Sustainable Bauxite Mining — A Global Perspective

Abstract

In 2008 the International Aluminium Institute commissioned its fourth sustainable bauxite mining report with the aim to collect global data on the environmental, social and economic impacts of bauxite mining operations and their rehabilitation programmes. The report shows that bauxite mining has become sustainable and land area footprint neutral;it is a relatively small land use operation when compared to most other types of mining. All operations have clearly defined rehabilitation objectives, fully integrated rehabilitation programmes, and written rehabilitation procedures. The rehabilitation objectives can be summarized as follows: “The bauxite mining operations aim to restore pre-mining environment and the respective conditions; this can be a self-sustaining ecosystem consisting of native flora and fauna or any other land-use to the benefit of the local community”.

Almost 80% of the surveyed mines are ISO 14001 certified for environmental management. Bauxite miners are actively engaging with local communities to support development through employment, infrastructure, training & social programmes and compensatory packages. Displacement and resettlement issues are limited for the bauxite mining industry in total, but of high priority at the individual level for the people that need to be displaced and relocated.