Anglo American’s Mogalakwena PGM mine completes IRMA audit

SEATTLE, March 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) released the audit report of Anglo American’s Mogalakwena PGM complex against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. Independent audit firm ERM–CVS assessed Mogalakwena at IRMA 50 when measuring its performance against the Standard’s best practice social and environmental criteria.

IRMA 50 means that ERM–CVS verified that the operations at least substantially met all 40 critical requirements of the IRMA Standard, as well as at least 50% of the Standard’s criteria in each of the four principle areas: social responsibility, environmental responsibility, business integrity and planning for positive legacies. The full audit reports are available on the Mogalakwena audit page on the IRMA website.

The information stakeholders need to decide what’s going well — and what may require more attention.

“This report demonstrates that mines can point to transparent, independent evaluations of their environmental and social performance,” said Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of IRMA. “Through detailed IRMA audit reports, mining companies, communities and companies that purchase mined materials can gain the information they need, to decide what’s going well — and what may require more attention — at specific mines.”

As the IRMA Standard is recognized and adopted around the globe, these audits are steps in a deepening dialogue between mining companies and those affected by their operations. Because the process is still evolving, the results should be reviewed and interpreted accordingly.

“An increasing number of community members and workers are engaging in IRMA audits, and they’re using the audit reports to communicate directly with the mining company about their priorities for improvement,” Ms. Boulanger said. “If readers find results inconsistent with their experience, we encourage them to share their perspectives with IRMA and the company so that we can improve the audit review process and support continuing improvement at the site—as community members and NGOs have already done in this case.”

“We are always looking to improve not only mining practices, but also IRMA's system. IRMA's improvements, and being transparent about how we need to improve, is built into our system and a measure of its success,” said Ms. Boulanger.

Craig Miller, CEO of Anglo American Platinum said, “This milestone at Mogalakwena is significant in our overall adoption of IRMA. It enables us to promote transparency and best practice in sustainability, while adding value to our global customers by helping them meet the increasing expectations for responsibly mined materials in an efficient and credible way. With IRMA 50, we have accomplished our sustainable mining plan target of having all our mining operations assured against a recognised responsible mining standard by 2025.”

Including Mogalakwena, 23 industrial–scale mines worldwide are within the IRMA independent assessment system. After an initial self–assessment, a participating mine engages a third–party audit firm — trained and approved by IRMA — to conduct a detailed independent evaluation, including on–site visits to the mine and nearby communities. Following the release of the initial audit, a shorter surveillance audit checks on the mine’s performance. Three years after the initial audit, the operation is fully audited again (Note: The first mines audited in the IRMA system have had extensions to this timeline due to Covid delays and launch–phase learning; updated full reviews will be required to maintain or increase achievement scores.)

The independent IRMA system is the only global mining standard that provides equal power to the public sector (communities and Indigenous rights holders, mine workers, and environmental and human rights advocates) alongside the private sector (mining companies, mined materials purchasers and investors).

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Australian Gold Reagents to expand sodium cyanide plant

PERTH, Australia, Feb. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Australian Gold Reagents’ (AGR) Board has made a final investment decision to proceed with the expansion of its sodium cyanide production facility in Kwinana, Western Australia, positioning AGR as one of the world’s largest sodium cyanide producers for the gold mining industry.

AGR General Manager Barney Jones said the expansion would enable the business to meet the growing global demand for sodium cyanide for gold mining operations, while delivering on its sustainability goals.

“The expansion will increase AGR’s annual sodium cyanide production capacity by over 30 per cent, bringing total sodium cyanide solution capacity to approximately 130,000 tonnes per annum. It also includes an increase in our solids production capacity to facilitate increased exports to our international customers,” Mr Jones said.

“Sodium cyanide plays a critical role in the extraction of gold from ore, and the expansion will allow us to meet rising demand from gold producers across Australia, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East.

“The expanded plant will connect into established infrastructure at AGR’s existing site, improving our operational efficiencies and providing safety benefits for our team.

“It will ensure we can continue to deliver a reliable and efficient supply chain for our customers, supporting the growth we are expecting to see both in Western Australian gold mining and in our export markets.”

The expansion will also deliver significant environmental benefits, enhancing the plants’ overall sustainability performance.

“One of the key components of the expansion is a new low–emissions incinerator, designed to safely and sustainably destroy waste product generated in the manufacturing process, while minimising greenhouse gas emissions,” Mr Jones said.

“The new incinerator will enable us to significantly increase sodium cyanide production while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions intensity by approximately 28 per cent. It is partially funded by the Australian Government, thanks to a $7.5 million (AUD) Powering the Regions Fund grant, which supports industrial decarbonisation.

“Our expansion plans will also enable us to recycle over 70 per cent of wastewater onsite, conserving valuable resources and reducing reliance on external water sources.

“In addition, we’re exploring technology that would use waste heat from the plants’ manufacturing process to generate zero–emissions electricity.

“With this technology, the plant could export clean power to nearby facilities or support the local grid,” he said.

First production from the expanded plant is scheduled for FY2026, with full capacity expected to come online in the second half of FY2027. Detailed engineering design is well advanced, and all long lead items for the operating plants have been ordered.

About AGR
AGR is the management company of CSBP’s sodium cyanide manufacturing joint venture with Coogee Chemicals Pty Ltd. CSBP is part of Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy and Fertilisers (WesCEF). As a 75 percent shareholder, CSBP acts as the operating and sales agent for the company.

www.agrcyanide.com

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