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Mining & Biodiversity Conservation Management February 13, 2014

Mining & Biodiversity Conservation Management

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Written by Ben Chalmers, Vice President, Sustainable Development, Mining Association of Canada

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Page 1: Mining & Biodiversity Conservation Management

Mining & Biodiversity Conservation Management February 13, 2014

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Mitigation Hierarchy

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Mine Albert, Quebec, before and after reclamation

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Mine Albert, Quebec, before and after reclamation

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Trojan Pond, BC

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Lumby Mine Tailings Pond Before and After

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Open pit coal mine waste dump after re-vegetation to forestry and wildlife end land use.

Grizzly bears utilizing a reclaimed mine area.

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Jwaneng Mine and Game Reserve: Botswana

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Privilege to operate – getting community support is key

• A 2008 study of 190 oil and gas projects by Goldman Sachs showed that lead times to production had almost doubled in the previous decade. A follow-up study found that nearly half of the risks facing projects were non-technical in nature, with ‘stakeholder-related’ risks being the single biggest issue.

• The costs resulting from delays associated with community conflicts are substantial. A day’s delay for a mineral exploration project costs approximately $10,000. For a major mining project, the costs of every week of delayed production soar to an estimated $20 million in net present value terms.

• These risks are recognized by many business leaders. Ernst & Young has consistently rated ‘maintaining a social license to operate’ among the top business risks facing the mining sector over the past six years.

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MAC members accept that a corporate commitment to biodiversity conservation is essential and have agreed to the following commitments to ensure biodiversity conservation is managed effectively by: • Working to positively contribute to biodiversity conservation • Working with key communities of interest to implement responsible policies

and practices • Being transparent through public reporting on issues related to mining and

biodiversity conservation • Respecting protected areas and working with key COI on the

establishment of protected areas • Not exploring or developing mines in World Heritage sites.

Towards Sustainable Mining: Mining and Biodiversity Framework

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Biodiversity Conservation Management Protocol

The protocol consists of three performance indicators: 1. Corporate biodiversity conservation

commitment, accountability and communications

2. Facility-level biodiversity conservation planning and implementation

3. Biodiversity conservation reporting Level A: • Demonstrated senior management

commitment to biodiversity conservation management

• Defined responsibilities for implementing the corporate commitment

• Implementation of a management system for significant biodiversity aspects

• Reporting system for internal and external reporting is in place

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Biodiversity Offsets

Increasing numbers of companies are making ‘no net loss’ or ‘net positive gain’ commitments and need tools to meet those commitments Example: Rio Tinto and biodiversity - working towards Net Positive Impact

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Drivers of biodiversity conservation and offsets

• Maintain access to resources (access to land for

exploration and possibly for operations) • Strengthen access to capital, e.g., revised IFC

requirements • Strengthen privilege to operate • Facilitate adherence to national legislation where this

already exists • First-mover advantage in advance of regulation

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Offsets: Restoring Wetlands at Great Salt Lake

• The Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve near Salt Lake City

• Created by Rio Tinto’s Kennecott copper mine in partnership with the US Army

• Offsets the loss of 460 hectares of wetlands when the company expanded its tailings impoundment in 1996.

• The Reserve is now used by

120,000 shorebirds, waders and other water fowl each year. More than 200 bird species have been recorded.

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Community Biodiversity Planning in Burkina Faso

• IAMGOLD’s Essakane mine in Burkina Faso has been working with the local community to improve local biodiversity.

• Over 100,000 trees have been planted • All native species • Many have special utilitarian or cultural

importance to the local population

• Although the community forests are only a few years old, the participatory and community-driven process has already proven successful in providing direct benefits as a source of food, fodder, natural pharmaceuticals, wildlife habitat and shade.

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Future challenges • Implementation

• Additionality, community engagement, measurement and metrics, long-term management and financial security

• Costs • Multiple overlay of legislation • Ratios and multipliers • Transaction costs

• Integration • Combining financial lender requirements with national

frameworks

• Severance of liability • Placing a cap on liability under appropriate legal frameworks

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For additional information

Ben Chalmers Vice President, Sustainable Development

[email protected]

www.mining.ca

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