AN INTRODUCTION TO

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Dr.N.Rao Ch

FOR MINING SECTOR

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The term ‘sustainable development’ began to be heard
in the early 1970s, and over the years has become a
buzzword for environmental and social scientists – who,
however, rarely agree on its definition. The term became
popular because it offers an alternative to the
traditional concept of development, which focused on
growth as the ultimate end and regarded the means to
achieve this end as irrelevant (Khator & Fairchild, 2006).
The most popular or widely accepted definition came
from the report of the World Commission on Environment
and Development in 1987 (also known as the Brundtland
report), which called it ‘development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs’ (Clugston &
Calder, 1999).
In 2001, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development’s policy brief gave the following more
technical definition for the term by describing it as:
a development path along which the maximisation of human
well-being for today’s generations does not lead to declines
in future well-being.
Attaining this path requires eliminating those negative
externalities that are responsible for natural resource
depletion and environmental degradation. It also requires
securing those public goods that are essential for economic
development to last, such as those provided by well-
functioning ecosystems, a healthy environment and a cohesive
society.
Sustainable development also stresses the importance of
retaining the flexibility to respond to future shocks, even
when their probability, and the size and location of their
effects, cannot be assessed with certainty.
The concept of sustainable development comprises
many elements, usually categorised into three
dimensions environmental, economic and social, each
having a specific function (EEA Grants, 2006):

1. the environment as the necessary basis for

sustainable development,
2. the economy as the tool to achieve sustainable
development, and
3. the good life for all (the social dimension) as the
target of sustainable development
Environmental concerns are very important for
sustainability because the natural environment is the
physical context in which we live and sustainability
requires that we recognise the limits of this environment.
A key environmental issue is to minimize our impact on
global ecosystems and maintain the earth in a healthy
state (Pearce, 1999).
The economic dimension is also important because it
addresses issues of the depletion of non-renewable
resources, global constraints on economic growth, and
correct procedures for assigning costs to environmental
pollution and other negative impacts currently borne by
society as a whole (Pearce, 1999).
The social dimension: Sustainable social development
entails the long-term transformation, improvement and
continuous betterment of the livelihoods of people in a
given social context.
The view of the United Nations is that development
encompasses long-term sustainability in production and
consumption relating to all economic activities in order
to optimise the economically sound use of resources and
minimise waste.
The purpose of development is therefore to achieve
and enhance the social and economic well-being of
communities, both urban and rural, and to meet the
basic needs of society.
The integration of the concept and tools for
environmental and social management of mineral
development, including the provision of appropriate
mechanisms for public involvement into legal
frameworks for mining (what will be called
“sustainability) is certainly posing new challenges
(conceptual, institutional, practical) and an intricate task
for law and policy making in the mining sector.
Sustainability underlies the idea of placing limitations
or conditions on the exploitation and management of
mineral resources, and stresses the fulfilling of local
needs; an approach that is in many ways at odds with
the manner in which mining has traditionally been
regulated.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL PERCEPTION ABOUT
MINING IMPACT OF MINING ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Mining makes a significant contribution to the Gross
Domestic product (GDP) of countries where it is
practiced and it also plays a major role in consumer
driven societies as most resources needed in these
societies are either made from or need the mined
minerals for their production.
However, mining, especially during the extraction and
processing stages can be a major source of pollutants
to the environment as huge volumes of waste with
varied composition, characteristics, and impacts on the
environment are generated.
Mining activities and inefficient management of mining
wastes are major causes of water quality degradation,
increased concentration of heavy metals in surrounding
soil and water resources, air pollution, loss of
biodiversity and reduction in soil microbial population
and diversity around mining areas.
The impacts of mining are not only reflected in the
environment but there are also social impacts on
communities in their vicinity.
The existence of a mine in an area is expected to
change the lives of surrounding communities through the
provision of employment opportunities and basic
services such as water, electricity, clinics/health centres,
and schools, and road network.
Disputes arising between mining companies and
surrounding communities reported globally have been
associated with lack of provision of water and
sanitation services, environmental degradation, the
introduction of different cultures and beliefs, human
rights violations, and inequitable distribution of
benefits obtained from the mine.
The co-existence of mining operations and indigenous
populations necessitates a cordial relationship
between mines and surrounding communities.
Corporate social and environmental responsibility has
in recent times guided mining activities around the
globe.
The extraction of minerals from the earth presents opportunities,
challenges and risks to sustainable development. Minerals are
essential for human wellbeing and are fundamental for virtually
all sectors of the economy. However, mining also presents critical
challenges and risks for sustainability. Mineral resources are finite
and non-renewable, at least in human or biological timescales.
Environmental and social problems and risks posed by mining are
increasingly generating conflicts between mining companies and
local communities. With declining ore grades for most minerals,
the resource intensity and the amount of waste generated per unit
of resource produced is likely to increase, and the associated
environmental costs will prove a constant and growing challenge.
Mining activities can also contribute to sustainable development,
particularly to its economic dimension. It can bring fiscal revenues
to a country, drive economic growth, create jobs and contribute to
building infrastructure. Thus, mining has both positive and negative
implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
MINING AND THE SDGS Source: Adapted from CCSI, SDSN, UNDP and WEF 2016
Efforts to mitigate environmental impacts, protect human
rights, promote social inclusion and enhance benefits
from mining for development should be
taken throughout the life of a mine and the whole value
chain of mining. The impacts of mining are best
understood when viewed through the various phases in
the life of a mine: mineral exploration, mine
development, mining operations and mine closure.
Therefore, this sourcebook adopts a “life of a mine”
approach (Figure below), which allows identifying
concrete actions that governments and other
stakeholders can take at different phases of mining
MAIN IMPACTS DURING THE LIFE OF A MINE
LEGAL FRAMEWORKS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
The legal and normative framework of mining encompasses the
domestic legal framework of host countries (countries where mining
takes place), mining contracts, international hard and soft laws,
voluntary standards by the mining industry and customary rules.
These elements of the legal, regulatory and normative framework
are often inconsistent with each other and have critical gaps,
particularly in areas that are essential for the protection of the
human rights and livelihoods of people affected by mining.
Addressing these gaps and inconsistencies is essential to improve
the environmental and social outcomes of mining activities and to
protect the human rights of those affected by mining. Coordination
within the government is necessary to ensure that the legal,
regulatory and normative framework is implemented
in a coherent manner and in ways that are consistent with
promoting environmental sustainability and sustainable social and
economic development.
The domestic legal framework in mining, which consists of
constitutions, laws, policies and regulations, needs to be coherent
with international laws and norms, as well as customary rules
practised in the country.
Mining contracts, usually entered with large investors, constitute
another key element of the normative framework of mining in many
resource rich countries. However, developing countries with is
applicable equally to all investors, and creates less burden for the
government in administering, monitoring and enforcing. Contracts
with mining investors can also limit the policy space for adopting
more progressive laws and regulations that mitigate the negative
environmental and social impacts and enhance the fiscal and
economic benefits from mining to host countries. If contracts need to
be used, then countries should limit contract terms that are open to
negotiation, consider the adoption of model mining agreements,
and ensure public disclosure of mining contracts.
The normative framework of mining is also shaped by
international law, including international investment
treaties, human rights laws and standards, and
environmental conventions and treaties. Bilateral
investment treaties, while important for attracting
investment into host countries by protecting investors,
have resulted, in some cases, in situations where
investors’ rights may be protected at the expense of
the public interest and human rights in
the host country. Thus, countries such as Ecuador, India
and Indonesia have started assessing, revising and
renegotiating or cancelling investment treaties
they are party to.
International human rights instruments include both hard
laws and soft laws.
Governments should make their domestic laws and
regulations consistent with their international human
rights commitments; they should also seek to incorporate
principles and guidance from soft laws into their legal
and regulatory framework to protect people affected
by mining.
Similarly, various instruments in international
environmental law should be taken into account in
shaping the domestic legal framework and the
environmental regulation of the mining industry.
These include conventions and treaties on mineral waste,
water quality, nature preservation, biodiversity, air
pollution and climate change.
Voluntary standards and codes adopted by the mining
industry on environmental and social performance may
exert a strong influence on the actions of mining
companies and in this regard also constitute part of the
normative framework.
A major report commissioned by the mining industry in
2002, “Mining, minerals and sustainable development”
(MMSD), critically examined the industry’s performance
related to the environmental and social impacts, human
rights, local development and fiscal contributions of
mining. The report gave rise to many initiatives
promoting responsible mining, including standards on
environmental and social performance.
Governments can make use of voluntary standards by
the mining industry to strengthen domestic standards.
Customary rules form another important element of the normative
framework relevant for mining. Customary land tenure systems,
regulated through customary rules, are prevalent in many
developing countries and indigenous territories. However,
customary tenure systems are often not recognized
by the law or are insecure. The insecurity of land rights defined
by customary rules comes to the fore when mineral resources are
discovered and mining development starts in these areas. As a
result, people can be displaced, dispossessed and impoverished.
Safeguarding the rights of indigenous peoples and other peoples
over communal lands – such as forests and pastures – is important
not only for protection of human rights; it is increasingly
recognized as important for the sustainable management of these
lands. The Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance
of Tenure have been endorsed by the Committee on World Food
Security. They provide guidelines for governments on
strengthening land tenure systems, including recognition and
protection of the legitimate tenure rights of people and
communities with customary tenure systems.
Despite technological advancements that have made the industry
more green, mining still uses significant amounts of resources —
water, land, carbon and energy — and often causes severe
harm to the environment. This damage, if not correctly handled,
can last for decades after mining operations have shut down,
make the land more vulnerable to natural processes like soil
erosion and can worsen after the equipment is out.
Now, as industries and governments around the world look for
ways to reduce carbon output and environmental impact, experts
and individuals from in and out of mining are pushing the
industry to take a serious look at how it can reduce its footprint.
Discover five ways the mining industry can reduce environmental
impact and make its practices more sustainable.
1. LOWER-IMPACT MINING TECHNIQUES
Traditional mining techniques can have a severe impact on the
environment, and some popular methods — like open pit and
underground mining — present some of the most
significant environmental risks.
By instead using new, alternative low-impact mining techniques
— like in-situ leaching — mining companies can reduce their
environmental impact.
With many of these techniques, companies can significantly
reduce surface disturbance at mining sites, lower soil erosion
and move less material that would need backfilled. Lowering
interference in this way can both reduce environmental impact
and result in less work when preparing a site for quicker
revegetation or rehabilitation.
2. REUSING MINING WASTE
Mining naturally produces significant amounts of waste — such as tailings, rocks
and wastewater. In many cases, businesses leave waste behind when mining
operations cease — or, in the case of tailings, stored in large structures like
tailings dams, which are prone to failure and, as a result, cause severe
environmental damage.
Luckily, for almost every category of mining waste, there are at least one or two
ways to reuse that waste on- or off-site.
Companies can use waste rocks in simple on-site construction, like backfilling voids
and reconstructing mined terrain in a way that prevents soil erosion.
When adequately treated, mine water can be reused in just about any fashion —
for agriculture, as coolant, in on-site dust suppression and for drinking water.
Even tailings, often toxic and left behind in mine sites or stored in large-scale
tailings dams, can find eco-friendly use. Depending on the mineral and chemical
composition of the tailings, businesses can use them in the production of bricks, as
paint extenders or in agroforestry.
Some new technologies even make it possible to further mine from these tailings,
reducing the overall amount of minerals that get left behind in mining sites while
also reducing the volume of waste stored in tailings dams.
However, not all of the applications are economic right now. The mining industry
will likely need to invest in further research and development in the areas of mine
waste reuse to make some of the methods workable at scale.
3. ECO-FRIENDLY EQUIPMENT
Mining companies wanting to reduce their environmental impact can switch to more
eco-friendly equipment.
Battery-driven mining equipment is often powerful enough to replace diesel-driven
options. Replacing diesel engines with electric engines where possible can
significantly reduce the amount of CO2 produced by mining operations.
In general, the mining industry is already moving in the direction of electric
equipment, with more and more mining manufacturers offering eco-friendly
alternatives. Some are making more significant commitments — like Swedish mining
equipment manufacturer Epiroc, which plans to be 100 percent electric within the
next few years.
A push towards exclusively using electric mining equipment could easily result in
massive carbon savings for mining companies.
Businesses wanting to become more sustainable could also upgrade to more
advanced, durable equipment that lasts longer, reducing the turnover of machinery
and decreasing the resources needed. Improved durability can also reduce the
environmental costs of damaged equipment — like rubber or plastic shed as a
piece of equipment breaks down.
Simple switches, for example — like adopting tires that provide better longevity
and higher ROI in rock-strewn environments — can cut down on equipment costs
4. REHABILITATING MINING SITES
Many modern mining techniques cause significant disruption to the
environment — like stripping the topsoil layer necessary for plant growth and
raising soil and water acidity, making the area inhospitable to new vegetation
and leaving it prone to soil erosion.
Worse, this erosion can often continue for years after a mining company has
packed up and moved out.
As a result, many former mine sites are left unproductive, unusable by
landowners and, in some cases, almost entirely inhospitable to plant and
animal life. However, this damage isn’t guaranteed to be permanent.
Companies can use many land rehabilitation techniques to make mined land
productive again or speed up the land’s natural recovery process.
For example, it’s possible to use biosolids to replenish depleted topsoil. Soil
with biosolids, if seeded and watered, can produce vegetation capable of
preventing further soil erosion within as few as 12 weeks. Combined with other
rehabilitative techniques — like the use of waste rocks to fill in excavated
areas — it’s possible to significantly reduce the disruption caused by mining.
Some mining companies — like Alcoa in Australia — have gone further
and implemented large-scale reforestation schemes that look to restore every
local species present at a mine site before operations began.
5. SHUTTING DOWN ILLEGAL MINING
Illegal mining remains a significant issue for the
industry — for example, experts estimate that
around 14,000 people are currently involved in illegal
mining in South Africa. There, illegal mining often takes
place on properties not suited for large-scale mining
and without regard to regulations that reduce the
environmental impact.
Preventing illegal or unregulated mining operations
can help ensure that all mining is bound by the same
environmental standards and ensure accountability.
IMPROVING MINING SUSTAINABILITY
Despite recent strides and new technology, the mining industry
remains unsustainable in many areas. Fortunately, there are a
variety of technologies and techniques — both in-use and in
development — that the sector can use to reduce its
environmental impact.
Advanced land rehabilitation techniques, coupled with low-
impact mining methods and reuse of mine waste, can cut back on
the impact that mining operations have on their immediate
environment. companies can also use new equipment powered by
electric engines to reduce their carbon footprint and become
more eco-friendly.
Not all of these technologies are economical yet. However, the
mining industry as a whole does seem to be moving in the
direction of sustainability. Over the next few years, these
technologies should become more practical. As a result, it may
be easier for companies to make themselves more eco-friendly.
SUSTAINABLE MINING PRACTICES:
5 STRATEGIES TO CONSIDER
Companies should consider implementing
these five sustainable mining practices to
combat negative social and environmental
change.
5 Critical Sustainable Mining Practices
1. SHUTTING DOWN ILLEGAL MINING
High unemployment rates and increased poverty can lead to increased illegal
mining and infrastructure theft in unused shafts. The groups involved in these
unlawful practices typically have little regard for environmental protection or
safety, resulting in several mining area hardships, including:
Increased safety and security risks for the surrounding community
Negative impacts on production and revenue
Worsened water resource degradation
Higher risks of acid mine drainage
While more policing and security are required, sustainable miners can also
develop ways to deal with the underlying social and economic issues that
support illicit mining. These strategies might include raising awareness of the
risks a reduced “life of mine” poses to the community, the environment, and the
local economy.
2. REHABILITATING LEGITIMATE MINING
SITES
Modern mining techniques cause significant environmental disruption, such as
deforestation, air pollution, and severe land erosion.
Worse, this erosion often continues for years after a mining company has
ceased operations, resulting in:
Prolonged soil and water contamination
A property now unusable by the landowner
A large area now potentially inhospitable to plant and animal life
However, there is no guarantee that this damage will last forever. Mining
companies have access to numerous land rehabilitation strategies that restore
the productivity of mined land and potentially quicken its natural recovery.
For instance, companies can use biosolids to replenish eradicated topsoil in just
a few months. The newly sown and watered soil can soon generate plants that
prevent ongoing soil erosion. Combined with other rehabilitation methods, these
technique types, such as filling excavated areas with waste rocks, can reduce
mining-related disruptions
3. IMPLEMENTING ECO-FRIENDLY
EQUIPMENT AND PROCESSES
Mining businesses can also transition to more environmentally friendly
machinery and processes prioritizing environmental responsibility and
energy efficiency to lessen their influence on climate change. Those
strategies might include:
Purchasing electric-powered trucks, loaders, and excavators that produce
zero tailpipe emissions, reducing air pollution and improving air quality in
and around mining sites.
Leveraging renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and
hydropower power their operations that help reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.
Adopting water recycling and treatment systems that conserve water
resources and minimize water pollution from mining activities.
Implementing waste recycling equipment that reprocesses waste materials
from mining operations, minimizes environmental impact, and promotes a
circular economy.
4. ENSURING SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES PROSPER
Mines are sometimes the largest single source of employment in local communities
where these natural resources are prevalent, particularly in more remote locations
with fewer employment options.
Mining companies cannot, however, continue to offer these opportunities indefinitely
because these minerals and metals are of finite supply, and the operation will
terminate at some point. Therefore, it is crucial to diversify economic activity in these
communities and create financially and commercially viable options that are not
reliant on mining.
Miners with a purposeful, long-term social license plan frequently take the lead in
creating and nurturing new, community-based enterprises.
For example, local supply chain-focused companies can grow to meet the mine’s
short-term service needs and expand their geographic reach to serve customers in
other areas as their technological and financial resources increase.
Sustainable miners may also actively manage the economic transition of their host
communities when working in tandem with a solid local skills development and
training philosophy to ensure the end of mining operations does not result in
financial devastation.
5. USING LOWER-IMPACT MINING
TECHNIQUES
Conventional mining processes can severely impact the environment, and some standard
practices, such as open pit and underground mining, pose some of the most significant
environmental concerns.
While still extracting essential minerals, low-impact mining techniques seek to reduce the
harmful effects of mining operations on the environment and society. These techniques,
which concentrate on lowering energy use, water pollution, and habitat degradation,
include the following:
WIn-situ Mining. In-situ mining is a low-impact technique for extracting minerals like
uranium and some metals from ore bodies without removing the ore from the ground.
Selective Mining: Selective mining involves extracting only high-grade materials, leaving
lower-grade ones in place. This approach reduces waste generation and decreases the
amount of material that needs to be processed, minimizing the overall environmental
impact.
Solution Mining. Solution mining is another low-impact method of extracting minerals such
as salt and potash. It involves dissolving minerals underground using water or brine, and the
resulting solution is pumped to the surface for processing.
By utilizing these processes, companies might dramatically lessen surface disturbance at
mining sites, cut soil erosion, and transport less backfilled material.
IMPROVING MINING SUSTAINABILITY
REQUIRES THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS
Sustainable mining practices are key to harmonious
coexistence between the mining industry, surrounding
communities, and the environment. And as companies
navigate the challenges of resource extraction in an
increasingly conscious world, it becomes imperative for
them to embrace eco-friendly and responsible approaches.
Furthermore, as the industry looks towards a future that
demands economic growth and environmental stewardship,
the transformation towards sustainable mining practices
emerges not just as a choice but as an ethical imperative to
safeguard our planet’s delicate balance for future
generations.
A WORKABLE FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABILITY
IN MINING: THE BERLIN GUIDELINES
Sustainable development as related to a natural resource that is in essence
depletable as it is mined, has often been seen as an oxymoron. Further, the
traditional manner in which mining has been carried out for centuries has tended
to emphasise short-term gains, with no consideration for the negative impacts on
the environment and communities where the project takes place, not only during
operations, but also beyond mine closure. Increasing awareness for sustainability
concerns, coupled with technological developments, have shifted the centre of
the debate from whether to how mining can be sustainable. From that
perspective, sustainability in mining involves at least the following dimensions:
13 - The environmental dimension emphasises the sustainability of the natural
environment and the stock of natural resources; • The social dimension
underscores social and cultural sustainability, what relates both to questions of
distribution of benefits and costs of mining, and of process, that refers to how
decisions are made and how all stakeholders are involved in decision-making; •
The economic dimension highlights the economic sustainability of human living
standards. An important issue is substitution, and in this sense depletion of a
resource could be compatible with sustainability if the interest from the revenues
generated from mining are reinvested in building human and social capital, or in
other sustainable activities.
Governments have a crucial role to play in designing a solid foundation for the
effective utilisation and management of mineral resources in ways that balance
environmental, social and economic interests so as to contribute towards
sustainable development. From the industry’s viewpoint, it is important to have a
regulatory system that is stable, transparent and appropriate to the conditions
of the country. However, while a few nations have partly defined a framework
to address some sustainability aspects, in most of them these concepts remain
embryonic.
Perhaps the “Berlin Guidelines” provide the most useful guidance for mining
sector governance in the context of sustainable development.
The final draft of a second edition of the Guidelines reflecting the changes
occurred within the mining sector and with sustainable development particularly
in the evolution of legal, fiscal and regulatory policies, and growing awareness
for developing tools for managing the social impacts of mining has been
adopted. The Guidelines provide a model, rather than a blueprint, for sound
and sustainable management of mineral development, and should be amended
and improved according to the specific needs of each country.
THE BERLIN GUIDELINES PROVIDE SOME CRITERIA
THAT IS RELEVANT FOR THE ANALYSIS
recognise environmental management as high priority, notably during the
licensing process and through the development and implementation of
environmental management systems. These should include early and
comprehensive environmental impact assessments, pollution control and other
preventive and mitigative measures (among other measures and procedures,
 recognise the importance of socio-economic impact assessments and social
planning in mining operations from the earliest stages of project development;
 ensure participation of and dialogue with the affected community and other
directly interested parties on the environmental and social aspects of all phases
of mining activities;
 encourage long term mining investment by having clear environmental
standards with stable and predictable environmental criteria and procedures.
Consistently, the Guidelines state that if sustainable development is defined as
the integration of social, economic and environmental considerations, then a
mining project that is developed, operated and closed in an environmentally and
socially acceptable manner could be seen as contributing to sustainable
development
THE APPROACH FOR INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY:
MAIN FINDINGS
Constitutional Framework - Mineral Law
As to the legal nature of mineral rights granted under the
concession system, exploitation concessions have all the incidents of
real property rights and so, they are freely transferable and
mortgagable, and are protected by constitutional guarantees.
As any other property right, the use of private mining rights must
be in accordance and within the limits of the laws that regulate
their operation, as health and safety and environmental regulation.
Thus, the Legislative Power is entitled to regulate –on a reasonable
basis- the manner whereby the rights recognised under the
Constitution will be exercised so as to be harmonic with the public
interest.
Those rules provide a reasonably clear framework for the
environmental and social regulation of mining rights and the
interpretation of restrictions on ways to use of manage mineral
THE RELATIONSHIP OF MINERAL LAW AND
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS
An important question when integrating sustainability, is whether
environmental or sustainability regulations will be intertwined
within the process to obtain mineral rights, as adopted in
Venezuela, or whether the environmental permitting process is
completely independent from the mineral licensing process.
Thus the regime and procedure for acquiring, transferring,
maintaining and canceling mining rights, defining rights and
obligations of the right holder and powers of government
officers, which are governed by mining laws, are separated from
the regulation or conditions for the use of such a resource,
including environmental regulation. Such approach is considered
as a best practice in terms of a competitive regime for private
investment, as mining rights can be pledged or mortgaged while
raising funds for the mining project, without being subject to the
uncertainties and delays derived from the approval of
environmental plans.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ORIENTING LEGAL
FRAMEWORKS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
 Making domestic laws and regulations coherent with
each other and sufficiently detailed to function as the
core set of instruments for governing mining
Improving coordination between government agencies
and between national and subnational governments
Considering moving from contract-based regimes to
law-based regimes, avoiding using mining contracts to
fill legal and regulatory gaps
Considering establishing model agreements which
provide the policy space for environmental and social
laws of the country, and limiting terms that
are open to negotiations
Where mining contracts are made, paying special
attention to provisions related to environmental impact
mitigation, mine closure, resettlement, local
content and employment
 Ensuring transparency of mining contracts, including
disclosure of beneficial ownership Recognizing and
progressively registering customary land rights to
protect poor and marginalized rural communities and
indigenous peoples.
Assessing implications of international investment
treaties on the country’s commitments to sustainable
development, human rights and the domestic policy
space; negotiating terms in investment treaties to
minimize these negative implications
Incorporating or strengthening the principles of
consultation with local communities and free, prior and
informed consent (FPIC) in domestic laws and
regulations; and establishing or strengthening state
remedy mechanisms for people affected by mining
Making use of voluntary standards developed by and
for the mining industry, encouraging responsible mining
investments and recognizing companies that adhere to
strong standards
Recognizing and progressively registering customary
land rights to protect poor and marginalized rural
communities and indigenous peoples.
MINING AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
GOALS
In September 2015, the UN member states agreed on a
set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which
represent the global agenda for equitable, socially
inclusive, and environmentally sustainable
economic development until 2030. Mining companies
have the potential to become leading partners in
achieving the SDGs. Through their direct operations,
mining companies can generate profits, employment, and
economic growth in low-income countries. And through
partnerships with government and civil society, mining
companies can ensure that benefits of mining extend
beyond the life of the mine itself, so that the mining
industry has a positive impact on the natural environment,
climate change, and social capital.
Mining companies will be called on to extract
responsibly, waste less, use safer processes, incorporate
new sustainable technologies, promote the improved
wellbeing of local communities, curb emissions, and
improve environmental stewardship. Mining companies
committed to the SDGs will benefit from improved
relationships with governments and communities, as well
as better access to financial resources. Those that fail to
engage meaningfully with the SDGs will put their
operations at risk in the short and long term.
A/RES/66/288 - THE FUTURE WE WANT
227. We acknowledge that minerals and metals make a major contribution to the
world economy and modern societies. We note that mining industries are important
to all countries with mineral resources, in particular developing countries. We also
note that mining offers the opportunity to catalyse broad-based economic
development, reduce poverty and assist countries in meeting internationally agreed
development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, when managed
effectively and properly. We acknowledge that countries have the sovereign right to
develop their mineral resources according to their national priorities and
responsibility regarding the exploitation of resources described in the Rio Principles.
We further acknowledge that mining activities should maximize social and economic
benefits, as well as effectively address negative environmental and social impacts. In
this regard, we recognize that Governments need strong capacities to develop,
manage and regulate their mining industries, in the interest of sustainable
development.
228. We recognize the importance of strong and effective legal and regulatory
frameworks, policies and practices for the mining sector that deliver economic and
social benefits and include effective safeguards that reduce social and
environmental impacts, as well as conserve biodiversity and ecosystems, including
during post-mining closure. We call on governments and businesses to promote the
continuous improvement of accountability and transparency, as well as the
effectiveness of the relevant existing mechanisms to prevent the illicit financial flows
from mining activities.
A/CONF.199/20 - REPORT OF THE WORLD
SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Mining, minerals and metals are important to the economic and
social development of many countries. Minerals are essential for
modern living. Enhancing the contribution of mining, minerals and
metals to sustainable development includes actions at all levels to:
1. Support efforts to address the environmental, economic, health
and social impacts and benefits of mining, minerals and metals
throughout their life cycle, including workers’ health and safety,
and use a range of partnerships, furthering existing activities at
the national and international levels among interested
Governments, intergovernmental organizations, mining companies
and workers and other stakeholders to promote transparency and
accountability for sustainable mining and minerals development;
2. Enhance the participation of stakeholders, including local and
indigenous communities and women, to play an active role in
minerals, metals and mining development throughout the life
cycles of mining operations, including after closure for
rehabilitation purposes, in accordance with national regulations
and taking into account significant transboundary impacts;
3. Foster sustainable mining practices through the provision of
financial, technical and capacity-building support to developing
countries and countries with economies in transition for
the mining and processing of minerals, including small-
scale mining, and, where possible and appropriate, improve
value-added processing, upgrade scientific and technological
information and reclaim and rehabilitate degraded sites.