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Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) Awards

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Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) Awards

Celebrating excellence and leadership in sustainable development

Origins and Conditions

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Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) Awards acknowledges companies, facilities and individuals that have implemented projects and initiatives to expand and promote sustainable development within the mining sector.

The awards will be presented in the following categories. 

  1. TSM Community Engagement Excellence Award
  2. TSM Environmental Excellence Award

TSM Community Engagement Award

The award shall be given to a mine or metallurgical site currently participating in and publicly reporting TSM performance in recognition of an innovative achievement in community engagement that took place within the last three years and whose contribution meets one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Innovative approaches to engage with communities of interest and ensure that communities of interest have a legitimate voice in the company’s decision-making process;
  2. Collaboration with communities of interest to address common community goals;
  3. Initiatives to address a specific need identified by the local community;
  4. Creative and/or innovative initiatives in which a large impact is made with a strategic investment;
  5. Unique approaches to health and safety initiatives for employees, contractors and communities;
  6. Initiatives intended to provide lasting benefits to local communities through self-sustaining programs that enhance the economic, social, educational and health aspects of a community;
  7. Collaboration with governments and communities to support and encourage community development programs.

TSM Environmental Excellence Award

The award shall be given to a mine or metallurgical site currently participating in and publicly reporting TSM performance in recognition of an innovative achievement in environmental leadership that took place within the last three years and whose contribution meets one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Collaboration with communities of interest and local conservation groups to protect vulnerable ecosystems and enhance biodiversity;
  2. Investments in renewable technology;
  3. Initiatives that enhance, through research, information sharing and/or partnerships, the industry’s understanding of and contribution to environmental protection, science and traditional knowledge;
  4. Procurement and supply chain management practices that incorporate environmental criteria;
  5. Innovative initiatives that contribute to environmental awareness, preservation and reclamation through education;
  6. Projects that exemplify the TSM Guiding Principles with associated regard for the environment;
  7. Innovative projects that have resulted in substantial improvements to the environment;
  8. Initiatives that establish a best practice that can be or has already been adopted across the industry to improve environmental performance.

Requirements and Conditions

  1. A mine or metallurgical site’s most recent TSM performance results will be a heavily-weighted factor in the selection process. Recipients of this award will have completed at least one cycle of TSM external verification.
  2. Normally, not more than one award may be made in any given year. In the event of extraordinary nominations, consideration may be given for more than one award.
  3. All nominations must be accompanied by:
    – A complete description of the meritorious achievement.
    – A justification of its leadership value and its potential impact on environmental and/or social practices in the mining sector.
    – At least one letter of support or endorsement from a relevant community of interest.
    – TSM performance scores provided by MAC or an appropriate provincial mining association.
  4. The CIM Chief Executive Officer shall refer each nomination to the TSM Awards Selection Committee.
  5. The Committee's selection shall be reported to CIM Council no later than the last Council meeting held prior to the annual CIM Convention at which the presentation is expected to be made.
  6. The members of the TSM Awards Selection Committee shall not be party to the nomination of any candidate.
  7. The award shall be presented by a MAC representative at the annual CIM Convention. In the event that the sponsor is not available the award shall be presented by the current CIM President.
  8. All nominations properly presented, and not selected as award recipients for that particular year, shall be carried forward for the next two years unless formally withdrawn. If a nomination is carried forward, the most recent year of TSM performance data will be taken into consideration. Nominees will be provided an opportunity to update their submission for reconsideration the following year.

Recipients

There is only one recipient of this award each year. This award may be given to an individual or an organization.

Winners

2024

Eldorado Gold, Lamaque—Community Engagement

Eldorado Gold Québec, a subsidiary of Eldorado Gold Corporation, operates the Lamaque underground gold mine, located in Val-d'Or in Abitibi-Témiscamingue in northwestern Quebec. Having reached the commercial production phase in March 2019, Eldorado Gold Quebec is a growing mining company that employs more than 500 employees and 200 contractors. Its commitment is to collaborate with local communities to contribute to the development of the economy as well as to create opportunities and a lasting legacy. 

2024

Agnico Eagle LaRonde Mine—Environmental Excellence

Transition to filtered tailings management 

Since 1988, the LaRonde Complex had been utilizing slurry tailings deposition, reaching maximum storage capacity over the years. Seeking additional storage space became imperative, and after a comprehensive study and stakeholder consultation, a decision to transition to filtered tailings was made. LaRonde is the first Canadian mine to complete the transition of stacking tailings on top of slurry beaches inside of existing tailings storage facilities. Through various key innovations, this approach will help to reduce the environmental footprint, minimize risk, support reclamation, and improve cost management. These tangible outcomes reaffirm Agnico Eagle’s commitment to sustainable and responsible resource management.