ICMM Guidance > Good Practice Guide For Mining and Biodiversity

Good Practice Guide For Mining and Biodiversity

Biodiversity encompasses the variety and variability of life on Earth. It embraces all living organisms and their genetic diversity, a vast array of ecosystems and habitats, as well as the processes such as photosynthesis, nutrient cycling or pollination.

The Good Practice Guidance For Mining and Biodiversity has been created for mining professionals to improve biodiversity management throughout the mine cycle and to support relationships between mining and biodiversity professionals by promoting enhanced mutual understanding.

The guide and its practical tools helps companies:

  • Identify and evaluate biodiversity
  • Understand the connections between their activities and biodiversity
  • Assess the likelihood of their activities having negative impacts on biodiversity
  • Mitigate potential impacts on biodiversity
  • Develop rehabilitation strategies for affected areas
  • Contribute to biodiversity conservation

ICMM members:

  • Respect legally designated protected areas
  • Distribute scientific data and promote practices on biodiversity assessment and management
  • Support the development and implementation of scientifically sound, inclusive and transparent procedures to land use planning, biodiversity, conservation and mining

The tools have been divided into three sections according to their main concerns: Integration, Management and Assessment and Mitigation and Rehabilitation

Download more detailed text around the tools and their uses

Integration

1, 2, 3, 4

Integration (p22) provides guidance on managing biodiversity at various operational stages.

This section discusses:

  • Integrating biodiversity into project development
  • Integrating biodiversity into operations
  • Integrating biodiversity into closure planning and implementation

Management and Assessment

5, 6, 7, 8

Management and Assessment (p53) describes the systems, tools and processes and their practical application in the context of mining operations.

This section discusses:

  • Management systems and assessment tools
  • Stakeholder engagement tools and processes

Mitigation, Rehabilitation and Enhancement

9, 10

Mitigation (p90) involves selecting and implementing measures to protect biodiversity, the users of biodiversity and other affected stakeholders from adverse impacts as a result of mining.

This section discusses:

  • A selection of mitigation measures
  • Rehabilitation planning and implementation
  • Enhancement of biodiversity