Mining Services

Analysis of the potential to participate in the different projects that take place in the organisation:

This is based on interviews and the application of established assessment systems that allow us to discover mining organisations’ potential and needs. This is how we find out if the employees will take part in the Fairmined Certification programme and workshops on subjects like reducing and eliminating mercury, mining formalisation, implementation of good technical practices, technological transformation, empowerment and leadership with a gender focus, formalisation through the CRAFT tool, etc.

Assessment of the organisational, economical, legal, environmental, social and work-related conditions:

With the help of different tools based on our on-site experience and our work with the mining organisations (ASMO), we are able to define the general ASMO conditions, or the conditions of those who participate in the projects organised by ARM. The assessments begin by looking at the requirements of the CRAFT Code and of the Fairmined Standard, as these offer a comprehensive view of mining organisations.

Identification of the support needs and development of improvement plans:

We develop improvement plans in a participative and cooperative manner by studying the completed assessments and analyses of the existing conditions of the mining organisations and potential participants in our projects and programmes. These plans will then be implemented in the execution of each project, with the aim of establishing actions and objectives that are clear, measurable and real, and to which we will all commit (ARM and the project’s participants). These improvement plans aim at the adoption of good mining practices, and their constant growth in the future of the activity.

Technical assessments:

The implementation of these improvement plans, which are built in cooperation with the participants, is carried out through personalised assessments and support, which are offered to all organisations and mining groups we work with. The main themes of the assessments and activities we propose are:

Organizational aspects, internal control, and economic sustainability:

We begin with an assessment of the economic, accounting, administrative, financial and governance conditions. This is complemented by the participants’ self-assessment and the use of tools developed by the Alliance for Responsible Mining. The aim of these assessments is to identify the skills and abilities, as well as the formative needs that will help the organisation in overcoming the weaknesses encountered and facing the challenges imposed by the market. Economical sustainability is based on geological and structural analyses, and on the spreading and implementation of production and business plans needed to extract the potential resource in an orderly manner from the mining deposit.

Environmental management:

The environmental assessments start from the evaluation of mining practices that generate a negative impact on the environment, as for example the emission of toxic substances to water sources, ground and air; the inadequate disposal of mining and processing residues; and the alteration of ground and water. In some cases, the analysis is complemented with specialised studies to determine the exact impact of the activity (especially in water sources). At the end, we design, implement, monitor and evaluate improvement plans, and we transfer these skills to the implementation of good mining practices by those who participate in the projects.

Handling and use of mercury and other toxic and unsafe substances:

Through the analysis of the process, we identify the training needs on the handling and use of toxic substances. We also develop mercury risk maps and contamination baselines, as well as mineralogical analyses, metallurgic trials, and more. From here, we identify the weaknesses and needs of the participating organisation or mining group, and we define the type of support we will offer: on-site demonstrations of the available processes and technologies, spreading of information and awareness on the effects of mercury, participatory design, implementation and monitoring of plans for the elimination of highly contaminating sites, and for the reduction and final elimination of mercury.

Mining sector and mining community:

The tools and skills we bring to the communities where the artisanal and small-scale mining organisations (ASMO) that take part in our projects belong to are meant to complement the activities of these ASMO. Apart from that, we also offer other community services, like the improvement of community monitoring and assessment skills for development projects and mining plans; training on business planning, leadership, and economic autonomy; workshops on community participation, community project management for women, mining-related conflict management; campaigns on self-care within educational institutions, etc. The priorities are always previously agreed with the community.

Work-related aspects:

We analyse worker protection conditions, like health and safety on the job, and the employees’ collective negotiation means. After this, we design, implement, monitor and evaluate improvement plans that aim at positively affecting the miners’ conditions and work environment. This is made possible by the ability of those who participate in our projects to transfer the skills they learn to the maintenance of the activity’s sustainability through time.