How can you ensure your sampling and assaying program is socially responsible?

1 Legal and regulatory compliance

The first and foremost aspect of a socially responsible sampling and assaying program is to comply with the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks of the country and region where you operate. This means that you need to obtain the necessary permits and licenses, follow the environmental and social impact assessment procedures, respect the land rights and cultural heritage of the local communities, and adhere to the international standards and guidelines for mineral exploration and reporting. By complying with the law, you can avoid fines, penalties, disputes, and reputational damage, as well as demonstrate your commitment to ethical and responsible mining.

2 Stakeholder engagement

Another key aspect of a socially responsible sampling and assaying program is to engage with the stakeholders who may be affected by or interested in your project. These include the local communities, the government authorities, the civil society organizations, the investors, the customers, and the media. By engaging with them, you can understand their needs, expectations, and concerns, communicate your objectives and plans, seek their feedback and input, address their issues and grievances, and build trust and collaboration. Stakeholder engagement should be an ongoing process throughout the project lifecycle, based on the principles of inclusiveness, transparency, respect, and mutual benefit.

3 Environmental protection

A third key aspect of a socially responsible sampling and assaying program is to protect the environment from the potential impacts of your activities. This means that you need to minimize the disturbance and damage to the land, water, air, flora, and fauna, as well as prevent and mitigate the risks of pollution, contamination, and waste generation. You can do this by applying the best available techniques and practices, such as using low-impact drilling methods, reducing water and energy consumption, recycling and disposing of materials properly, restoring and rehabilitating the sites after sampling and assaying, and monitoring and reporting the environmental performance.

4 Quality assurance and quality control

A fourth key aspect of a socially responsible sampling and assaying program is to ensure the quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) of your data and results. This means that you need to follow the protocols and standards that ensure the accuracy, precision, reliability, and validity of your sampling and assaying methods, procedures, equipment, personnel, laboratories, and reports. You can do this by applying the best practices and guidelines, such as using representative and consistent sampling techniques, calibrating and maintaining the instruments, conducting regular checks and audits, implementing corrective actions, and documenting and disclosing the QA/QC processes.

5 Social responsibility reporting

A fifth key aspect of a socially responsible sampling and assaying program is to report on your social responsibility performance and achievements. This means that you need to communicate and disclose the information and data that demonstrate how you have addressed the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues and impacts of your sampling and assaying program, and how you have contributed to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. You can do this by following the reporting frameworks and indicators, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), and the Equator Principles.