Mineral Exploration

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 75 A ME BC's Corporate Social R e s p o n s i b i l i t y ( C S R ) Committee has led several initiatives to raise awareness of and understanding about the role of CSR in mineral exploration and develop- ment. Recently, these initiatives have included community of practice sessions, learning events, and a Short Course and Show Case Session at Roundup 2015. Coming out of Roundup 2015, the CSR Committee wanted to know how to keep improving CSR learning opportu- nities for AME BC members and others in the industry. We developed the CSR Training Needs Survey and invited AME BC members to respond. More than half of the 116 respondents were from min- eral exploration and mining companies or companies providing services and sup- plies to the sector. Another quarter were individual prospectors, geoscientists, engineers or consulting firms. The survey asked respondents to rate nine aspects of CSR (environmen- tal stewardship, community health, occupational health and safety, human rights, local socioeconomic benefits, mitigation of impacts on communities, community and Aboriginal consultation and engagement, cross-cultural aware- ness, and employment/human resources practices). More than two-thirds of respondents picked either very important or critical for every aspect. More than 80 per cent of respondents chose either very important or critical for environmental stewardship, occupational health and safety, and community and Aboriginal consultation and engagement. We then asked respondents to rate their organization's need to improve skills in each of the same aspects as no need, some need, strong need or critical need. For all but human rights, some need scored highest, with at least 40 per cent of responses. Community and Aboriginal consultation and engagement recorded the highest response (32 per cent) for strong need. When asked to assess their current skill level, 61 per cent of respondents assessed themselves as competent but need advanced skills. No one saw themselves as starting from scratch. Our f inal question asked about t he likelihood of improv ing CSR skills through a variety of methods. Three methods (conference presen- t at ions, ma nuals/g u idebook s a nd informal discussions) are especially popular, with more than 90 per cent of respondents at least somewhat likely to use them to improve their CSR skills. ■ Susan Todd is the principal of Solstice Sustainability Works Inc. See pages 28 and 30 for CSR offerings at Roundup 2016. >> ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY E very spring, AME BC offers two workshops in work- place safety: "Exploration Safety for Management" and "Introduction to Exploration Safety." Each workshop lasts one day, with a break for lunch and networking. There are no prerequisites and no exams, and graduates receive a certificate after completing each course. The management workshop is for senior management and project managers. The agenda for the 2015 workshop included the following topics: risk management; sustainable safety cul- ture; liability and regulations; emergency response plans; haz- ard assessment, mitigation and prevention strategies; helicopter and drill safety, and contractor management considerations; fatigue management; and root-cause analysis. Managers have not only a moral obligation to ensure the safety of their crews, but also a legal obligation, says Matthew Pickard, vice-president, environment and sustainability, of Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. and former chair of AME BC's Environment, Health and Safety Committee. "It's important that managers take the time to understand the risks associated with exploration activities and how to control those risks." The introductory course is aimed at recently graduated geoscientists, field assistants and project geologists. Course con- tent includes interactive field-safety scenarios and strategies; the regulatory environment and what to expect from employers; rec- ommended traversing equipment for mountain and bush environ- ments; 4x4 and ATV driving awareness; potential bear problems and how to avoid them; and hypothermia and ice-water survival. Mike Gunning, president and CEO of Vancouver-based Alpha Exploration Inc., has presented "Safe Approaches to Traversing in Remote Areas," part of the introductory work- shop, for several years. He says it is relevant to mineral explo- ration that takes place far from human settlement, transpor- tation infrastructure and hospitals. "The talk outlines specific risks and hazards that students may encounter in the field," he explains. "Most importantly, it outlines approaches to safety that can be applied in any remote situation, emphasizing qualitative assessment and state of mind as opposed to a set of rules and specific techniques." Gunning says his safety workshop presentation is interac- tive. "It is a template to share and learn from each other's expe- riences in the field," he says. "Discussions are more common after my talks instead of questions." ■ >> CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Safety training workshops By Peter Caulfield CSR learning needs By SuSan todd

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