Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing

Responsible sourcing is becoming a “must”. Find out more about conflict minerals and related supply chain risks, how to mitigate them, and build sustainable and transparent mineral supply chains. Here you can find the best practices in responsible sourcing, in-depth analysis of risks in mineral supply chains, and more.
What is gold traceability

The Golden Momentum for Gold Traceability

Today the gold industry has both challenges and opportunities due to the lack of remaining deposits, increased demand for recycling, and demand for large-scale sustainability initiatives in risk areas along with traceability. Read the article and find out how the industry is overcoming challenges and introducing responsible practices, implementing technologies and increasing transparency, and what else can be done.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Diamond Product Passport

Diamonds Supply Chain: From Diamonds Discovery to G7 Rules

Diamond traceability has become an increasingly important topic after the G7 agreed on new restrictions for Russian diamonds and stated the intention to create a new traceability system to track diamonds from mine to seller.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
niobium use in battery industry

Niobium: Catalyst for Sustainable Batteries and the Traceability Challenge

Diversifying mineral composition is crucial to meet the rising demand for batteries and EVs. Niobium (Nb) has been getting increased attention during the past years thanks to its unique characteristics, including conductivity and durability. This blog is an overview of niobium and its potential application areas, the mineral’s role for the battery industry and traceability.
EVs, Batteries & Circular Economy
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
How to sell overseas if you are a Brazilian minerals producer

Brazilian Mineral Producers: How to Export to International Markets and Find Overseas Customers

To tap into the global market, Brazilian mineral producers are required to take several steps, including profiling the target market and target audience for their minerals, ensuring compliance with mining laws and regulations and making sure they meet international sustainability requirements. In this blog, Jaqueline Laganaro explains the strategies mining companies can implement for winning new customers abroad and scaling up their business.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Produtores brasileiros de minerais

Produtores brasileiros de minerais: Como exportar para mercados internacionais e encontrar clientes no exterior

Para entrar no mercado global, os produtores de minerais brasileiros precisam tomar várias medidas, incluindo a definição do perfil do mercado-alvo e do público-alvo de seus minerais, garantindo a conformidade com as leis e regulamentações de mineração e assegurando que eles atendam aos requisitos internacionais de sustentabilidade. Neste blog, Jaqueline Laganaro explica as estratégias que as empresas de mineração podem implementar para conquistar novos clientes no exterior e expandir seus negócios.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Mining in Brazil

7 things you should know to source legal minerals from Brazil

Brazil is considered one of the richest countries for critical minerals. However, it is not always easy to source materials from the region due to a number of reasons, including the country's specifics, regulations, frameworks and local rules, and many others. This article describes the mining sector in Brazil, key mining regions, as well as regulatory changes, recent policies and recommendations on how can you source minerals from Brazil responsibly.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Brazil minerals

7 coisas que você precisa saber para obter minerais legais do Brasil

O Brasil é considerado um dos países mais ricos em minerais críticos. No entanto, nem sempre é fácil obter materiais desta região devido a uma série de razões, incluindo as especificidades do país, regulamentos, estruturas e regras locais e muitas outras. Este artigo descreve o setor de mineração no Brasil, suas principais regiões, bem como mudanças regulatórias, políticas recentes e recomendações sobre como você pode obter minerais do Brasil de forma responsável.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
LuNa Smelter due diligence expert

The people behind traceability - Theophile Ishimwe from LuNa Smelter

Christian Ecker interviews Luna Smelter’s due diligence expert Theophile Ishimwe from Rwanda. Theophile talks about the Rwandan market, conflict minerals, regulation and standards and how to ensure all of them are in place, and blockchain traceability, as well as his day-to-day work.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Due diligence

What is Due Diligence?

This video explains what is due diligence, and why is it important for companies, consumers, and investors, how businesses can start conducting due diligence and what is due diligence in the context of the battery market.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
raw_materials_required_for_the_clean_energy

Critical Minerals and the Future Green Economy in the UK

Many countries, the UK included, are facing certain challenges to meet the future clean energy goals. We asked Jeff Townsend, Founder of the Critical Minerals Association, to share his opinion on the situation in the United Kingdom, policy and regulation, opportunities, challenges and risks.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
EVs, Batteries & Circular Economy
Polysilicon process chain

Know the Source: The Polysilicon Supply Chain

Following our previous blogs on the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and the international concerns about forced labor, today we will get to know the polysilicon supply chain, its implications, and how supply chain actors might need to prove the absence of forced labor along their entire production chain.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Concern about forced labour

Forced Labour in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China

On December 23rd 2021, President Biden signed into law Bill H.R.6256, banning imports from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, from entering the US. In this article we’re looking at why there’s a concern about forced labour in this region, and give a summary of what is included in Bill H.R.6256.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
The meaning of Forced Labour

Forced Labour: What is it? What is the World Community Doing About It?

This blog, is the first of our mini series concerning Forced Labour and the Silica supply chain. Today we will be looking at “What is forced labour?”, and, “What is the world community doing about it?”.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Mining companies base their entire operations on data

Data-driven, data-dependent: Blockchain in the Mining Industry

Data is the basis of mining companies' operations. They essentially base their entire operations on data; geological and economic data to find out whether the operation is worthwhile in the first place; environmental data to monitor and mitigate impact; and financial data to keep investors up to date. Blockchain technology offers a tool to capture and communicate this data - with regulators, investors and the public - in a uniquely trustworthy and transparent way.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Blockchain & Traceability
Rare Earth Elements

The Scramble to Secure Rare Earth Elements

Rare earth elements (REE) have been dominating the news recently - 17 key minerals used to create everyday technologies - A whopping 80% of which are produced in China. Can the US, who was once the world leader in REE production, return to their former glory? Can the EU or Australia launch processing facilities quickly enough to play catch up? This in-depth article explores the global timeline of REE production and processing, all the geopolitical factors at play, and the future market outlook.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Women in Small Scale Mining

Women in Artisanal & Small Scale Mining — the Hardship & the Hope

In the ASM sector, 30–50% of workers are women. Sadly, women offer encounter sexual violence and harassment at the workplace, along with widespread prejudices about women’s productivity and capabilities. On average, women in ASM make up to 75% less than their male colleagues. We interviewed Women in Mining and Energy (WiME) in Indonesia to understand these hardships and how we can move to a fairer and more gender-equal ASM sector.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Mercury in Artisanal & Small Scale Gold Mining

The Use of Mercury in Artisanal & Small Scale Gold Mining

A comprehensive overview of mercury and its uses in artisanal and small scale mining. It covers the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the uses in Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining (ASGM), and the alternatives, as discussed with Cyrus Njonde Maina of Impact Facility.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
blockchain technology

Is blockchain on your to-do list? It should be

Working in the mining industry? Curious why there is such a buzz around blockchain technology? In this article, exploration geologist, Tanya Matveeva explores some of the most exciting uses cases of blockchain being implemented in mining.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Artisanal or small scale mining (ASM)

The biggest industry you've never heard of

Artisanal or small scale mining (ASM) operations can wreak havoc and destroy entire landscapes, rendering any alternative attempt at making a living from the ground futile. At the same time, it can be a source of income for entire communities. In the first blog in our ASM series, we discuss what ASM is and why it impacts us on a global scale.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Tokenizing the mineral supply chain

Tokenizing the mineral supply chain

The ninth blog in our Mining, Metals, and Responsible Sourcing Series - this post discusses how blockchain, paired with careful system design, provides us with tools to tackle the complex problems and multi-faceted causes that prevail in the mineral supply chain.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Gold Laundering

Gold Laundering: the New Alchemy

Gold laundering is the new alchemy; the creation of gold out of criminal activity, using children, forced labor, land seizure and pollution.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
children working in mining

Why do children work in mining?

In the past decade, countries have developed environmental, health, safety and human rights regulations that should result in responsible sourcing. Yet mineral supply chains are fraught with instances of human rights abuses, child labour, and illegal activities. This article delves more specifically into why children work in mining.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Exploring the Gold Supply Chain

Exploring the Gold Supply Chain

This blog takes a high-level look at the supply chain for a mineral like gold ore as it moves from mineral in the ground to metal in a consumer product like a smart phone or a solar panel, and ultimately to recycled material.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Due diligence and the risk of harm

Due Diligence & Risk of Harm

The focus of that due diligence needs to identify harmful social, ecological, and/or economic consequences of the company’s activities within their ‘sphere of influence’ — along their supply chain. In this blog, we look in more detail at three types of risk of harm that can occur along the mineral supply chain; community, individual and environmental.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Conflict Minerals

What are 'Conflict Minerals'?

A rapidly increasing demand for electronic goods in the past decade has led to a significant increase in demand for certain metals. Particularly tantalum, tin, and tungsten, which, along with gold, are often referred to as 3TG and make up the initial group of “conflict minerals”. So what are conflict minerals exactly? In this article, Lee covers both the definition of conflict minerals and how they are extracted through ASM and LSM methods.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Data is the basis of mining companies operations

Defining the responsible supply chain

Data is the basis of mining companies' operations. They essentially base their entire operations on data; geological and economic data to find out whether the operation is worthwhile in the first place; environmental data to monitor and mitigate the impact, and financial data to keep investors up to date. Blockchain technology offers a tool to capture and communicate this data - with regulators, investors, and the public - in a uniquely trustworthy and transparent way.
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing
Mining, metals and responsible sourcing

Our Mining, Metals, & Responsible Sourcing Series

Join us as we explore mining, metals, & responsible sourcing in this in-depth series, as well as how blockchain fits into the picture. This first article is an introduction to Lee's
Mining, Metals & Responsible Sourcing

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