https://www.miningweekly.com

Botswana to adopt Canadian model of sustainability

26th May 2017

     

Font size: - +

A Canadian model aimed at improving the sustainability of mining through environmental and community outreach practices is being introduced in Botswana, says mining networking platform African Mining Network (AMN) chairperson Yolanda Torrisi.

The industry in Botswana, she notes, in a May 9 AMN newsletter, will be the first in Africa to implement the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) initiative through its Chamber of Mines (CoM).

“TSM requires miners to continuously assess their mining practices and report them to the community, thereby enhancing sustainability and transparency.”

The TSM, she explains, incorporates six core sustainability areas, including greenhouse-gas emissions, biodiversity conservation and community outreach. These areas combine industry technical standards such as those used in mine tailings management.

TSM is mandatory for Mining Association of Canada members and its use has spread further afield, including Finland and Argentina. Botswana is the latest country to adopt TSM in a bid to improve the environmental and social performance of the mining industry, as well as lifting transparency, says Torrisi.

The TSM programme was launched in Canada in 2004 and was designed through dialogue with industry and civil society partners, which has contributed to its ongoing development. As an experienced and successful mining jurisdiction, Canada is committed to sharing its expertise with other less experienced mining regions, adds Torrisi.

According to the AMN newsletter, Botswana CoM CEO Charles Siwawa notes that, because chamber members subscribe to the principles of responsible mining and extraction of minerals, the adoption of the TSM will enable the industry as a whole to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability.

He adds that the TSM will enable miners to demonstrate to the community their commitment to sound and sustainable minerals development practices.

Siwawa says this will be of benefit to the entire country.

“With Botswana’s adoption of TSM, the programme is now in four countries on four continents, clearly establishing TSM as an emerging global standard. It is our privilege to share our tools and expertise in sustainable and responsible mining practices with a country that is making important strides in sustainable mining development,” says Mining Association of Canada president and CEO Pierre Gratton in a statement.

In promising his country’s commitment to support sustainable mining development, Canadian Ambassador to Botswana Kumar Gupta says the initiative reflects Canada’s strong relationship with Botswana.

Edited by Tracy Hancock
Creamer Media Contributing Editor

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION