A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining

Such richness also brings challenges. A key impediment for managing biodiversity is
the limited taxonomic coverage to date, with estimates that only one in four species
in Australia is known (PMSEIC 2005). For the minerals industry this represents
significant uncertainty in pre-mining biodiversity assessment particularly in
biodiverse regions.
There is a growing recognition of the critical role that business can play (in partnership
with governments, the community and researchers) to change the threats to
biodiversity into opportunities. Through these strategic partnerships impacts that have
taken place over the last 200 years due to increasing land clearing, unsustainable land
management practices, introduced species and fragmentation of the landscape can
be understood, minimised and, where possible, reversed. As one of the major business
groups in Australia, the mining industry has taken the opportunity to use its size in
playing a leading role in biodiversity conservation.
In recent decades, despite increasing community interest in biodiversity, there is often a
lack of long-term commitment of resources required for effective biodiversity research and
management in Australia. The mining industry is taking up this opportunity to significantly
assist biodiversity conservation and recovery through the following mechanisms:
support of researchers, industry groups and consultants undertaking
biodiversity studies (for example, on values, impact assessment and
management of threats, and maximising return of values on disturbed areas).
enhancing human resources, skills and knowledge in areas that could assist in
these complex matters.
developing partnerships with communities, conservation groups and other
organisations to address this issue.
encouraging young graduates in biodiversity investigation and research
through traineeships, graduate studies and partnerships.
developing, maintaining and sharing databases with government and
researchers for biodiversity data (for example, Western Australia’s
Alcoa Frogwatch program, and the sharing of data that took place as
part of the Western Australia Regional Forest Agreement process).
sharing through publishing key research findings, for example the jointly
Government and mining industry funded Pilbara Bibliographic Database.
maintaining the balance between field biologists/scientists and those
responsible for management of land, water and biodiversity values.
leading through the development of best practice research and processes.
Mitigation and offsets are being increasingly considered by Australian regulators
and mining companies. Mitigation generally refers to actions taken to avoid, reduce
or compensate for the effects of (direct or indirect) environmental damage. Offsets
refer to actions aimed at compensating for unavoidable damage. When applied,
these concepts can effectively balance access to mineral resources with protection
of biodiversity values. Further development of these approaches is likely to provide
increasing opportunities for the mining industry, as it seeks to adopt sustainable
biodiversity management practices.
A GUIDE TO LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN MINING 29