MAUVE GROUP
KEY BENEFITS OF PRODUCTION

Wealth Creation
Employment
Multiplier Effects/Secondary Benefits
Social Benefits For Health and Education
Brings Unique Materials to Society to Use
Infrastructure in Remote Areas
- brings economic/social development to regions that may not have other options

ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED

• Distribution of Benefits - who in society benefits - can be localised and short term.

• Environmental Challenges - mitigate environmental footprint

• Industry is a Price Taker ,

• Image of Industry - Public Trust - Communication with stakeholders

• Small Scale Mining in Developing Countries

• Access to Resources

SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

• Clear role for government for the distribution of benefits to society

• Predictable legislative framework for environmental assessments/access to resources

• Identify public sector and public sector roles and responsibilities

• Address long-term mine planning and management to maximise socio-economic benefits and minimise impacts

• Use of best practises and develop new technologies

• Market transparency to help improve long term planning and decision making

• Market/Product development

BENEFITS OF CONTINUED USE

• Because of their unique properties and performance characteristics like durability, conductivity, corrosion protection, recyclability, energy storage capacity, the continued use of non-ferrous metals helps maintain the range of choices of cost-effective materials that can contribute to sustainable development.

• While it is recognised that there are risks associated with certain applications, these risks can be managed and non-ferrous metals can be used safely.

• Their life-cycle can be extended given that their properties do not degrade with re-use and recycling.

ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED

• Precautionary principle and how it is applied

• Need for additional sound science/information in some areas

• Need for targetted risk assessments - time issue

• Treatment of metals as chemicals

• Development and application of chemical hazard identification appropriate for metals

• Regimes tend to be based on systems designed for synthetic organic chemicals

• (Persistence/Bioaccumulation/Toxicity or PBT not appropriate for metals)

• Public perception/trust

• Can drive regulations based on hazard, lack of trust

• Worker health and safety

• Management of wastes generated from recycling

• Collection and transportation of metal recyclables - regulatory impediments that discourage recycling - cannot optimise ability to extend life cycle

• Definitions of hazardous wastes

• Develop a proactive, multi-stakeholder approach for the development of protocols for risk assessment and their application

• Develop priorities and conduct targetted risk assessments

• Partnerships to address new test protocols at global level

• Partnership process to address trust and perceptions

• Develop a communication strategy that addresses how non-ferrous metals can be used safely

• Process/mechanism to foster continued dialogue (through Study Groups or other intergovernmental forum)

OVERARCHING SOLUTIONS

• Development of a Stewardship Culture by industry

• Develop environmental and social reporting and audit mechanisms

• Provide quality assurance

• Supply chain management
  
  
• Adopt standards

• Government move away from command and control to performance based approaches that recognise voluntary initiatives by industry