National Mining Collaborations

CanmetMINING works in close collaboration with a range of organizations and institutions to ensure that the science and technology performed by the laboratories is not done in isolation and to ensure that possible synergies are exploited. The robust knowledge, expertise and capacity that CanmetMINING has built through its collaborative research and development agenda provides a unique opportunity to support other priorities within Natural Resources Canada, across the Government of Canada and to outside stakeholders. Below is a list of key areas where CanmetMINING offers specialized expertise, research and development, and services.

Advisory Committees

The Green Mining Initiative was endorsed by Mines Ministers at the 2009 Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference as a pan-Canadian initiative to improve the mining sector’s environmental performance, and to create green technology opportunities for Canadian businesses. CanmetMINING engages two key stakeholder bodies on the Green Mining Initiative:

• The Green Mining Initiative Advisory Committee provides advice to CanmetMINING to help shape the direction and priorities for green mining research, development and innovation. The Green Mining Initiative Advisory Committee is CanmetMINING’s main advisory committee and the mechanism it uses to ensure alignment with the mining industry and other stakeholders, and to foster collaboration in areas of common interest.
   
• The Green Mining Initiative Intergovernmental Working Group Subcommittee is composed of members from federal, provincial and territorial governments. It provides advice, strategic direction and helps guide the work related to the Green Mining Initiative, aligning federal, provincial and territorial activities and strengthening linkages with other initiatives.

CanmetMINING has also created Steering and Technical Committees consisting of stakeholders to oversee its Rare Earth Elements and Chromite program and works closely with these committees to deliver the program.

Mine Environment Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program and the National Orphaned and Abandoned Mines Initiative (NOAMI)

CanmetMINING has solid expertise in building and coordinating multi-stakeholder initiatives, such as the Mine Environment Neutral Drainage (MEND) Program and the National Orphaned and Abandoned Mines Initiative (NOAMI), to address environmental issues of national concern and to obtain information for formulating sound policy.

Acidic drainage has been long recognized as the largest environmental liability facing the Canadian mining industry and to a lesser extent the public through abandoned mines. Formed in 1989, the MEND Program was the first international initiative to develop scientifically-based technologies to reduce the effect of acidic drainage. This multi-stakeholder consortium has partners from industry, government and environment organizations. The MEND collaborative research program has reduced the liability by several hundreds of million dollars and established Canada as the recognized leader in research and development on acidic drainage for metal mines.

MEND’s activities are jointly funded by the federal government and the mining industry through The Mining Association of Canada, and are administered by the Secretariat at CanmetMINING. More information about MEND can be found at the MEND web site.

NOAMI assesses key issues for orphaned and abandoned mines, and puts forward recommendations as to collaborative approaches and partnerships for remedial programs across Canada. Created in 2002, NOAMI is a co-operative program guided by an advisory committee that brings together the mining industry, federal/provincial/territorial governments, environmental organizations and First Nations. The advisory committee assesses key issues and puts forward recommendations and collaborative approaches for remediation of mines across Canada.

NOAMI’s activities are jointly funded by the government partners and mining organizations, and is administered by the Secretariat at CanmetMINING. NOAMI activities and publications are available on the NOAMI web site.