National Mineral Policy 2006 - Department of Mines

Conservation Union (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and NaturalResources) (IUCN) has developed a Sustainable Development Framework (SDF) drawingupon the landmark MMSD Report. The framework comprises ‘ten principles’ of mining, aGlobal Reporting Initiative (GRI) to enable verification of the implementation thoseprinciples by miners across the world, and good practice guidelines in the form of a Miningand Metals Sector Supplement containing relevant indicators that will allow miningcompanies to track their performance against the ten principles and the GRI guidelines.3.3 The MMSD Report recognised that one of the greatest challenges facing the worldtoday is integrating economic activity with environmental integrity, social concerns, andeffective governance systems. The goal of that integration is sustainable development. Thereport stipulates that in the context of the mineral sector the goal is to maximise the miningsector’s contribution to the well-being of the current generation and at the same time toensure an equitable distribution of its costs and benefits without reducing the potential forfuture generations to meet their own needs. This is based on the Brundtland Commission’sdefinition of sustainable development. 2 The report states: ‘i[I]n the mining and metals sector,this means that investments should be financially profitable, technically appropriate,environmentally sound and socially responsible’. Thus, while the role of mineral wealth inmaximising human well-being should be acknowledged it is also important to acknowledgethat wealth should be managed in a way that protects the environment and other social andcultural values. The MMSD Report identified key challenges facing the mineral sector,representing the most pressing issues that need to be addressed. Of these, the challengesconcerning forests and environment are dealt with below.CONTROL, USE, AND MANAGEMENT OF LAND3.4 Mineral development is one of a number of competing land uses. Due to lack ofplanning and other frameworks to balance and manage possible uses there are problems anddisagreements in the matter of control, use, and management of land. Exploration and miningpose significant challenges in terms of land access and management. The most appropriateuse of land is best decided within an integrated land planning framework that balancescompeting interests such as between national and local levels or between mining and2 In its report published in 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development (BrundtlandCommission) defined sustainable development as ‘development that meets the needs of the present withoutcompromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.67