Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) is an industry-wide, performance-based program that was developed to help mining companies evaluate and manage their environmental and social responsibilities. The program’s main objective is to enable mining companies to meet society’s needs for minerals, metals and energy products in the most socially, economically and environmentally responsible way. In essence, TSM ensures companies are operating in a way that aligns with evolving societal priorities and expectations as they relate to community engagement, safety and health, energy use and the environment.
I read with interest the TSM report from The Mining Association of Canada (MAC). Up to 2012, MAC members have been reporting their performance in four areas, or elements:
- tailings management,
- energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions management,
- external outreach, and
- crisis management planning.
In 2010 members began assessing their management systems for two new protocols and one revised protocol:
- biodiversity conservation management, safety and health, and
- Aboriginal and community outreach (this last element has replaced external outreach).
By 2013 all MAC members will publicly report their performance under these new elements.
2013 Detailed Facility-level performance results are found TSMProgressReport2013.pdf . Congratulations to those teams who raised their scores on the previous year.