Industry site visits, government meetings, and focused group discussions with communities have contributed to the development of the inclusive and practical framework outlined in this paper. SCRUTINY OF GLOBAL MINERAL VALUE CHAINS Regulatory Levers Governments deploy a range of regulatory levers to embed sustainability within mining and processing through effective monitoring and evaluation. Such levers typically begin with statutory clearances and impact assessments, followed by requirements on transparency, traceability, mitigation measures, and community benefit-sharing. It extends further to post-closure obligations, including rehabilitation guarantees, waste management protocols, and occupational safety standards. For example, Canada's Impact Assessment Act integrates indigenous knowledge and indigenous people's active participation in the project approval and impact assessment process. Resource-rich Global South economies are increasingly focusing on the development of socio-economic conditions and natural resources through increased downstream linkages and regional beneficiation. South Africa's Mining Charter 2018 is premised on equitable benefit-sharing and redressal of historical injustices. Chilean Law 20551 mandates mine closure planning across the mine lifecycle, backed by enforceable measures and guarantees to move closure from an end-of-life promise to a regulated lifecycle obligation. To strengthen the supply chain due diligence, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, 2010 (Section 13(p), 1502) compels US-listed companies to disclose the sourcing of conflict minerals; wherever applicable, issuers must also report the due diligence measures undertaken to verify the minerals' source and chain of custody. The EU's Conflict Minerals Regulation 2021 mandates that certain minerals (gold, tin, tungsten, and tantalum) be imported only from conflict-free sources. Recently, the EU introduced the "Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)," which mandates ESG disclosures to ensure that investors and stakeholders have consistent, decision-relevant information on companies' environmental and social impacts (Commission, 2025). The directive is being implemented between 2024 and 2029 and will apply not only to EU-based firms but also to non-EU companies operating within the EU. Several European countries are gradually enacting laws aligned with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Self-regulatory/Voluntary Imperatives In parallel with regulatory mechanisms, companies are increasingly leveraging voluntary standards as self-regulatory imperatives to differentiate their sustainability performance. Multi-sectoral initiatives and third-party assurances, such as the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), add another layer of credibility, rather than solely relying on corporate self-reporting. Mineral-specific standards such as the Copper Mark, 145
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