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Mining and Extraction

About this sector

Mining involves the extraction of minerals from the Earth’s crust, including coal, metal ores, rock, industrial minerals, and gemstones. The industry is an important economic activity in many countries and central to modern industrial societies, supplying raw materials for, amongst other things, energy production, construction, manufacturing, agriculture, communication, household goods, and medicines.

Impacts

  • Habitat loss and fragmentation through surface mining and creation of waste rock dumps.
  • Pollution of habitats and water supplies from chemical contamination and solid waste (tailings).
  • Excessive water withdrawal that can impact on local water systems.
  • Alteration of creeks, rivers, and watershed regimes.
  • Increased access to sensitive and remote areas.
  • Green House Gases emissions.

Opportunities/Risks

  • Reputation: managing biodiversity can contribute to a good reputation among local communities, governments and other stakeholders, helping secure a license to operate.
  • Access and cost of capital: helping compliance with loan requirements from financial institutions.
  • New markets: certification schemes are developing for responsibly mined products e.g. the Responsible Jewellery Council.

Case Studies


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Building local plant nurseries for the rehabilitation of quarries

Building local plant nurseries for the rehabilitation of quarries

As part of its quarry rehabilitation process, Lafarge has developed local plant nurseries that respect indigenous species and are adapted to the local environment. This initiative is part of broader methodologies and best practices 
developed by the company to optimize its quarry reclamation, with the final objective of strengthening the acceptability of its operations in the long run.

Biodiversity conservation through quarry rehabilitation

Biodiversity conservation through quarry rehabilitation

Holcim, headquartered in Switzerland, is one of the world’s leading suppliers of cement and construction materials. The Holcim Group has a market presence in over 70 countries on all continents. In Canada, Holcim operates 2 cement plants with the annual capacity to produce 2.7 million tonnes of Portland Cement and 500,000 tonnes of GranCem (a cement substitute with lower carbon intensity); 25 quarries and pits that produce more than 18 million tonnes per year of crushed stone, gravel and sand; 50 concrete plants and 2 construction companies specializing in major infrastructure projects. Holcim employs approximately 90,000 people worldwide and about 2,900 people in Canada. The Canadian Head Office is located in Concord, Ontario.

Sustaining our Great Lakes

Sustaining our Great Lakes

ArcelorMittal, owning operations within the Great Lakes basin, manages its business risk and supports critical public resources through a unique partnership dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Testing the first habitat banking project in Europe

Testing the first habitat banking project in Europe

New market mechanisms targeting biodiversity conservation are emerging worldwide, and among others, the biodiversity offset market size is expected to increase in the coming years. The French company CDC Biodiversité has seized this opportunity and is testing the first habitat banking project in Europe.

Conserving a unique transboundary ecosystem

Conserving a unique transboundary ecosystem

As part of its corporate responsibility, CEMEX has long recognized the importance of protecting the biodiversity of our planet. It has therefore conducted a multistakeholder, long-term transboundary conservation initiative along the Mexico and US border over ten years, thus helping to protect the region’s biodiversity.


Tools and Mechanisms


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International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA)

International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA)

http://www.ipieca.org/

IPIECA is the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues. It represents a partnership between leading energy companies and conservation organizations to develop and promote best practices for integrating biodiversity conservation into oil and gas development and transmission.
ICMM Mining Dialogue

ICMM Mining Dialogue

http://www.icmm.com/page/1672/iucn-icmm-dialogue

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) have been engaged in an ongoing Dialogue on mining and biodiversity since 2002.

The overarching aims of the Dialogue are:
  • To improve the performance of mining industries in the area of biodiversity conservation, with a focus on reducing the negative impacts of the industry’s operations and enhancing the industry’s positive contribution to biodiversity.
  • To raise mutual awareness and understanding between the conservation community and the mining industry, so that both can contribute to improved outcomes for conservation and development in areas where they interact.
E&P Sound and Marine Life Programme

E&P Sound and Marine Life Programme

http://www.soundandmarinelife.org/

The E&P Sound and Marine Life Programme is an international consortium of oil & gas companies organised under OGP in london. Its objectives are to obtain scientifically valid data on the effects of the sounds prouduced by the E&P industry on marine life.
Aluminium For Future Generations

Aluminium For Future Generations

http://www.world-aluminium.org/Sustainability/Envi...

The Aluminium for Future Generations initiative is a programme of continuous improvement on the part of the global aluminium industry, overseen by the International Aluminium Institute.  It comprises thirteen voluntary objectives, covering all key phases of aluminium’s life cycle. 

Reports of note include:
  • Life Cycle Assessment of Aluminium: Inventory Data for the Primary Aluminium Industry (2007).
  • Sustainable Bauxite mining report (2008).
See also:

Entreprises pour l'Environnement

http://www.epe-asso.org/

The companies organised in this French initiative are united by a commitment to the environment and to sustainable development. The businesses come from various sectors: steel, aluminium, automobile, chemicals, cements, and energy

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Mining and Extraction

Case studies
Tools and Mechanisms