SUMEX Repository

Social and Human Rights Impact and Risk Analysis (SHIRA)

Social and Human Rights Impact and Risk Analysis (SHIRA) is a tool developed for the identification, prioritisation, and mitigation of adverse social and human rights impacts and risks. It is to be implemented in all AngloAmerican projects across the mine life cycle to prevent and assess the negative impacts on local communities and other external stakeholders.

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BIOMOre Stress Tests

Mines or waste management facilities can be confronted with extreme conditions and events. What precautions can be taken to be adequately prepared for such events?

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South Australia's and the US's in situ leaching legislation

As in situ leaching (ISL) does not yet exist in Europe, South Australia's and the US's legislation provides good practices that could be introduced to Europe.

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Building resilience in the mining and metals industry

This practice addresses the construction of resilience in the mining and metals industry. A changing climate will have a wide range of implications for the mining and metals sector. Extreme weather events and long-term changes in climate patterns will impact fixed assets and disrupt supply chains. Members of the ICMM are concerned with water management, facilities with long lifespans for which design criteria may include climate-related assumptions, as well as how climate change may impact closures and closure processes

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Financial guarantees for proper closure of In Situ Leaching operations

The lack of financial guarantees for proper closure in the event of bankruptcy.

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Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning

AngloAmerican’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning section provides guidance on how to prevent and deal with possible emergencies on mining sites. The aim of this guidance is to minimise dangerous situations in operations and to protect workers from accidents.

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Security Management and the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR)

4E Security Management and the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR) is a guidance section that gives instructions on how to avoid causing harm to external stakeholders and how to avoid conflict by public or private sector security. Essentially, AngloAmerican’s VPSHR guidance contributes to the “Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights” (VP) which was established in 2000 to guide companies in maintaining the safety and security of their operations while also respecting human rights.

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Site-Induced Migration

The Site-Induced Migration (SIM) section explains what kind of potential impacts, risks and opportunities are associated with in-migration to and out-migration from the mining area. It also provides guidance on mitigating potential risks and negative impacts of SIM. SIM is perceived as the movement of people induced by the opportunities provided by the operations at mining sites. Closure of the mining site may likewise induce out-migration from the area.

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Planning the participatory process

The first step of an effective stakeholder involvement is to plan the purpose and the process of participation. The plan covers the roles and activities of people included in the process.

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Managing Cultural Heritage

The purpose of this section is to provide guidance on the management of cultural heritage – it identifies potential risks and impacts extractives operations might pose on cultural heritage, gives detailed requirements for a Cultural Heritage Management Plan and provides guidance on the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the agreed management measures.

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Who are important stakeholders and how to involve them

The practice helps policy planners and representatives of industry first, to identify stakeholders and second, it provides useful tools for grouping the stakeholders according to their roles.

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Guidance on collaborating with Indigenous Peoples

AngloAmerican’s Indigenous Peoples section ensures that mining sites have tools and resources to recognise and assess management issues related specifically to mining projects and indigenous communities. It also gives guidance on how to create mutually beneficial and sustainable solutions and how to engage with local communities in a way that puts emphasis on respect for indigenous rights and their cultures.

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Conflict Management between stakeholders and the mining site

4J Conflict Management section provides guidance on how to identify, manage and solve possible disagreements between stakeholders and the mining site.

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Baseline mapping of existing initiatives on raw materials

The need for a structured approach to identify and group existing initiatives, data availability and relevant stakeholders

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Hire of locals

A mine should economically benefit the local area in which it is situated, and in particular, hire locals as much as possible.

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Best Practices on Social Awareness Communication

The deliverable analyses best practices for social awareness communication. It does so by first introducing six case studies illustrating six different scenarios. These case studies chosen for the deliverable are Erzberg Mine (Austria), Lujar mine (Spain), El Ajibe quarry (Spain), Bor (Serbia), Tytyri (Finland), Cerrejón mine (Colombia) and Tierras Raras Mulas (Spain). It then proceeds to give recommendations on how companies can improve their social awareness communication.

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Mineral-sorting algorithm test report - existing sensors

X-MINE Task 3.2 develops an algorithm for mineral sorting based on data fusion map and configurable user parameters. The first version is based on conventional image processing tools such as thresholding, background removal, edge detection and labelling, and it will be tested with the reference samples collected from the participating mines. Samples will be analysed and labelled by experts, and the algorithm improved based on results if needed. The second phase introduces a more developed version of the algorithm, which will be based on more sophisticated methods, such as unsupervised or supervised pattern recognition, 3D model fitting and data fusion methods (the second version of the algorithm will be reported in D3.3 Mineral-sorting algorithm test report - X-MINE sensors). This deliverable concentrates on the first version of the algorithm.

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Using biochar to cover mining waste

The practice examines how biochar can be used to cover mining waste in projects in northern mining industry. By examining how the use of biochar affects the water economy, as well as carbon and nutrition balance of the multi-level coverage and the growth layer, the best ways to improve bio cover’s durability and stability are defined.

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Technologies for the safe and efficient operation of water reservoirs

This practice aims to address problems which a lot of countries deal with: unsafe dams due to seismic activities. This project examines underlying processes and relevant safety parameters of water reservoirs to develop transferable monitoring concepts for dams in technologically active regions.

Practice base

The Old Mine Science and Art Centre (Stara Kopalnia Centrum Nauki i Sztuki)

After the closure of mining plants in 1990s, mining heritage and with it historic architecture and machinery were in danger of being forgotten. As a revitalisation process, one of the former coal mines went through renovation process where the mining site was changed into a multi-functional modern science and art centre.

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Mining heritage as a new purpose of Czech - Polish cross-border tourism

General public, especially younger generations, have negative image of mining. Sharing knowledge about mining, its history and importance for the economy could improve this image and affect the level of acceptance positively.

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The Man Engine to raise awareness

The Man Engine, a large mechanical puppet, was developed to raise awareness and to attract people to learn about the Cornish mining culture and history.

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Hydropower in the Peruvian raw materials industry

This practice addresses the growing energy needs in the extraction and processing of raw materials in Peru and uses concepts and technologies for harnessing and integrating hydroelectric hydropower potentials in open pit mines. Hydropower has been of importance in Peru as an inexpensive and reliable source of energy but its share of national electricity generation has fallen due to subsidies for natural gas production. The use of hydropower in the mining industry could increase in the share.

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Logical Framework Approach for the integration of mineral resources into land use planning

To provide a systematic approach for integrating mineral resources into Land Use Planning.

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Cornwall Mining Alliance to enhance networking

Cornwall Mining Alliance was developed to facilitate contact and networking opportunities for export, innovation and business expansion in the field of extractives. Prior to this initiative there was no obvious point of contact for businesses in extractives field to contact for networking purposes.

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Survey results on policy coherence

Clarifying across Europe whether policy makers and permitting authorities believe that minerals policy and legislation complement one another or if changes need to be made.

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Aerial Mapping – Radioactive Contamination in Central Asia

This practice addresses the problems with uncontrolled radioactive contamination at former uranium sites due to natural hazards such as floodings or landslides. This practice is important as the contaminated water can cause severe problems for the surrounding regions.

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Multifactor model for investments in the raw material sector

This practice addresses the negative investment trends towards the mining industry. The InvestRM project will create a decision-making tool for raw materials companies and investors, mining institutes, technical universities, geological surveys, non-governmental association, the Bosnia and Herzegovina government and state institutions in order to facilitate investment in the raw material sector. The project is focused on Bosnia and Herzegovina due to its critical raw materials potential but will be fully transferable to other East and Southeast European (ESEE) countries.

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International consortium to recover CRMs from stockpiles/tailings targeting RI

This project aims to fill the existing technical gaps in mining stockpiles/tailings by introducing innovative techniques.

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Innovative targeting & processing of W-Sn-Ta-Li ores: towards EU’s self-supply

One of the wealthiest tungsten-tin-(tantalum-lithium) mineral belts in the world is located in western and central-eastern Europe, where different types of mineralization are related to certain granitic rocks. These ore deposits were intensely mined till the 1980s when the global crash of metal prices triggered the closure of most of the tin mines. More recently, market and political changes in the 2010s initiated the gradual reactivation of this mining sector and currently, there are a few producing mines and tens of advanced exploration projects. However, all of these projects are brownfields and occur in or near already existing mine sites. This is partially caused by several issues that are specific for this type of mineralization. The deposits are usually low tonnage and mostly worked by SME’s, they form irregular masses or narrow veins with difficult grade control, resource evaluation, and ore processing. Furthermore, the restricted geographic location, away from the major ore belts, and the price crisis have kept these deposits away from the recent advances of conceptual exploration. All of these problems have hampered greenfields exploration and advances in ore concentration and resource estimation.

Knowledge base

Dubrovnik International ESEE Mining School 2 (DIM ESEE-2)

Dubrovnik International ESEE Mining School (DIM ESEE) is an educational project funded by EIT Raw Materials. It responds to the demand for educational courses for raw materials professionals in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe. Especially, course material covering the newest development trends, tools, methodologies and innovations in extractives industry are seen as insufficient and therefore knowledge on these matters is needed. DIM-ESEE-2 (2021-2024) is continuation for the previous DIM ESEE school (2016-2020)

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Field Augmented Reality in Mineral Exploration and Mining

This practice addresses the development of an augmented reality (AR) solution which visualizes 3D geological data to eventually improve exploration success rates, reduce cost and lead times. Furthermore, the goal of this project is to improve communication between stakeholders. Using these innovative technologies in the exploration sector will provide high data precision and efficiency.

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Importance of communication and quality of interaction for acceptance

The NEXT project had a work package dedicated to the Social Licence to Explore with the aim of understanding how more environmentally sensitive technologies could help further acceptance of exploration.

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Most important factors for the acceptance of exploration

To understand the most crucial elements for acceptance of exploration technologies and exploration activities

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Where to communicate with local stakeholders

Communication is not only about the 'how' to do things but the 'where' as well

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A Tool for Assessing Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management Performance

This practice addresses facility-level assessments for companies about their performance indicators for energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. This protocol should help to provide guidelines to companies in evaluating their performance of energy use and gashouse emissions by monitoring three performance indicators according to this assessment tool.

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A Tool for Assessing Community Outreach Performance

This practice addresses facility-level assessments for companies about their current standard of performance indicators for community outreach for each distinct site or facility. This protocol should help to provide guidelines to companies in evaluating their performance of their community outreach by monitoring four performance indicators according to this assessment tool.

Practice base

Interpretative Centre of Tresminas

The Interpretive Centre of Tresminas was established to celebrate the legacy of Roman Mining Complex of Tresminas and to share knowledge of the ancient mining practices used in the area. The Interpretative Centre is a collaborative project where national and European financial support programmes, partnerships between the municipality and local associations, as well as research and educational centres bring in their expertise in funding the construction and maintenance of the site, management of the daily activities, and producing knowledge of ancient mining activities in Tresminas.

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Development of the Park Gródek area in Jaworzno

Remediation of a post-mining landscape in Jaworzno, Poland, provides a good example of a successful rehabilitation project conducted to transform a contaminated, former dolomite mine site into a recreational space for local residents and visitors to enjoy.

Knowledge base

Review summary of existing legislation related to SCALE processes

To review existing legislation, environmental health and safety controls to be considered at the research and development stage for SCALE processes.

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INNOVATIVE DIGITAL SUSTAINABLE AGGREGATES SYSTEMS

This practice addresses the missing opportunities when it comes to quarries. The biggest challenge seems to be to connect all quarry processes and integrate their management in real-time to ultimately improve operational processes. The ultimate goal is to use the full potential in process digitalisation and automation capabilities for the aggregates sector.

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New geomodels to explore deeper for High-Technology critical raw materials in Alkaline rocks and Carbonatites

This practice addresses the supply concern of raw materials in the EU as most of them are imported. This project created new geomodels which might become industry standards for exploration, they improved the state of the art geophysics and published work on geological characteristics in exploration.

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Environmental and cost assessments

Application of the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methodology and IMPACT 2002 to the SecREEts supply chain in order to assess the impact on the environment from the quantities of emissions produced and resources consumed by the life cyle of a system.

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Risk assessment and inherently safer design principles

Using best practices for the process safety assessment.

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Health & Safety performance Indicators

This practice addresses the health and safety performance indicators recommended to be used for the purpose of benchmarking activities by International Council on Mining and Metals member companies. This document provides recommended definitions and reporting boundaries for health & safety performance indicators which need improvement.

Knowledge base

Optimising mining’s partnering capability to contribute to community resilience and thriving societies

Mining has a major impact on an economic, social, environmental and political level. Therefore, the mining industry can be a significant contributor to support communities to become more resilient and to help them navigate through across mining and other sectors.

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Tool for mine closure for implementation of good closure practices

This practice advises companies to develop key performance indicators to get a clear image of how well the current performance on closure in particular is managed. The key performance indicators should help with the implementation of good closure practices throughout the mine life cycle at an operational level.

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Restoration of sand and gravel extraction sites to woodland, landscaped lakes and heathland

This data item highlights a case study of Brett Aggregates and how closed sand and gravel mine sites in Villa Quarry in Essex, the United Kingdom were restored to serve as recreational and educational spaces for locals

Practice base

Improvement of the biodiversity through the example of an open cast quartz sand mine

This case study of Quartzsand Nudersdorf highlights how an open cast quartz sand mine Moellendorf Quarry in Nudersdorf, Germany, went through an environmental rehabilitation process. The aim of the project was to improve biodiversity in the post-mining area.

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Conservation of a protected bird territory and nature protection of flood territory utilising sedimentation of sludge pits

This case study on ALAS Slovakia highlights how a former gravel mine site in Záhorská nížina, Slovakia, was rehabilitated to provide favourable natural conditions for the nesting of protected bird species.

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