Pooling Resources: An International Council Gets Under Way

The metal-mining industry will soon establish an International Council on Metals and the Environment, a global response to mounting pressures for better health and environmental protection. “This is the first time that mineral resource companies have undertaken to develop, implement and harmonize their environmental policies internationally,” says Keith Hendrick, chairman of the Mining Association of Canada (MAC). Hendrick, who is also chairman of Toronto-based Noranda Minerals, chairs the ICME’s interim organizing committee, which was established at a meeting convened by the MAC in London, England, last October. (Gary Nash of the MAC was named secretary of the organizing committee.)

“While regulations differ among countries, environmental standards are rising everywhere,” Hendrick says. “Metal producers need to tackle similar health and environmental challenges wherever they operate. The ICME would encourage development of scientific databases and muster practical experience at the national and international levels to co-ordinate appropriate responses to these challenges.”

Nash points out, for example, that MAC member firms lead the world mineral industry in adopting voluntary measures to protect the environment. In 1989, the association became the world’s first national mining body to adopt an environmental policy. All major Canadian mining companies have endorsed the MAC’s “sustainable mining” policy based on the application of technically proven and economically feasible environmental protection measures.

According to Hendrick, the ICME can help develop industry consensus on strategies to promote the safe production, use, recycling and disposal of metals. In fact, metals have a decisive advantage over plastics, because there is an established secondary reprocessing industry for metals, and multiple recycling does not degrade metal quality.

The ICME plans to foster co-operation on policies and programs with major intergovernmental organizations, including the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the International Labour Organization and the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. One of the first activities of the ICME could be participation in the UNEP conference on mining and the environment scheduled for Berlin in June. The ICME will also collaborate on environmental issues with the International Lead Zinc Research Organization, the Nickel Producers Environmental Research Association and other commodity and industry groups. All of these linkages are expected to enhance the ICME’s influence and credibility with governments and the public throughout world.

The international “green” community also expects to join the dialogue, says Philip Jessup, energy policy adviser for Friends of the Earth Canada. He adds: “The global environmental network welcomes the emergence of a central body in the world resource industry, with which we can discuss crucial questions like energy efficiency in mining and metallurgy, recycling and reuse of materials, and the global stewardship of metals, a diminishing world resource.” (See story on page 39 for further reactions to the establishment of the ICME.)

Hendrick envisages the ICME will have a small, permanent secretariat liaising with international agencies and non-governmental organizations.

The interim organizing committee will develop a structure and action plan for the proposed ICME, which Hendrick fully expects will be formally launched in Orlando, Fla., on March 13, just after the annual Metals Week Lead-Zinc Conference in the same city.

Among those who attended the planning meeting in London, England last October were senior executives from more than 30 of the world’s largest producers of non-ferrous and precious metals.

These companies include M.I.M., Pasminco and Western Mining (Australia); Cominco, Falconbridge, Inco, Noranda and Teck; Boliden (Sweden), Eramet-Societe le Nickel (France), Metaleurop (France-Germany), Norddeutsche Affinerie (Germany), Outokumpu (Finland), RTZ (UK) and Union Miniere (Belgium); Mitsubishi Mining and Nippon Mining (Japan); Industrias Penoles (Mexico); Anglo American (South Africa); and Asarco, Doe Run, Freeport McMoRan and Kennecott (U.S.).

Hendrick says that this same group, plus Codelco of Chile and Phelps Dodge of the U.S. will participate in the Orlando meeting.

SIDEBAR

BUT THEN AGAIN…

The International Council on Metals and the Environment has at least two skeptics in Canada. Dr. Gordon Atherley, board member of the federal Environmental Choice Program and previous president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, says: “Pooling of the resource industry’s impressive expertise, and its redirection to benefit health, safety and the environment could be excellent news. But will its co-ordinated industry positions be confined to defensive actions against what the council perceives as ‘excessive environmentalism?’ I called on key metals industry stakeholders when the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety was trying to create a Canadian public database of chemical information to facilitate the Workplace Hazardous Information System. Quite frankly, I didn’t get as much help as I should have wished. It would be reassuring to learn that the importance the ICME assigns to scientific data tokens a change of heart in favor of information-sharing.”

Homer Seguin, Northeastern Ontario Co-ordinator of the United Steelworkers of America; service representative and negotiator for roughly 12,000 workers in the mining industry, is also somewhat skeptical.

“The ICME is saying some of the right things about environmental protection, but let’s see a concrete demonstration of their good faith. The mining industry’s tailings and waste management practices have been a disaster. I hope the ICME, as one of its first actions, will recommend the establishment of a Heritage Fund to finance the ongoing care of mining wastes, from facility planning and construction through decommissioning.

“Member companies could voluntarily contribute an agreed percentage of the revenues they gain from each mine. This action should be taken before government legislation makes it mandatory.”

In contrast, Dr. Klaus Zeitler, President of Toronto-based Metall Mining Corporation, a major shareholder in Cominco Ltd., M.I.M. Holdings Limited, and Teck Corporation, all initiators of the ICME: “Corporate executives are beginning to learn what the leaders of nations have always known: in a complex, uncertain world filled with dangerous opponents, it’s best not to go it alone.

“In this era of globalization, the pace and scope of health and environmental regulatory intervention are increasing at every level — provincial, national and international. It is highly appropriate, therefore, that the mining industry response will be coordinated by the ICME in the world arena.”