Gold miner Newmont has launched the Global Centre for Indigenous Community Relations to advance relationships between mining companies and Indigenous Peoples within the company and across the industry.
In a Feb. 2 news release, the company said the Vancouver-based centre would act as a way to “promote awareness, education and engagement between industry and Indigenous Peoples.”
“Newmont recognizes the special connection between Indigenous Peoples and the land, and that mining can affect this connection in some challenging ways,” said Tom Palmer, Newmont’s president and CEO, in the release.
“The entire industry has a great opportunity to learn and improve our practices. Through the centre, meaningful partnerships will be formed to create a space for dialogue and sharing with the aim of improving outcomes for Indigenous communities around our operations and act as a catalyst for improvement within the mining industry.”
The company said the centre would aspire to be a source for “dialogue, collected knowledge and shared experiences” with three areas of focus: partnership and learning network; respect for customs and culture; and opportunities for Indigenous people.
The centre will work with the Advisory Council on Indigenous Community Relations, a group of external experts who advise the Safety and Sustainability Committee of the Board of Directors. An internal working group comprised of diverse representatives from within Newmont will also share experiences, best practices and identify ways to improve collaboration.
In Northern Ontario, Newmont’s assets include the Musselwhite Mine, a fly-in, fly-out operation north of Thunder Bay; Borden Mine, located near Chapleau; and the Porcupine Mines operation, which encompasses Hoyle Pond underground mine, Hollinger open-pit mine, and the Dome processing facility east of Timmins.
