incluindo as habituais autorizações regulatórias e de concorrência, com a conclusão da venda prevista para o terceiro trimestre de 2025.

O sistema independente IRMA é o único padrão global de mineração que oferece poder igual ao setor público (comunidades e detentores de direitos indígenas, trabalhadores de minas e defensores dos direitos humanos e ambientais) e ao setor privado (empresas de mineração, compradores de materiais extraídos e investidores).

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Mototolo PGM mining operation. Credit: Anglo AmericanMototolo PGM mining operation. Credit: Anglo AmericanAfrica

ERM CVS to Conduct On-site IRMA Surveillance Assessment of Valterra Platinum Mototolo operations

24 October 2025By

From IRMA approved independent auditor ERM CVS. View/download the announcement as PDF in Sepedi

ERM CVS Seeks Input from Local Community and Other Stakeholders

ERM CVS announces that on 24-26 November 2025 it will visit the Valterra Platinum Mototolo complex in South Africa’s Limpopo province to conduct an independent, third-party Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) surveillance assessment of the operation..

The initial audit report of Valterra Platinum’s Mototolo mining complex was released on 16 February 2024 with an achievement level of IRMA 75. The report is available on the IRMA website: https://responsiblemining.net/mototolo.

The onsite surveillance audit will verify that the site operations continue to align with the performance previously recognized in the initial audit report. The audit team will verify that the mine’s systems and controls are still in place and are functioning effectively, that no major changes have occurred that negatively affect the mine’s performance, and that the site is progressing on its corrective action plan. The audit will also include confidential interviews with workers and engagement with community stakeholders. Following the completion of the surveillance audit, a report will be published on the IRMA website.

The abbreviated surveillance audit summary report will provide Valterra Platinum and stakeholders insight into continuity of operations, material changes, and evidence of continued improvement. A full reassessment audit will occur three years after the release of the initial audit report.

24 – 26 November 2025

Your comments will help ERM CVS assess the impact of Valterra Platinum’s Mototolo mine on local communities and measure its performance against best mining practices. ERM CVS invites you to sign-up for an interview with auditors during the surveillance audit, and/or submit written comments about Valterra Platinum Mototolo mine using the contact details below.

Interviews can be held in English and Sepedi. You must contact us before 17 November 2025 to be interviewed. Written comments submitted before 25 November 2025 will be incorporated into the results of this audit.
On the web

Email: post@ermcvs.com

Telephone: +27 10 596 3740

QR code to access online form:

ERM CVS contact QR code
Interviews with members of the community occur without mine personnel present. Interviews with non-management workers occur without management present and can be scheduled to occur offsite on request. ERM CVS protects the identity of individual commenters although the general nature of comments will be summarized in the report.

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Amandelbult PGM Complex. Credit: Anglo AmericanAmandelbult PGM Complex. Credit: Anglo AmericanAfrica

ERM CVS to Conduct On-site IRMA Surveillance Assessment of Valterra Platinum Amandelbult operations

24 October 2025By

From IRMA approved independent auditor ERM CVS. View/download the announcement as PDF in isiXhosa | Sepedi | Setswana

ERM CVS Seeks Input from Local Community and Other Stakeholders

ERM CVS announces that on 18-20 November 2025 it will visit the Valterra Platinum Amandelbult mining complex in South Africa’s Limpopo province to conduct an independent, third-party Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) surveillance assessment of the operation..

The initial audit report of Valterra Platinum’s Amandelbult mining complex was released on 16 February 2024 with an achievement level of IRMA 50. The report is available on the IRMA website: https://responsiblemining.net/amandelbult.

The onsite surveillance audit will verify that the site operations continue to align with the performance previously recognized in the initial audit report. The audit team will verify that the mine’s systems and controls are still in place and are functioning effectively, that no major changes have occurred that negatively affect the mine’s performance, and that the site is progressing on its corrective action plan. The audit will also include confidential interviews with workers and engagement with community stakeholders. Following the completion of the surveillance audit, a report will be published on the IRMA website.

The abbreviated surveillance audit summary report will provide Valterra Platinum and stakeholders insight into continuity of operations, material changes, and evidence of continued improvement. A full reassessment audit will occur three years after the release of the initial audit report.

18 – 20 November 2025

Your comments will help ERM CVS assess the impact of Valterra Platinum’s Amandelbult mine on local communities and measure its performance against best mining practices. ERM CVS invites you to sign-up for an interview with auditors during the surveillance audit, and/or submit written comments about Valterra Platinum Amandelbult mine using the contact details below.

Interviews can be held in English, Setswana, Sepedi and isiXhosa. You must contact us before 11 November 2025 to be interviewed. Written comments submitted before 19 November 2025 will be incorporated into the results of this audit.
On the web

Email: post@ermcvs.com

Telephone: +27 10 596 3740

QR code to access online form:

ERM CVS contact QR code
Interviews with members of the community occur without mine personnel present. Interviews with non-management workers occur without management present and can be scheduled to occur offsite on request. ERM CVS protects the identity of individual commenters although the general nature of comments will be summarized in the report.

For more information about

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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.

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