Assessing the Energy Management Culture of Global Leading Mining Companies: Curbing Carbon Emissions in a World of Growing Climate Change Concerns

Industries such as the oil, mining and chemical industry have been under a lot of pressure from governments and certain organizations worldwide to reduce their carbon footprint. The United Nations (UN), the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) and other organizations, have mapped out policies and recommendations that can be used to achieve this. Mining companies all over the world have adopted sustainability commitments based on recommendations by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and have set targets for managing their energy use and GHG emissions. This research assessed the energy management culture of twenty (20) leading mining companies worldwide, using the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, Affordable and Clean Energy and 13, Climate Action as a performance metric, and established a trend of adaptation to these sustainability goals. Results showed that the mining industry is so far on an average, committed to achieving 80% of these goals. An investigation into the activities of these mining companies revealed what renewable technologies and energy management structures are currently being used. This research also reviewed how renewable technologies are a product of mining, which goes to prove that mining is essential in the combat of climate change. Future work will focus on assessing the impact of these management goals on the economic model of the companies

Ethical Analysis of Soma Mining Inc.’s Role in the Soma Coal Mine Fire, Turkey, 2014

This report presents an ethical analysis of the actions taken by Soma Mining Inc. regarding the Soma Mine Disaster as well as an evaluation of their existing safety infrastructure. Soma Mining Inc. is responsible for neglecting worker safety in order to prioritize company profits. Failure to provide functional safety equipment, construct emergency escape routes and safe rooms, establish a reliable system for communication, as well as implement a practiced emergency response plan led to the tragic deaths of 301 workers and the injury of an additional 80. The Turkish government perpetuates this negligence of worker safety as a result of their agenda to maximize profits from the mining industry. The Turkish government owns the majority of Turkish coal mines and exercises control over the safety regulation of these mines. The profitdriven interests of the Turkish government pose a conflict of interest when making decisions regarding the enforcement of safety standards in the mining industry. Enabled by such corruption, Soma Mining Inc. ignored the standards set forth by mining safety regulations. Soma Mining Inc. is directly responsible for the mass worker casualty of the Soma Mine Disaster as well as the devastating economic and social consequences that befell the surrounding communities. The actions of Soma Mining Inc. are evaluated against the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) Mining Principles.Randall, D'ArcyChemical Engineerin

A principal components analysis of safety performance measures: a study among construction workers in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract: The health and safety (H&S) of construction workers has been a subject of much deliberation for decades. However, there is scant literature focusing on aspects of workers’ safety performance (SP) relating to their unhealthy and unsafe eating behavior. The paper presents findings on a principal components analysis (PCA) of H&S performance measures. A 10-item questionnaire which was developed after an extensive literature review was used to collect empirical data on SP of construction workers in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Results showed that SP could be reasonably measured by two constructs. The two constructs were clearly defined by the PCA as trailing and prevailing. The emerged trailing measures were named lagging indicators while the prevailing ones were designated as leading indicators. The results lend support to extant literature which advocates the use of both leading and lagging safety performance indicators for effectively assessing construction workers’ safety performance. The study provides evidence which could be beneficial in psychometric evaluation of construction workers’ safety performance and behaviours on construction sites

The Status of the Local Community in Mining Sustainable Development beyond the Triple Bottom Line

Mineral products provide essential fuels and raw materials for industrialization and our daily life, but their influences on other aspects of life need to be taken into consideration. While the whole world benefits from mining\u27s contributions, most of the resulting detrimental impacts on the environment and society fall on the local communities. The participation of the local community is one solution to decrease the risks from community-related problems. Subsequently, the requirements of mining sustainable development can be met. A literature review was conducted on mining sustainability and stakeholder participation, and the shortcomings of existing research and difficulties of further study were discussed in detail. This study covers a broad understanding of mining sustainability from a mining community\u27s perspective. In addition, it offers a new mining sustainability scope based on the literature review. Besides the balance of economic, environmental, and social aspects, the mine owner and local community have to be engaged in the new mining sustainability scope. This literature review could improve community engagement and help mining companies to better understand local mining communities

Factors contributing to unsuccessful rehabilitation: a case study investigating the rehabilitation practices in Opencast Coal Mines in the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

The coal mining industry has played a significant role in the development of the South African economy. Coal supplies about 70% of South Africa's primary energy and is likely to remain the country's major source of energy despite the increasing trends towards renewable energy. Even though the industry has significantly contributed to the development of the country, it has also caused significant impacts on the environment with concomitant socio-economic impacts. Historically, once a coal measure was exhausted, mining companies would cease production and abandon the mines without proper rehabilitation of the environmental degradation caused by their mining activities. As a result of this, the South African Government introduced mining and rehabilitation legislation to mitigate the environmental and associated socio-economic impacts of mining. Rehabilitation guidelines for opencast coal mines were developed to provide detailed guidance for achieving successful and sustainable rehabilitation, to mitigate pollution post-mining. Despite the more stringent legislative framework and the development of international standard rehabilitation guidelines, successful mine rehabilitation remains a challenge. This research project aims to develop a better qualitative understanding of the status, challenges, gaps and opportunities pertaining to current rehabilitation practices in the case of opencast coal mines in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa, and in so doing, establish the contributing factors of unsuccessful rehabilitation. The dissertation draws on a comprehensive review of published literature and an analysis of semi-structured interviews with rehabilitation experts. The study found that the current rehabilitation practices in the Mpumalanga opencast mines are not to the standard required by the legislative framework nor prescribed by rehabilitation guidelines. As such, the current rehabilitation practices are not yielding successful and sustainable rehabilitation. According to the findings, the rehabilitation practices are hampered by physical and non-physical systemic challenges that thwart the achievement of successful rehabilitation. The study analysis shows that shortcomings in the application and enforcement of the legislative framework contributes to the legislation not achieving its intended objectives as well as the development of other physical and non-physical systemic challenges that hamper the achievement of successful rehabilitation

Closure planning in a developing country - a case study from the Phu Kham Mine, Laos, Southeast Asia

Mining in developing regions face significant challenges for effective closure planning. A maturing mine closure regulatory environment and limited capacity within government to regulate mine closure issues can present considerable risk from an operation to the regional community and environment. Alternatively, if the operation adopts leading practice international standards in recognition of their corporate responsibilities and social license‐to‐mine in developing countries, there may be significant opportunities for enhanced social and environmental outcomes for host country and mining company. Using a case study from the Phu Kham Mine, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), we discuss some of the key challenges to closure planning, including the limitations of closure regulation and community capacity to assimilate closure issues, in a developing country. We describe how leading mine closure planning can be achieved in a developing country using leading practice international standards. The practical application of these standards is already leading to significant social outcomes in the areas of community development through initiatives targeting health, education and economic opportunities. When planning for closure, the focus must shift towards a longer term view, which endeavours to use the remaining years of the operation to prepare local communities for post‐mining independence and sustainable benefits. We highlight the potential for both social and environmental benefits post‐closure and the degree of planning required to get there

A factorial analysis of safety performance measures: a study among construction workers in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract: The health and safety (H&S) of construction workers has been a subject of much deliberation for decades. However, there is scant literature focusing on aspects of workers’ safety performance (SP) relating to their unhealthy and unsafe eating behavior. The paper presents findings on an exploratory factor analysis of H&S performance measures. A 10- item questionnaire which was developed after an extensive literature review was used to collect empirical data on SP of construction workers in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Results showed that SP could be reasonably measured by two constructs. The two constructs were clearly defined as trailing and prevailing. The emerged trailing measures were named lagging indicators while the prevailing ones were designated as leading indicators. The results lend support to extant literature which advocates the use of both leading and lagging safety performance indicators for effectively assessing construction workers’ safety performance. The study provides evidence which could be beneficial in psychometric evaluation of construction workers’ safety performance and behaviours on construction sites

ASSESSING THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT CULTURE OF GLOBAL LEADING MINING COMPANIES: CURBING CARBON EMISSIONS IN A WORLD OF GROWING CLIMATE CHANGE CONCERNS

Industries such as the oil, mining and chemical industry have been under a lot of pressure from governments and certain organizations worldwide to reduce their carbon footprint. The United Nations (UN), the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) and other organizations, have mapped out policies and recommendations that can be used to achieve this. Mining companies all over the world have adopted sustainability commitments based on recommendations by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and have set targets for managing their energy use and GHG emissions. This research assessed the energy management culture of twenty (20) leading mining companies worldwide, using the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, Affordable and Clean Energy and 13, Climate Action as a performance metric, and established a trend of adaptation to these sustainability goals. Results showed that the mining industry is so far on an average, committed to achieving 80% of these goals. An investigation into the activities of these mining companies revealed what renewable technologies and energy management structures are currently being used. This research also reviewed how renewable technologies are a product of mining, which goes to prove that mining is essential in the combat of climate change. Future work will focus on assessing the impact of these management goals on the economic model of the companies

The costs of conflict

A new study by researchers from The University of Queensland and Shift (an independent, non-profit center for business and human rights practice)/Harvard Kennedy School has uncovered the true scale of the costs companies incur when they come into conflict with local communities

The case for harmonizing the international regulation of mining

There is a clear need for international coordination of standards and policies in the mining sector. This Perspective addresses how harmonization may help to reduce arbitrage and promote natural resource investment in a way that minimizes negative impacts on communities and maximizes development gains