Page 45 - Vol 33 Issue 34 2021

mining

information is of key public interest because of that aim to address ESG challenges explicitly, will enable companies to go beyond focusing
the importance of extractive revenues for many reputational damage and negative financial dis proportionately on environmental impacts
resource-rich countries in meeting socio-economic implications could be avoided. and to manage equally important social and
de ve lop ment goals. governance risks both within the company and in
This is precisely why the Extractive Industries The positive ripple effect the broader operating context. This will require
improve and promote transparency in the ex trac- of ESG engagement comprehensive assessments of evolving and
Trans parency Initiative (EITI), a tool designed to
complex ESG risks. But the reward is that ESG-
tive industries, should be utilised more effectively Evidently, having a robust ESG due diligence cognitive investment and operational strategies
in this regard, and be fully integrated into the ESG process in the extractives industry is complex will result in appropriate and meaningful long-
ambit. Though the implementation of the EITI but critical. All mining companies should strive term returns for firms, states and citizens.
requires improvement, particularly in the area of for continuous improvement in the management
accountability mechanisms, its comprehensive of ESG issues. This is where the real impact and Busisipho Siyobi is the lead researcher
reporting guidelines and standards can be potential for sustainable development reside in the Natural Resource Governance
utilised to achieve transparency in the industry. - in addressing ESG issues more proactively. Programme at GGA.
While there is now a plethora of ESG frameworks
to assist with assessing ESG performance in the Moreover, the expansion of the social and
governance dimensions of ESG frameworks
extractives industry, the RMF research mentioned
above found that ESG due diligence systems
are limited. Too many extractive companies fail
to identify and manage risks in their operating Safety is Gold in African Mining Industry
environments, such as human rights abuses, illicit
financial flows, and environmental impacts. One AMETEK STC has decades of experience in safety and measurement instrumentation within mining, oil and gas, quarries, and chemical
industries. AMETEK STC brands, such as Gemco, Drexelbrook, and Hunter Spring, secure the ROI by lowering the downtime, by securing
major shortcoming is a general lack of formal the production machinery and by making mining applications safer for the personnel.
systems within companies to ensure supplier
compliance with ESG-related standards. Such
systems would entail robust engagements with
suppliers or commissioning third-party audits of
high-risk suppliers.
Class action in the DRC ­
a cautionary tale

For example, looking back, International Rights
Advocates (IRA) (2019) brought a class-action
law suit against Apple, Google, Dell, Microsoft
and Tesla in December 2019 over child labour
in cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of
Con go. The IRA promotes human rights and ac-
countability through legal advocacy and capacity

building. The organisation claimed that the Rotary Limit Switch Linear Displacement Transducer

technology companies “aided and abetted” a Gemco rotating limit switches • Oil-, water-, and dust-tight Gemco hydraulic cylinder po- • Programmable Zero & Span
prevent overtravel on hoists
• Gear ratios 5:1 to 1080:1
• Linearity +/- 0.04%
sition monitoring. Is ideal for
supply chain for cobalt, used in smartphones or cranes. Avoid wasted hours • Independent cam settings mining hydraulics machinery. • 30G vibration resistance
and electric vehicles, that forces children to work on downtime due to mechani- Rugged and durable con- • 1000G shock resistance
struction exceeds competitive
cal failure as well as human
in dangerous mining conditions. This resulted misjudgment. offerings.

in the deaths of Congolese children. The IRA
represented 14 affected families.
The companies in question collectively dis- Radar Level Measurement

mis sed the child labour lawsuit, claiming that Grounding Reel • Up to 100 feet Drexelbrook contact-free level measurement
Heavy duty reels are life cycle
they have no control over mining companies tested to 5,000 cycles and all • -54 to +52°C with high accuracy. Radar level transmitters
and the conditions associated with the resource bearing surfaces are permanent, • Resistance less than 10 Ohm are ideal for dusty environments such
as sand or limestone on conveyor belts
self-lubricating.

ex trac tion in question. Moreover, they argued Manufactured by Hunter Spring. or in silos.

that their global supply chains did not fall • Oil-, water-, and dust-tight
• Up to 150°C
under the scope of the Trafficking Victims Pro- • 3 year warranty
tections Reauthorisation Act. This is a matter of
in adequate supplier due diligence and a lack of Gemco, Drexelbrook, and Hunter Springs are a part of AMETEK STC. Contact us to find out how we can improve the safety in your process.
re quisite knowledge of the contexts in which the Position monitoring, brakes and safety Level Measurement in oil, chemicals, World-class flat springs and high
mi neral ingredients for companies’ products are instruments from Gemco and Catrac. wastewater, and dusty silos. quality power and grounding reels.
ex tracted. A case of this nature questions the www.factoryautomation.com www.drexelbrook.com www.hunterspringandreel.com

effectiveness of ESG integration in companies’

day-to-day operations and long-term investment
strategies. With robust due diligence processes
AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol33 Issue 34 2021 | 45