Mining, land, and our shared future

Keynote speech (as written) at World Bank Land Conference 2025 in Washington DC, USA.
Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO, ICMM

The least I therefore owe you, is honesty. And the honest truth is that despite many positive examples, the mining industry has not always treated land with the respect and care that it deserves. Saying this does not make me popular with some in the industry that I proudly represent – but let us remember that those who forget history are condemned to repeat it. 

And so today, I want to recognise and explore the reasons for the good, the bad, and the ugly outcomes for land and its people, plants, and animals as a result of mining. More importantly, I want to share why I’m more hopeful than ever of a bright future, with decent jobs and shared prosperity on a healthy, thriving planet. 

Let me start with two obvious facts: first, our lives are wholly dependent on metals and minerals. From our homes, cars, and gadgets to bridges, roads, and energy – minerals are the backbone of almost everything we touch, see, and use. 

The second is that they come from the land. Some, like diamonds can lie on its surface, others like gold and copper run deep into the Earth’s core. In essence, if it isn’t grown, then it is mined – and land is the source of both.

This explains why we have an estimated 25,000 mines operating today, producing the vital commodities that make our lives possible. And why in the coming decades, we’ll need hundreds of new mines to supply the critical minerals for the energy transition. 

What it doesn’t explain is why, for each one of the 25,000 active mines, there are estimated to be 6 abandoned or orphaned mines. Or why an estimated 23 million people live on land contaminated by metal mining. Or why 1 million square kilometres of the Earth’s surface is covered in mine waste.

How – and why – in producing these commodities, have we undermined the health of land - the very source of the minerals and of life? And more importantly, what can we learn from the past to ensure that the coming wave of growth in mining enables a safe, just and sustainable planet?

Here are my three key lessons for building that future - and inspiring, life-affirming, hopeful examples of each.

First, just because we can does not mean we should. Technology has turned mining into modern day industrial magic. We can literally move mountains and shift the course of ancient rivers. But should we?

In many cases, the answer will be yes – because all things considered, as a society we may reach consensus that the need for commodities and the opportunity for host countries to prosper, grow and develop means that mining should go ahead, with the least possible disruption to land, impacted people and nature.

In other cases, the answer must be no – because the price or risk is simply too high. This is why ICMM members have had a commitment for over 2 decades to not mine or explore in World Heritage Sites. These are places where the risk is simply too high, no matter how rich the resource or how great the need. Further, if ICMM members operate close to such a site, they are committed to doing so only if those operations don’t unduly impact the attributes of that site.

In some cases, the answer of whether we should mine can be a “yes and”. This is why ICMM members made a landmark commitment last year to contribute to nature positive outcomes. We have committed to protecting and preserving nature at our mine sites, in the landscapes where we operate, through our supply chains, and across the wider economy – grounded in a cornerstone commitment to ensure no net loss of biodiversity at all our sites.

The spirit of this commitment has seen companies like Vale protect 11 hectares of land for every 1 hectare disturbed by mining. And why Anglo American has made thousands of data points on biodiversity using leading eDNA techniques publicly available to advance our collective research and understanding of nature. And why Teck Resources protects one of the most precious and fragile ecosystems in the country of their flagship new mine Quebrada Blanca 2. 

These and countless other actions of ICMM members show how it is possible to mine in harmony with nature. 
The second lesson from the past and a principle for the future is that not everything of value has a price. Land is indispensable and often a major cost in mining, and so its price is closely scrutinised and debated, as it should. In doing so however, we must never lose sight of the intangible value of land, especially from the perspective of those who often don’t have a voice around the financial table. 

This is why in 2024, ICMM members reinforced their commitment to respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Through our updated Position Statement, we committed to obtaining agreement for impacts from our activities on Indigenous Peoples rights through a process based on human rights due diligence and meaningful engagement. We embrace this responsibility, independent of and complementary to, States’ duty to consult Indigenous Peoples in order obtain their Free, Prior and Informed Consent. 

Unfortunately, it took a tragedy to spark widespread change in this regard. The destruction of ancient aboriginal caves at Juukan Gorge in 2020 during blasting activities for iron ore mining was a watershed moment for a much-needed recalibration of the relationship between mining and indigenous peoples. 

While nothing can bring that ancient and invaluable cultural heritage, the company responsible – Rio Tinto - has sought to drive change. For instance, at its Western Range mine in Australia, the company has formed a pioneering co-management agreement with indigenous communities which will see joint decision-making in key areas, including environmental management and post-mine transitions.

This links to the third lesson and principle for the future, which is that land thrives when people thrive – and of course, vice versa. When mines are operated responsibly, their positive impacts in this regard are extraordinary. 

In 2024 alone, the 24 company members of ICMM directly supported 609,000 jobs between them – and potentially millions more indirectly. Behind those extraordinary numbers are lives transformed, children educated, and homes built. The $41 billion in wages and over $200 billion spent with suppliers show the power of responsible mining to drive jobs, prosperity and development. 

The industry is often the backbone of the development of host countries. In the last 10 years, for every dollar of profit that ICMM members made, they returned 36 cents to host countries in corporate income tax and royalty. From Chile to Botswana, you can trace the break-away growth of economies to responsible mineral-led development. 

But the story is less positive when it comes to periods post-mining. Too many mines were designed and operated without any plan for the land or host communities after the minerals have been extracted – leaving behind deep craters and hollowed out communities. Governments and the industry share accountability for these failures, and we must do better for the estimated 1000 mines that are due to close in the near future.  

To support this, I’m very pleased to use this special platform today to announce the launch of a critical resource. ICMM today has published a Handbook on Multistakeholder Approaches to Socio-Economic Transitions in Mining. It provides a practical, step-by-step guide on how a whole-of-society approach is both necessary and possible, to ensure healthy and thriving communities through every stage of mining. I encourage you all to read, use and share it widely.

An inspiring example of this approach comes from the Mpumalanga province of South Africa; a country and province rich in coal, but with among the highest rates of unemployment and inequality in the world. So, when ICMM member Glencore was planning for the closure of the mine in line with its commitment to responsibly run down its coal production, it took a creative approach to caring not just for the land, but the people who will remain there long after the mine has closed.

They partnered with Kellogg’s – the corn flakes producer – to create sustainable rural livelihoods through wheat cultivation. What’s more, they found that the responsible management of water resources meant that the wheat produced had higher than normal levels of Zinc – which helps counter the scourge of childhood malnutrition from zinc deficiency. A nice little reminder of our potential the next time you take a bite of your corn flakes!

Colleagues, in closing, let me return to basics. Land is the source of life, including the minerals our world depends on. Caring for it is not only our duty and obligation as a species, but also good for our businesses too. We have many examples of responsible mining, but far too many failures that have harmed the land, its people and the more-than-human species who we share this planet with. So, as we look to the future, by remembering that:

1. Just because we can doesn’t mean we should
2. Not everything of value has a price, and
3. Land thrives when people thrive 

We can ensure that our common heritage of land is the enduring source of our shared prosperity.

Thank you.