Environmental management system implementation in the mining industry: a key to achieving cleaner production

This article examines the business practicality of integrating an environmental management system (EMS) into mining and related operations, describes how it can contribute to cleaner production (CP) in the industry, and provides guidelines to facilitate implementation. An EMS, which is the component of the overall management system that includes organizational procedures, environmental responsibilities, and processes, can help a mining company comply with environmental regulations, identify technical and economic benefits, and ensure that corporate environmental policies are adopted and followed. To date, a number of multinational (mining) corporations-namely, the companies with economical and technological flexibility-have implemented comprehensive EMSs at sites, the key in such cases being the formation of working partnerships with administrative bodies and international organizations. A number of other mine sites worldwide, however, despite having important environmental management practices such as audits and policies in place, have received insufficient assistance and/or simply lack the requisite resources to integrate an effective EMS into operations. The article sketches a series of guidelines for mining companies keen on adopting comprehensive EMSs at sites, and argues that to facilitate widespread EMS implementation throughout the industry, expanded inputs are needed from governments, international environmental organizations, educational facilities, and the companies themselves. More specifically, regional governments must provide assistance to the more resource-deficient operations, local universities must provide the necessary EMS educational assistance to local miners and finance environmental technology demonstration projects, and international organizations must help disseminate valuable EMS information to mine managers and technical staff. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.