On 7th and 8th of November, the Camborne School of Mines (CSM) hosted over 30 participants for a workshop connecting social responsibility in mining with the technical challenges facing geologists, mining and minerals engineers.
The workshop brought together experts from industry, government, academia and development aid; from as far as Guinea, Namibia, Malawi and South Africa, to the more familiar local consultancies specialised in social-environmental impact assessment, artisanal mining and strategic communication. The event was attended by many CMA members including Elizabeth Adey, North Coast Consulting, The Mining Messenger, Wardell Armstrong International, Green Horizons Environmental Consultants, and Future Terrains.
The University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute hosted the meeting, which was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council as part of the Global Challenges Research Fund, and delivered with support of HiTech AlkCarb, an EU-funded Horizons 2020 project (Grant #689909). The new Global Challenges fund addresses the pressing issues faced by developing countries such as poverty, gender equality and environmental sustainability. Mining is an essential component of many sub-Saharan African economies, and the aim of the workshop was to highlight the key challenges of responsible mining, connect the social issues with the technical, and foster a collaborative, inter-disciplinary platform for future collaboration.
Keynote talks were given by Caroline Digby from the University of Witwatersrand’s Centre for Sustainability in Mining and Industry and from Auriol Ashby, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager for B2 Gold Namibia. Other notable talks came from Penda Diallo who provided a critical appraisal of the Africa Mining Vision within Guinea; and Alex Lemon of Mkango Resources, who highlighted CSR initiatives and opportunities of the Songwe Hill rare earth project in rural Malawi and the realities of engaging NGOs.
Two other talks exemplified the opportunities from engaging multiple disciplines and explored novel ways to tackle the technical challenges. Annock Chiwona from Newcastle University discussed the use of remote sensing techniques and agro-geology to address food security in East Africa. Rob Pell, a CSM PhD student in the SoS Rare project, gave the talk: “Quantifying environmental performance – Incorporating criticality into Life Cycle Assessments for rare earth production”.
Discussions surveyed how companies of different sizes (small junior, mid-tier, and major international) understood and implemented responsible mining practices, how to incorporate responsible sourcing especially within high-tech, critical raw materials. A group brainstorming exercise also highlighted the social elements faced within the three technical disciplines (geology, mining engineering and mineral processing) and linked them together. The final afternoon of discussion formulated a series of research questions and plans for further investigation, all relating to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Seven major topics were discussed and then prioritized based on their impact towards the Sustainable Development Goals, their novelty, scope, and the skills and experiences of the group.
If you are interested in joining or collaborating with the “People and Mining” research group, get in touch with Professor Frances Wall ([email protected]) or Dylan McFarlane ([email protected]).