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MINING INDUSTRY SINCE 1935

Environmental Stewardship: Aggregate Performance

Tailings Management

Facilities reported for the second time on the revised 2019 version of the Tailings Management Protocol and its associated guides, with increases of about 10 percentage points in facilities scoring Level A or higher across all indicators.

Percentage of Facilities at a Level A or Higher – 2006, 2021 and 2022
Level A Level AA Level AAA
Last Updated: Sep 11, 2023 (89% Facilities Reporting)
Tailings management policy and commitment
46%

2006

81%

2021

94%

2022

Tailings management system
40%

2006

72%

2021

81%

2022

Assigned accountability and responsibility
60%

2006

77%

2021

92%

2022

Annual tailings management review
54%

2006

79%

2021

90%

2022

Operation, maintenance and surveillance (OMS) manual
49%

2006

76%

2021

85%

2022

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

Biodiversity Conservation Management

Facilities continued to demonstrate satisfactory performance on the Biodiversity Conservation Management Protocol, with a notable improvement on Indicator 1 (Commitment, Accountability, and Communications).

Percentage of Facilities at a Level A or Higher – 2013, 2021 and 2022
Level A Level AA Level AAA
Last Updated: Sep 11, 2023 (96% Facilities Reporting)
Commitment, accountability and communications
58%

2013

87%

2021

92%

2022

Conservation planning and implementation
50%

2013

79%

2021

78%

2022

Reporting
53%

2013

78%

2021

76%

2022

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

Water Stewardship

Facilities reported publicly for the second time on the new Water Stewardship Protocol, with noticeable improvements in performance across indicators. Indicator 1 (Water Governance) and Indicator 2 (Operational Water Management) saw the greatest increases in facilities reporting Level A or higher.

Percentage of Facilities at a Level A or Higher – 2021 and 2022
Level A Level AA Level AAA
Last Updated: Sep 11, 2023 (92% Facilities Reporting)
Water governance
79%

2021

93%

2022

Operational water management
77%

2021

89%

2022

Watershed-scale planning
82%

2021

87%

2022

Water reporting and performance
77%

2021

85%

2022

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management

Facilities’ performance varied across the three indicators of the Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management Protocol. There were notable improvements in performance on Indicator 1 (Management Systems) and Indicator 2 (Reporting Systems), but many facilities continued to struggle with Indicator 3 (Performance Targets); just over 60% of facilities reported a Level A or higher on that indicator. In 2023, facilities will begin public reporting on the new Climate Change Protocol, which will replace the Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management Protocol. The new protocol takes a more comprehensive approach to climate change, incorporating mitigation and adaptation measures at both corporate and facility levels.

Percentage of Facilities at a Level A or Higher – 2013, 2021 and 2022
Level A Level AA Level AAA
Last Updated: Dec 23, 2022 (87% Facilities Reporting)
Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions management
58%

2013

72%

2021

81%

2022

Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reporting systems
84%

2013

83%

2021

93%

2022

Energy and greenhouse gas emissions performance targets
34%

2013

64%

2021

63%

2022

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

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