A blueprint for responsible mining in Africa

Africa is on the brink of an extraordinary opportunity. A continent rich in cobalt, copper and rare earth elements — essential for green technologies — it is endowed with vast natural resources that have the potential to drive long-term inclusive development and deliver economic transformation. But as history has shown, capitalising on opportunity can often be challenging. There are numerous examples of this in Africa. 

As executives, experts and civil society gather in Cape Town for the start of the Mining Indaba next week that potential — for prosperity or perdition — will be front of mind. The theme this year is “Futureproofing African mining, today”, an important rallying cry for responsibility, foresight and fairness. But what does “futureproofing” really mean in practice? How does it intersect with the realities of moving the earth?

In simple terms, it means the responsible production of metals and minerals, delivered in a way that enables development, respects rights, empowers people and safeguards nature for future generations. That’s not a wish list, it’s achievable and we’ve seen it work in practice. If we agree on that desired outcome future-proofing is really about how best to deliver it. Or how we mine responsibly.

For those of us pioneering mining standards the future is about driving industry-wide adoption of responsible practices among all producers, irrespective of size, commodity or geography. A tonne of copper or an ounce of gold looks the same no matter where it’s from, but how they are produced matters immensely. And Africa, with its rich resources and human potential, holds the potential for setting a global example. 

To succeed we need to balance effectiveness with practicality, setting high-bar expectations and reducing complexity. That’s why we’re bringing together the four most widely used industry standards — The Copper Mark’s standards, Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM), the World Gold Council’s Responsible Gold Mining Principles and ICMM’s Mining Principles — into one, global standard that consolidates responsible practices, raises the performance bar and addresses barriers to implementation. The Consolidated Mining Standards Initiative (CMSI) aims to expand responsible mining practices to thousands of companies worldwide. 

There are many views about how it should be done. Critics argue that voluntary frameworks such as CMSI are industry fig leaves, more about burnishing reputations than driving real change. While scepticism is healthy and helpful, cynicism is not. Against the backdrop of many examples of responsible mining the potential for enhancing performance at scale, globally, is enormous and we mustn’t squander the opportunity by drawing ideological red lines.

Our first public consultation closed in December and we heard from a broad range of stakeholders — from indigenous peoples and traditional rights holders to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), governments and civil society organisations — about the strengths of the standard, and where it could be made better.

More than 4,500 comments were received in over 179 separate submissions, some running to hundreds of pages. The partners have much work ahead to digest and integrate the feedback, but we all seem to share a common goal: to ensure that as many of the world’s estimated 25,000 mining companies operate responsibly. 

That’s key for rebuilding trust — the other prerequisite for future-proofed value chains. Trust from governments that operations will adhere to ethical standards, including going beyond the minimum regulatory bar. Trust from local communities that they will see lasting benefits from mining projects. And trust from global consumers that their cellphones, laptops and electric cars are produced while caring for people and the planet.

This isn’t a false promise. The CMSI aims to provide clear, prescriptive requirements while maintaining the flexibility needed to implement them globally. A robust assurance process, independent governance and a multistakeholder oversight model are central to the CMSI’s framework, safeguarding the credibility and impartiality of assessments while promoting continuous improvement across the industry.

If we get it right we have a blueprint for a responsible mining industry for the common good, now and in the future. The stakes could not be higher. 

• Dhawan is president and CEO of ICMM; Heymann CFO of the World Gold Council; Brülhart executive director of The Copper Mark; and Gratton is president and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada.