Greenbushes hard-rock lithium mine to undergo Australia-first IRMA scrutiny

Talison Lithium Pty Ltd has announced that its Greenbushes lithium operation will be the first mine in Australia to undergo a third-party independent assessment against the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) Standard for Responsible Mining.

The decision to volunteer Greenbushes for IRMA audit reflects Talison’s commitment to responsible mining practices and transparency, the company says.

Located 250 km south of Perth in Western Australia, the Greenbushes lithium operation has been a leader in the Australian hard-rock lithium sector for over 40 years. Renowned globally for its high-quality ore reserves, it is a key supplier of lithium.

The IRMA assessment will be conducted by SCS Global Services, an IRMA-approved independent audit firm, and will include a comprehensive two-stage process: a desktop review (Stage 1) followed by an on-site audit (Stage 2).

Ian McGuire, Interim Managing Director, Talison, said: “We care about a better future – and we know our stakeholders do as well. Whether it be employees, the community, or customers, we want them to know we are committed to responsible mining and production practices.

“To achieve this, we need to provide those affected by our mine with the information they need to engage in meaningful dialogue about where Talison is achieving best practice, and where there is more work to be done. That’s why we’re conducting an IRMA audit.”

IRMA Executive Director, Aimee Boulanger, added: “By volunteering Greenbushes for independent audit against the world’s most rigorous global mining standard, Talison is providing unprecedented transparency into the operations of an Australian mine. They are effectively putting themselves under a microscope and welcoming affected stakeholders to examine their mine and help them make their mine more responsible”.

IRMA is (1) a voluntary mining standard describing best practices to protect people and the environment; (2) an assurance process to measure mines against that standard; and (3) an organisation equally governed by representatives of six affected stakeholder sectors – communities, organised labour, NGOs, finance, purchasers and mining companies – that controls the standard and the assurance process.

Talison, a wholly owned subsidiary of Windfield Holdings Pty Ltd – privately held by Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia, a joint venture between Tianqi Lithium Corporation and IGO Limited (holding 51%, and Albemarle Corporation holding 49% – operates the Greenbushes lithium operation.