Scoring commitment to community in Michigan

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Minerals Make Life

While officials at Rio Tinto know that minerals mines make good neighbors, they’re constantly working to more deeply evaluate how well the company addresses community concerns.

In order to “build community trust and confidence in our ability to construct, operate and close a world class mine in the Upper Peninsula, [Michigan],” Rio Tinto created the Eagle Mine Community Scorecard.

According to Mining Journal, the aggregate data from five initial community forums held in September indicated the company is meeting or exceeding expectations in all five survey areas: environmental performance; local hire; safety; transparency and communication; and “leave more wood on the woodpile,” which refers to the desire for the company to leave the community better than before.

Projects like Rio Tinto’s Eagle Mine are a great example of the sector’s commitments to safety, communities and the environment—all of which make mining a good neighbor.