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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

2025

Agnico Eagle (Community Engagement)

Community Engagement Excellence

First Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) with Indigenous Peoples

Agnico Eagle’s inaugural RAP, which outlines 40 actions under seven pillars, was developed collaboratively with Indigenous communities, employees, stakeholders and rights-holders. It was the first of its kind published by a Canadian mining company and reinforces the Company’s dedication to fostering positive relationships and supporting Indigenous Peoples globally.

While various programs and initiatives to benefit Indigenous Peoples have been in place for many years across Agnico Eagle’s operations, the RAP represents an important step in integrating these activities into a central, comprehensive strategy. It serves as a tool to enhance the Company’s efforts toward reconciliation, enabling effective implementation, continuous monitoring and the flexibility to adapt as needed. Importantly, the RAP complements and strengthens Agnico Eagle’s existing efforts and partnerships, providing opportunities to learn, adapt and leverage successful approaches across its operations.  

2025

Rio Tinto (Enviromental Excellence)

Enviromental Excellence

Diavik Diamond Mine Solar Plant

Rio Tinto’s 3.5 megawatt capacity solar power plant at Diavik Diamond Mine is the largest off-grid solar power plant across Canada’s territories.

The 6,620-panel facility is expected to generate 4.2 million kilowatt-hours of solar energy annually, reducing diesel consumption at Diavik by one million litres per year and cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2,900 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This is comparable to removing 630 cars from the road each year.

The solar power plant will provide up to 25% of Diavik’s electricity during closure work, with commercial production at the mine expected to end in 2026 and closure to run until 2029. The facility is equipped with bi-facial panels which not only generate energy from direct sunlight, but also from the light that reflects off the snow that covers Diavik for most of the year.

The solar project complements a wind power plant at Diavik, which has been operating since 2012 and is the largest wind power installation in Canada’s North, having generated over 195 million kilowatt-hours of electricity since activation.

The project was supported by C$3.3 million in funding from the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant Program.

It is the first project in the Northwest Territories to benefit from funding from the Large Emitters Grant, which sets aside a portion of carbon tax paid by large operations such as Diavik for projects that commit to GHG reduction projects in the territory.

Construction began in February 2024, contracted to Whitehorse-based Solvest Inc. and the Indigenous-owned Tłıchǫ Investment Corporation, with support from Diavik. Approximately 30% of the construction workforce came from the Tłıchǫ Investment Corporation.