Supplementary Specifications for the Application of
the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources to Minerals
Done at Geneva, 24 September 2021
Summary
This document outlines the Supplementary Specifications for the Application of the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) to Minerals Projects. The objective is to promote the use of UNFC as a system for the sustainable management of all minerals sources. These minerals specifications are intended to support the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals as relevant to the minerals industry. Through their application, the collective industry will be directed towards the shared global goals. This document incorporates the changes introduced by the recent update of UNFC (2019).
This document was approved by the Expert Group on Resource Management at its twelfth session, 26-30 April 2021, and endorsed by the Committee on Sustainable Energy at its thirtieth session 24 September 2021.
Introduction
1. The purpose of this document is to specify the use of the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) to classify mineral projects, including metal ores, technical minerals, evaporites, aggregates and solid energy minerals such as coal and others in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its main focus area is to adapt the classification system to the projects in an environment of sustainable, and innovative technologies and advanced resource management tools.
2. This document is intended for a broad audience including (i) policymakers, and (ii) those responsible for government resource management. It may also be of interest to (iii) those responsible for company internal resource management, and (iv) financial reporting, in particular in relation to the mineral potential that falls outside existing classification and reporting standards, especially for users that wish to ensure realisation of the SDGs.
II. Scope
3. This document specifies functional requirements to classify mineral projects including:
(a) Project plan and definition;
(b) Project evaluation;
(c) Project classification;
(d) Project reporting.
Application of key instructions in UNFC
4. UNFC (Update 2019) Part II Annex III Guidelines on the use of project maturity to Sub-classify projects using UNFC shall apply to the mineral specifications (ECE Energy Series No. 61 and ECE/ENERGY/125).
Normative references
5. The following referenced document is indispensable for the application of this document. The latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies:
• United Nations Framework Classification for Resources – Update 2019.1
6. The following documents provide guidance for selected aspects of project classification. The latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies:
• Guidance Note to support the UNFC Definition of a Project2
• Guidance for Social and Environmental Considerations for UNFC (ECE/ENERGY/GE.3/2021/6)3
The sourcebook “Managing Mining for Sustainable Development” is a joint effort of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), principally funded through the UNDP-UNEP joint programme Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) in Asia and the Pacific. The UNDP project implemented in partnership with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), “Supporting Regional and National Partnerships for the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in Asia-Pacific” also provided financial support.
The sourcebook aims:
To provide national and local policymakers, as well as international development partners, with an introduction to sustainability considerations related to social, environmental and economic impacts of mining, as well as to policy instruments and practices for managing mining towards sustainable development
To suggest ways for national and local policymakers and development partners to better incorporate social and environmental sustainability into their work, strengthening sustainable management of mineral resources at the national and subnational levels, and enhancing the economic benefits of mining for achieving the SDGs.
The sourcebook focuses on the management of industrial-scale mining, rather than artisanal and small-scale mining. Many of the experiences and recommendations are also relevant for the management of other natural resource-based sectors, such as oil, gas and hydropower, as well as industrial- scale agriculture and logging.
Sustainable material flows are the mainstay of the global economy intimately connected to all other socio-economic activities. Sustainable management of global mineral resources is both critical for ensuring the security of supplies and pivotal for successful delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Countries with significant activities in mining experience various socio-economic risks in utilizing their natural resources. These risks usually arise primarily from the periodic volatility in commodity prices, rising environmental issues in developing depleting grades and escalating the social concerns. Effective long-term and sustainable development and management of mineral resources are a pressing need in many countries.
The mining industry is increasingly viewed as “depleting” industry, and there is growing opposition to this activity all over the world due to environmental concerns. Some of the opposition is a legacy of the past where industries operated under less stringent regulatory requirements.
Today, mining activities are required to perform to higher standards with more transparency and requirements of structured sustainability reporting, often applying the best practices of a circular economy. More efficient communications with a wider spectrum of stakeholders have become a necessity.
The United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) is the only universal standard that considers all the necessary processes for holistic development of the minerals sector enabling it to deliver both significant process efficiencies and socio-economic gains.
The African Union has adopted the African Mining Vision (AMV) to provide policy coherence for the sustainable development of its natural resources. UN ECA and AU through the newly established Africa Mineral Development Centre (AMDC) with support from UNECE has developed a UNFC based African Mineral and Energy Resources Classification and Management System (AMREC).
Extractive industries can be a powerful catalyst for development
The United Nations Development Programme has launched, together with partners, a new centre that will help countries to best use mining revenues for sustainable development.
Currently based in Addis Ababa, the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC), launched here by Esperanza Biaz, Mozambique’s Minister of Mines, will help implement the Africa Mining Vision, which aims to ensure the extractives sector can boost social and economic development across the continent.
The centre is co-sponsored by the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The new hub will help implement the African Mining Vision, which aims to ensure Africa’s mineral resources can support economic growth and development. It will translate that vision into practical solutions for reducing poverty and involving people in development.
Experts and researchers will be made available to help countries implement the vision, advising governments, businesses and civil society organizations on issues such as licensing, geological and mining information systems, artisanal and small-scale mining and investments in diversification.
Africa’s mining, oil and gas sectors are thriving, thanks to high commodity prices and improved exploration technologies that have led to important discoveries. Nineteen out of 46 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have important reserves of hydrocarbons oil, gas, coal or minerals and 13 countries are in the process of exploring additional reserves.
The extractives sector is expected to play an important role for development in many African countries, triggering growth in new and dynamic economic sectors and industries, as well as investments in jobs, infrastructure and basic social services.
“The sector provides huge opportunities for sustainable development and poverty reduction if properly managed with the right mix of policies and enforcement systems in place,” said Lebogang Motlana, the Director of UNDP’s Addis Ababa-based Regional Service Center for Africa.
Countries endowed with abundant pools of mineral resources are faced with a number of challenges, such as limited participation by marginalized groups like women, minorities and youths in extractive sectors, conflict over land and resources, environmental degradation and the creation of capital intensive economies that fail to create jobs and benefits for local communities.
For these resources to truly benefit people in Africa, participants said in Maputo, countries should seek to better manage mineral revenues. This entails strong fiscal responsibility and macro-economic planning, as well as policies that can maximize people’s participation, reduce inequalities and ensure natural resources are used in an environmentally sustainable manner.
“The challenge is to enlarge people’s choices by expanding their capabilities and opportunities in ways that are sustainable from the economic, social and environmental standpoints,” Motlana added.
UNDP will provide technical and financial support to the new centre, staff some of its members and mobilize its global development network to increase capacity and knowledge of the partners involved.
UNDP brings a comprehensive package of services on managing extractive industries, advising countries and regional institutions on legislation, policy and planning, exploration and extraction focused on people, better collection and management of revenues, and investing in human development and structural transformation.
The organization is helping countries across the region, including Lesotho, Liberia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Tanzania, to improve their capacity to negotiate and regulate investment contracts and develop policies that link minerals with development.
A UNDP-managed facility will provide quick and direct support to countries on development and mining issues. At the launch, the UNDP Resident Representative in Maputo announced that Mozambique would be the first to benefit from that facility.
"We look forward to contributing substantively to the ongoing effort on long-term sustainable development in the context of the extractive industries boom," she said.
A worker at a mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With meaningful engagement, mining companies could become partners in achieving the SDGs. UNDP Photo
The heads of 193 UN member states have now signed on to a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will be the shared global development framework for the coming generation. Mining companies have the potential to become leading partners in achieving the SDGs.
Through their direct operations, mining companies can generate profits, employment, and economic growth in low-income countries. And through partnerships with government and civil society, they can ensure that benefits of mining extend beyond the life of the mine itself, so that the mining industry has a positive impact on the natural environment, climate change, and social capital.
At the same time, mining companies will be called on to extract with responsibility, produce with less waste, use safer processes, incorporate new sustainable technologies, promote the improved wellbeing of local communities, curb emissions, and improve environmental stewardship.
Mining companies committed to the SDGs will benefit from improved relationships with governments and communities and better access to financial resources; those that fail to engage meaningfully with the SDGs will put their operations at risk in the short and long term.
Over the last few months, the World Economic Forum, UNDP, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) have been working together to create a shared understanding of how the mining industry can most effectively contribute to the SDGs.
The forthcoming report – Mapping Mining to the Sustainable Development Goals: An Atlas – helps mining companies navigate where their activities – from exploration, through operations and mine closure – can help the world achieve the SDGs.
Governments, civil society and other stakeholders can also identify opportunities for shared action and partnership with the industry.
Based on interviews with over 60 global experts from industry, civil society, governments, academia, and financial institutions, the report identifies where mining can enhance the positive impacts it has and mitigate the negative impacts across the 17 SDGs.
For example, in addition to focusing on energy efficiency, mining companies can leverage their energy demand to extend power to undersupplied areas through partnerships that enable shared use energy infrastructure, helping to achieve SDG 7 (Energy Access and Sustainability).
At Semafo’s Mana mine in Burkina Faso, Windiga Energy is building a 20MW solar plant, the largest in sub-Saharan Africa; the Mana mine will purchase energy from the plant, and the rest will feed the national grid. Similar opportunities exist for the mining sector to contribute to the other SDGs, including catalyzing economic growth and employment (SDG 8), creating more resilient infrastructure (SDG 9), combating climate change and its impacts (SDG 13) and others.
The Atlas is only a first step toward building a dialogue around mining’s contributions to the post-2015 development agenda, and what types of partnerships will facilitate positive outcomes. Success of the SDGs will require unprecedented cooperation and collaboration among governments, non-governmental organizations, development partners, the private sector and communities. The mining sector is well positioned to be a key contributor to this success.
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China needs slower growth to keep its economy up and running, economist Jim O'Neill -- known for coining the term BRIC to group Brazil, Russia, India and China -- said, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reported Tuesday.
A record-breaking discovery has changed the way scientists understand iron ore formation—and it could shake up the global mining industry. Geologists have uncovered the world’s largest iron ore deposit in Western Australia, a staggering 55 billion metric tons worth trillions of dollars. But beyond its economic impact, this find challenges long-held beliefs about Earth’s geological history. Could this be just the beginning of a new era of mineral exploration?
Geologists have identified the largest iron ore deposit ever recorded, located in the Hamersley region of Western Australia. This staggering discovery, estimated at 55 billion metric tons, could be worth an astonishing $5.775 trillion USD based on current iron ore prices. Beyond its economic implications, the find is transforming our understanding of mineral formation and could reshape future mining strategies.
The discovery was made possible through advanced geological analysis, including uranium and lead isotope dating, which revealed that the iron-rich formations in this region are 1.4 billion years old, much younger than the 2.2 billion years previously assumed. This challenges conventional theories about how massive iron deposits form, offering new insights into Earth’s ancient geological processes.
According to researchers, this discovery is more than just a valuable resource—it is also a key to understanding Earth’s tectonic past. The formation of this iron-rich deposit is believed to be linked to supercontinent cycles, demonstrating how geological shifts have influenced mineral distribution over time. The implications of this research extend far beyond the mining industry, as it may provide a new framework for predicting undiscovered mineral resources worldwide.
Rewriting the History of Iron Ore Formation
For decades, geologists believed that the world’s major iron deposits formed over 2 billion years ago, during the Great Oxygenation Event, when rising oxygen levels in Earth’s atmosphere caused iron dissolved in ancient oceans to precipitate into massive rock formations. However, this newly discovered deposit suggests that iron ore formation is more complex than previously thought.
Scientists studying the Hamersley deposit have used chemical and isotopic analysis to determine that these iron-rich formations originated 1.4 billion years ago, meaning they were created much later than expected. This shift in timeline suggests that major iron ore deposits may not be limited to early Earth history but could have also formed in subsequent geological periods under different conditions.
Geologists have identified several factors that contributed to the formation of this record-breaking deposit, including:
Tectonic Activity – The movement of supercontinents may have played a role in concentrating iron ore in the region.
Hydrothermal Processes – The deposit’s formation was likely influenced by hot mineral-rich fluids, altering the chemical composition of surrounding rocks.
Volcanic Interactions – The presence of certain volcanic rocks suggests that volcanic activity contributed to the transformation of iron-rich sediments into high-grade ore.
According to researchers, this discovery provides a missing link in our understanding of how iron deposits evolve over time. As one of the study’s co-authors explained:
This connection between supercontinent shifts and mineral deposits has major implications for future resource exploration around the world.
The Sheer Scale of the Hamersley Deposit
To fully grasp the significance of this discovery, it helps to compare it to other major iron ore deposits around the world. The Hamersley deposit is not only the largest, but it also dwarfs many of the previously known reserves.
Iron Ore DepositEstimated Size (Billion Metric Tons)Location Hamersley (New Discovery) 55 Western Australia
Carajás 7.2 Brazil
Kursk Magnetic Anomaly 48 Russia
Pilbara 24 Western Australia
Simandou 2.4 Guinea
At 55 billion metric tons, the Hamersley deposit is the largest known iron ore reserve in the world, surpassing even the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly in Russia. Its discovery cements Australia’s dominance in the global iron ore industry, solidifying its role as the world’s top exporter.
Economic and Industrial Impact
Beyond its scientific significance, the discovery of this massive iron deposit will have far-reaching consequences for the global mining industry and iron markets. The sheer size and quality of the ore could reshape global supply chains, influencing everything from steel production to international trade agreements.
At current iron ore prices of $105 per metric ton, the deposit’s total estimated value reaches a staggering $5.775 trillion USD—a number that highlights its enormous economic potential. As demand for steel continues to grow, particularly in China, India, and other developing economies, this discovery could become a game-changer for mining operations worldwide.
This newfound deposit is likely to attract major investments from global mining companies, as the potential for high-yield extraction makes it an extremely valuable asset. However, it also raises environmental and logistical challenges, including:
Infrastructure Needs – New rail and port facilities may be required to transport the iron ore efficiently.
Environmental Considerations – Large-scale mining operations could impact local ecosystems and water resources.
Market Implications – The introduction of such a large supply could affect global iron ore prices and trade balances.
With Australia already leading the world in iron ore production, this discovery further solidifies its dominance in the industry, potentially shifting economic and trade dynamics on a global scale.
Future Exploration and Scientific Advances
The discovery of the Hamersley deposit has also sparked renewed interest in exploring other regions that may contain similar hidden reserves. Scientists are now using advanced geological models and cutting-edge technology to refine their predictions of where future mineral discoveries might occur.
One of the key scientific breakthroughs from this research involves isotopic dating, which allowed researchers to track how the iron ore changed over time. Associate Professor Martin Danisík, one of the lead researchers, explained:
“The exact timeline of the change of these formations from 30% iron as they were originally, to more than 60% iron as they are today, was not clear.”
Understanding this process is crucial for predicting where future high-grade deposits might be found. By studying how these formations evolved, geologists can identify new exploration targets, guiding future mining efforts and unlocking additional hidden resources.
The findings are expected to shift global exploration strategies, encouraging mining companies and governments to rethink traditional assumptions about where iron ore can be found. This could lead to more efficient resource extraction, reducing waste and making mining operations more sustainable in the long term.
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Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser of United Nations Secretary-General on Africa,Ms. Cristina Duarte reflects on the generational importance of the Summit of the Futurecalled for by Secretary-General António Guterres to support Africa’s claim of its rightful place at the global leadership table.
Our world continues to reel from multiple crises, facing a trifecta of challenges related to financing, climate, food and energy that are exacerbated by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But we should “Never let a good crisis go to waste,” as a former statesman reportedly said after World War Two, a difficult period in human history that ultimately led to the creation of the United Nations.
The parallel is fitting as we mobilize to address the challenges of our time by answering the call of the current United Nations chief, Secretary-General António Guterres, who says, "We cannot construct a future for our grandchildren with a system designed for our grandparents."
Today’s crises and disruptions provide an opportunity to rethink the global financial architecture that influences Africa’s financing for development.
As we come together at the United Nations Headquarters, in New York, to forge a “Pact for the Future,” this opportunity must be leveraged to question the absurd logic that while Africa suffers a large financing gap, it continues to be a net creditor to the rest of the world, with large sums of money leaving the continent each year in the form of illicit financial flows (IFFs) or sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and foreign reserves held in foreign banks outside the continent.
The pension funds outside Africa can be leveraged for infrastructure development and to de-risk long-term investment for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
OSAA’s report estimates that if African countries could invest 2.8 per cent of their pension fund assets, it would generate $20.9 billion more per year for infrastructure development, reducing the infrastructure financing gap by 30 per cent.
Another major source of leakages is the poor quality of public expenditure in Africa which diverts much-needed resources away from the budget.
The inefficiency of public spending amounted to roughly $12 billion for education, $30 billion for infrastructure and $28 billion for health, representing a combined annual loss of 2.87 per cent of Africa’s GDP.
There is a need to revisit the logic of massive tax incentives extended by African countries ostensibly to attract foreign direct investment (FDI).
OSAA’s paradox report shows that most of these tax expenditures are redundant and costly, depriving governments of important financial resources. For instance, Sub-Saharan African countries experienced forgone revenues of roughly $46 billion in 2019 – or 2.5 per cent of their GDP.
Contrary to the common perception, Africa does not have a liquidity problem. Africa has substantial resources, which, if harnessed effectively, could meet a significant portion of the continent’s development financing needs.
Based on this argument, Africa’s development is already financed, leveraging the continent’s own resources through tax and domestic savings, a source of financing 20 times greater than FDI or nearly 17 times greater than Official Development Assistance (ODA).
The real challenge is mobilizing these resources and channelling them toward financing Africa’s development priorities.
Different models and development frameworks implemented over the years have yielded little to no results, and Africa’s development remains elusive. This path is not sustainable and puts at risk the achievement of the SDGs and the realization of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 aspirations on the continent.
The business-as-usual approach must change. The failure to address these anomalies is at the heart of Africa's liquidity problems and the associated debt stress across the continent. OSAA’s report argues that financing Africa’s momentum requires adopting a different approach and addressing paradoxes.
Africa must understand that blaming and begging are wastes of time. The continent must mobilize to break the triple paradox chain, which is the finance paradox feeding the energy paradox that links to the food systems paradox.
For the first paradox, Africa is in debt distress and captured by debt relief and debt suspensions despite being rich in resources.
For the second, Africa is rich in energy sources but remains a “continent in the dark,” with 600 million people without reliable access to electricity and a huge deficit of industrialization to absorb the 18 million young people who reach the labour market annually despite the emergence of its middle class.
And for the third and last paradox, Africa has vast agricultural resources but faces frequent food insecurity.
The key to breaking this paradox chain is to shift the paradigm of financing for development in Africa and tackle the finance paradox as a game changer.
Relying heavily on external financing, such as ODA, FDI and debt, has proved inadequate. These external sources continue to decline. They are unstable and unpredictable financing resources.
Due to the low revenue base and relatively underdeveloped debt markets, African countries have had to borrow to finance the large financing gap.
This has led to an increase in external debt – currently accounting for an average of 60 per cent of Africa’s public debt and 15.5 per cent of Africa’s exports in 2020, with debt servicing absorbing on average more than 20 per cent of government revenues and reducing the policy space.
Harnessing domestic resource mobilization
Exacerbating the situation is the dominant narrative that Africa's debt distress stems from excessive borrowing and fiscal mismanagement. Such an interpretation overlooks the intricate economic realities of the continent, which are fundamentally tied to structural challenges that extend far beyond the simplistic measure of high debt levels.
In OSAA’s upcoming paper “Challenging Africa’s Debt Narrative,” the fundamental issue is identified as Africa’s lack of control over its economic and financial flows, including illicit financial flows, profit shifting by multinational corporations, unfavourable trade agreements, dependence on commodities, underutilized carbon markets, and untapped pension funds, re-iterating the challenges outlined earlier.
This upcoming paper proposes that "To tackle these challenges, a comprehensive, cross-cutting approach is needed that focuses on strengthening domestic systems, reforming international economic structures and empowering African nations through systemic changes.”
Realizing Africa’s quest for structural transformation and sustainable development requires acquiring and preserving a policy space, which can only be achieved through DRM. Giving primacy to DRM is the only viable way to resolve the paradox of financing for development in Africa.
The continent must break with the past, take ownership of its future, and look within for its own financial development resources.
If all these resources leaking out of Africa are adequately mobilized and plugged into the continent’s development priorities, such as education, health, and infrastructure, this could make a huge difference and significantly reduce its vulnerability to external shocks.
In short, African countries need to mobilize internal resources while promoting cross-border investments.
Robust domestic, regional, and global partnerships are essential for Africa to advance its domestic resource mobilization (DRM) efforts. These partnerships must address global challenges, such as the unfair international tax system and flawed financial architecture, aligning with Africa's development goals.
Improved natural resources management, enhanced fiscal capacity, and better deployment of financial resources are critical steps. Key issues like mispricing, rent-seeking, and ineffective mineral property rights must be resolved, alongside boosting transparency in resource management.
The continent must also strengthen its capacity to control marine resources, combat illegal fishing, and optimize its blue economy.
Tackling tax avoidance, evasion, and illicit financial flows is crucial to building a responsible fiscal culture.
Ultimately, Africa must effectively deploy its financial resources, curbing leakages and prioritizing development-driven investments.
Strategic policymaking for robust country systems
Africa's development potential could be unlocked by mobilizing investment resources to strengthen financial intermediation and build an effective financial system. This system is crucial for fostering a robust indigenous private sector, a key driver of growth for both large, resource-rich and smaller nations.
Over the next decade, African governments face the critical challenge of cultivating a genuine capitalist class. Without it, industrialization and job creation will remain elusive. Agriculture, with Africa’s vast potential, offers a major opportunity.
The private sector must step up to meet Africa’s $30 billion food market and play a role in global value chains. With 50 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, Africa is well-positioned to meet the projected 70 per cent rise in global food demand by 2050, provided policymakers create the necessary infrastructure and institutions.
We must champion an Africa-centric policymaking that prioritizes institution-building and governance and enhances productive capacities to fully integrate into global value chains and drive industrialization.
Our focus should be on creating and managing wealth for Africa, within Africa, by Africans. To our development partners: true progress depends on win-win collaborations centred on transformative agendas.
Development cannot advance if partners simultaneously enable illicit financial flows or use aid to pressure African nations into unfavourable deals.
Together with our international partners, we must embrace a new paradigm that shifts from merely managing poverty to fostering structural transformation.
As we strive for Africa’s accelerated development, let us be guided by Chinua Achebe's words: “While we do our good works, let us not forget that the real solution lies in a world in which charity will have become unnecessary.”
The Africa we want. It is the Africa the world needs.
Cristina Duarte is the Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser of United Nations Secretary-General on Africa.
Illegal mining and trafficking in precious metals negatively impact peace, stability, security, development, governance, the rule of law, the environment and the economy. Furthermore, illegal mining of precious metals is often accompanied by serious human rights abuses and it can have severe environmental impacts, including through deforestation, land degradation and pollution. Illegal mining and trafficking of precious metals are often linked to economic crimes such as tax evasion, fraud, and corruption, by exploiting loopholes in regulatory frameworks. Due to the high profits associated with precious metals, and the often-low risks of being arrested or prosecuted, organized criminal groups are exploiting this sector.
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
In 2019, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) adopted the Resolution 2019/23 titled Combating transnational organized crime and its links to illicit trafficking in precious metals and illegal mining, including by enhancing the security of supply chains of precious metals on the recommendation of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/2019/30). The resolution raised concerns about the growing involvement of organized criminal groups in illicit trafficking in precious metals and the substantial increase in the volume and range of transnational criminal offences associated with the trafficking of precious metals and illegal mining. It calls on States to increase cooperation, including by working with UNODC and other international organizations, to strengthen law enforcement and prosecutorial support, and make better use of data and technology. It strongly encourages States to make use of the provisions of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).
OUR APPROACH
UNODC recognizes the need to enhance international cooperation, technical assistance and capacity building to address illegal mining and trafficking in precious metals and developed a response framework on illegal mining and the trafficking in precious metals. The Environment Team coordinates the UNODC response to these crimes, and works through the newly-created Inter-Divisional Task Team on Minerals Trafficking to leverage all available expertise across UNODC to offer a coherent technical assistance programme to support Member States. Furthermore, in partnership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Customs Organization, the Environment Team co-hosts the Informal Law Enforcement Network meetings on Minerals Related Crimes. The Environment Team is currently developing a Diagnostic Toolkit to aid in assessing Member States’ challenges and needs with regards to illegal mining and trafficking in precious metals. The Diagnostic Toolkit is aimed at conducting rapid assessments of vulnerabilities along the gold supply chain and will be finalized in 2022.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent the world’s plan of action for social inclusion, environmental sustainability and economic development. It is our shared belief that the mining industry has an unprecedented opportunity to mobilize significant human, physical, technological and financial resources to advance the SDGs.
Mining is a global industry and is often located in remote, ecologically sensitive and less-developed areas that include many indigenous lands and territories. When managed appropriately, it can create jobs, spur innovation and bring investment and infrastructure at a game-changing scale over long time horizons. Yet, if managed poorly, mining can also lead to environmental degradation, displaced populations, inequality and increased conflict, among other challenges.
By mapping the linkages between mining and the SDGs, the aim of this Atlas is to encourage mining companies of all sizes to incorporate relevant SDGs into their business and operations, validate their current efforts and spark new ideas. Success will also require substantial and ongoing partnership between governments, the private sector, communities and civil society, and we hope the Atlas spurs action that will leverage the transformative power of collaboration and partnership between the mining industry and other stakeholders. In addition to mining companies, our intention is that the Atlas will be useful for:
– National governments across all relevant ministries – mining, development, finance, environment, infrastructure and others – as a catalyst to further align mining policies with national development plans and to engage more systematically with industry and local governments to leverage investment for sustainable development
– Local governments, communities, development agencies and civil society organizations to support programmes and efforts to help unlock the mining sector’s potential to contribute to a sustainable future and as a stimulus for increased inclusive dialogue and cooperation
– Existing and future multistakeholder dialogue forums at the mine site level and the country level as a foundation to integrate the role of mining into the broader discussion of sustainable development and national plans to achieve the SDGs.
– Universities and learning institutions – as a
– Source of ideas and opportunities to convene and
coordinate education, research and professional development that address mining and the SDGs.
The Atlas is intended as an introduction to the many linkages between mining and the SDGs and complements other resources on the role of mining and the private sector in sustainable development. Many of these resources were reviewed during the development of the Atlas and are listed at the end of each chapter. The United Nation’s (UN) SDG indicator framework offers further opportunity to explore how the mining sector can align its actions and reporting.
We have incorporated comments received during the public consultation period from January to April 2016 into this final version of the Atlas. The response was overwhelmingly positive and we thank everyone who participated. Several consultation events were organized during this period, and they are listed in the “Acknowledgements” section. We reviewed every suggestion and have included as many as possible.
Finally, we would like to thank all of the experts and institutions who shared their knowledge and the reviewers who provided their expertise and feedback. The core team and the reviewers are noted in the “Acknowledgements” section.
Casper Sonesson
Policy Advisor, Extractive Industries Bureau for Policy and Programme Support United Nations Development Programme
Gillian Davidson
Head of Mining and Metals Industries World Economic Forum
Lisa Sachs
Director Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment, Columbia University
In September 2015, the UN member states agreed on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which represent the global agenda for equitable, socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable economic development until 2030. Mining companies have the potential to become leading partners in achieving the SDGs. Through their direct operations, mining companies can generate profits, employment, and economic growth in low-income countries. And through partnerships with government and civil society, mining companies can ensure that benefits of mining extend beyond the life of the mine itself, so that the mining industry has a positive impact on the natural environment, climate change, and social capital.
Mining companies will be called on to extract responsibly, waste less, use safer processes, incorporate new sustainable technologies, promote the improved wellbeing of local communities, curb emissions, and improve environmental stewardship. Mining companies committed to the SDGs will benefit from improved relationships with governments and communities, as well as better access to financial resources. Those that fail to engage meaningfully with the SDGs will put their operations at risk in the short and long term.
In September 2020, in partnership with the Responsible Mining Foundation (RMF), CCSI published a new report Mining and the SDGs: a 2020 status update as a follow-up to the 2016 Mapping Mining to the SDGs Atlas (see below). This report provides an update on what large-scale mining companies are doing to integrate and report on SDGs in their business strategies and highlights nine practical steps that companies can take to demonstrate their commitment to achieving the Goals by the 2030 deadline. The report (in English, Chinese, Spanish, French, Bahasa Indonesia, Japanese, Portuguese (BR) and Russian) is available here.
In 2015, CCSI worked with the World Economic Forum, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) to create a shared understanding of how the mining industry can most effectively contribute to the SDGs. The report can assist mining companies to navigate where their activities – exploration, operations, and mine closure – can help the world achieve the SDGs. Governments, civil society and other stakeholders can also identify opportunities for shared action and partnership with the mining industry.
A draft report of Mapping Mining to the Sustainable Development Goals: A Preliminary Atlas was released for public consultation in January 2016; the final version was released on July 19, 2016. The executive summary and the full report (available in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese) are available here.
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