SQM awarded environmental certificate for Chile lithium mine
- September 7, 2023
- Posted by: Quatro Strategies
- Categories: Americas, ESG & Renewable Energy, Mining & Metals
SQM, a major lithium producer, has announced that its operations in the Salar de Atacama salt flat in Chile have received IRMA (Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance) certification. This certification measures the environmental and social performance of mine sites based on rigorous standards set by the IRMA.
SQM achieved a score of 75 out of a possible 100 on the IRMA scale, indicating strong performance in various areas. However, it received low marks for its security arrangements and emergency preparedness. On the positive side, the company received high marks for its respect for biodiversity, fair labor standards, and noise mitigation.
This certification makes SQM the second company in Chile to achieve IRMA certification, following Albemarle, another major lithium producer. Albemarle received a slightly lower overall ranking of 50, with low marks in areas like community health and safety but high marks for greenhouse gas emissions abatement, among other factors.
IRMA provides third-party verification and certification of mining practices to protect human rights, communities, and the environment along the supply chain. Companies like Ford and BMW have joined the initiative, and it is favored by many electric vehicle manufacturers to ensure responsible sourcing of critical battery materials.
SQM’s CEO, Ricardo Ramos, expressed the company’s commitment to transparency and improvement by sharing the results of the audit. IRMA certification is significant in the lithium industry as it demonstrates responsible mining practices, which are increasingly important as demand for lithium, a key component in electric vehicle batteries, continues to grow.
Interested in learning more?
Sign up for Top Insights Today
Top Insights Today delivers the latest insights straight to your inbox.
You will get daily industry insights on
Oil & Gas, Rare Earths & Commodities, Mining & Metals, EVs & Battery Technology, ESG & Renewable Energy, AI & Semiconductors, Aerospace & Defense, Sanctions & Regulation, Business & Politics.
Read more insights
China’s overcapacity spurs EU-U.S. metals alliance
The European Union and the United States are moving to form a strategic “metals alliance” aimed at shielding their respective industries from the distorting effects of subsidised Chinese production, European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič announced on Monday.
The agreement, which comes as part of a broader EU-U.S. trade pact finalized in recent days, represents a significant shift in transatlantic cooperation on industrial policy and marks an escalation of joint efforts to confront China’s role in destabilizing global commodity markets.
Taiwan turns chip dominance into a diplomatic strategy
Taiwan is using its dominance in advanced semiconductors to deepen political and economic ties with democratic partners, presenting itself as an indispensable and trustworthy supplier for the artificial intelligence era. At the SEMICON Taiwan trade show, Taiwanese officials and industry leaders framed the island’s chip sector not merely as a commercial success, but as a strategic asset rooted in democracy, rule of law and cooperation with like-minded economies.
The message was carefully calibrated. Taiwan wants the world to recognize that its semiconductor ecosystem is essential to AI, cloud computing, defense technology and advanced manufacturing. It also wants to show that it is willing to share the benefits of that strength through overseas investment and supply-chain partnerships. But it must do so without weakening the central role of Taiwan itself, especially as the United States and Europe press for more production on their own soil.
Venezuela’s aluminum revival shows how strategic supply chains can reopen
The arrival of 15,000 tons of Venezuelan aluminum near New Orleans marks the reopening of a commercial route that had been dormant for eight years. It also provides an early test of Washington’s attempt to turn diplomatic influence in Venezuela into dependable supplies for American industry.
Heeney Capital and Mercuria have demonstrated that a shipment can move from the state-owned Venalum smelter to US customers under an offtake arrangement. Establishing regular deliveries and restoring production will require substantially more capital, technical work and institutional stability than completing this first transaction.