World Mining Congress “Mining, Ethics and Sustainability” August 12-14, 2013

One of the most significant developments in the 21st century has been the growing realization that there are dimensions to mining that go well beyond simply the profitable extraction of mineral resources. Mining can produce financial rewards for its investors and concrete benefits for the users of its products. Historically, however, those benefits have often been created while imposing heavy social, economic and environmental costs and few benefits on the locales, communities and societies impacted directly by mining operations.

It is now widely accepted that mining companies have ethical responsibilities that extend well beyond traditional financial and investor focused objectives and outcomes. Meeting these “non-traditional’ social, economic and environmental responsibilities is today essential to acquiring a “social license to operate”.

The purpose of the "Mining, Ethics and Sustainability" program stream of the World Mining Congress is to identify and discuss the ethical values that should define the boundaries of the emerging economic, social and environmental responsibilities of mining in the 21st century and the dimensions of mining’s social license to operate.

The program for the "Mining, Ethics and Sustainability" stream will extend over three days, from August 12-14, 2013. It will include:

• Three key note addresses by thought leaders whose ideas are helping to describe the nature and character of the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of mining companies in the 21st century;
• Three cross sector panels that will explore the themes of "mining and sustainability", "women and mining", and "First Nation perspectives on the ethical values that define responsible mining";
• Peer reviewed papers and presentations on "Mining, Ethics and Sustainability" submitted in response to the program stream Call for Papers.

Submission of papers and case studies that explore the ethical responsibilities of mining and the capacity of mining to contribute to sustainable development are invited. For a list of relevant topics and themes and for submission details click here.

For further information, please contact Hilary Martin at hmartin@cbern.ca.