Glencore is one of 30 mining companies that participated in a 2018 Responsible Mining Foundation evaluation of "best mining practices." We haven't yet reached a decision on whether we believe the Responsible Mining Index [RMI] 2018 is a real step forward or the beginning of a "greenwash" campaign, but we think the RMI effort at least should be considered by those Minnesota decision makers pondering whether Minnesota's mining and environmental protection rules and regulations, even if they were actually followed and enforced, begin to approach world class status. As the RMI report itself notes:
The RMI 2018 results show that if one company were to attain all the highest scores achieved for every indicator, it would reach over 70% of the maximum achievable score. This implies that existing best practice, if systematically applied by all companies, could already go some way to meeting society expectations. [emphasis added]We suggest that the emphasized phrase could also be stated "it would reach only 70% of the maximum achievable..." Might such a condition be comparable to Minnesota's mining standards?
By way of some additional background, a 2011 article in the guardian notes that "Mining and commodities giant Glencore has suffered dozens of fatalities and been subject to six-figure fines for environmental breaches, the company revealed on Wednesday." The Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness blog has a recent posting describing troublesome histories of both Glencore and Antofagasta, the mover behind a proposed Twin Metals mine near the Boundary Waters. Our reading of the RMI report suggests how easily such problems can be glossed over (greenwashed). However, that same report consistently rates Glencore amount the top third of responsible mining companies. In four of the six categories, Antofagasta rates just ahead of Glencore, but is out of the top ten in two others.
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| Northern Minnesota's water riches need better protection
Photo by J. Harrington
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All of this suggests that the entire mining sector has a significant way to go to be considered responsible, let alone sustainable. Here's a quick summary of where Glencore and Antofagasta rate in each of six major categories used in the report. It's worth noting that none of the mine-site specific criteria included any North American locations.
- Economic Development
Glencore #10 (4 way tie), Antofagasta #9 - Business Conduct
Glencore #8, Antofagasta #4 - Lifecycle Management
Glencore #10, Antofagasta #9 - Community Wellbeing
Glencore #9, Antofagasta #NA - Working Conditions
Glencore #5, Antofagasta #NA - Environmental Responsibility
Glencore #5, Antofagasta #7
National, international and multi-stakeholder reporting requirements clearly lead to more and better reporting and public disclosure. Stronger reporting is evident where companies align their public reporting with, for example, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), the Carbon Disclosure Project, or mandatory reporting requirements.
We're going to share the usual poem we put here one stanza at a time. It's a long poem but, we believe, fits really well with the theme we're developing.
Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings
By Joy Harjo
2. USE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS THAT DISPLAY AND ENHANCE MUTUAL TRUST AND RESPECT:
If you sign this paper we will become brothers. We will no longer fight. We will give you this land and these waters "as long as the grass shall grow and the rivers run."
The lands and waters they gave us did not belong to them to give. Under false pretenses we signed. After drugging by drink, we signed. With a mass of gunpower pointed at us, we signed. With a flotilla of war ships at our shores, we signed. We are still signing. We have found no peace in this act of signing.
A casino was raised up over the gravesite of our ancestors. Our own distant cousins pulled up the bones of grandparents, parents, and grandchildren from their last sleeping place. They had forgotten how to be human beings. Restless winds emerged from the earth when the graves were open and the winds went looking for justice.
If you raise this white flag of peace, we will honor it.
At Sand Creek several hundred women, children, and men were slaughtered in an unspeakable massacre, after a white flag was raised. The American soldiers trampled the white flag in the blood of the peacemakers.
There is a suicide epidemic among native children. It is triple the rate of the rest of America. "It feels like wartime," said a child welfare worker in South Dakota.
If you send your children to our schools we will train them to get along in this changing world. We will educate them.
We had no choice. They took our children. Some ran away and froze to death. If they were found they were dragged back to the school and punished. They cut their hair, took away their language, until they became as strangers to themselves even as they became strangers to us.
If you sign this paper we will become brothers. We will no longer fight. We will give you this land and these waters in exchange "as long as the grass shall grow and the rivers run."
Put your hand on this bible, this blade, this pen, this oil derrick, this gun and you will gain trust and respect with us. Now we can speak together as one.
We say, put down your papers, your tools of coercion, your false promises, your posture of superiority and sit with us before the fire. We will share food, songs, and stories. We will gather beneath starlight and dance, and rise together at sunrise.
The sun rose over the Potomac this morning, over the city surrounding the white house.
It blazed scarlet, a fire opening truth.
White House, or Chogo Hvtke, means the house of the peacekeeper, the keepers of justice.
We have crossed this river to speak to the white leader for peace many times
Since these settlers first arrived in our territory and made this their place of governance.
These streets are our old trails, curved to fit around trees.
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Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.
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