Part II guidance Notes Pillar I – Laws, Policies, and Institutions

MPF recommendations 
Guidance 
• 
Government should establish and closely monitor effluent discharge levels, including effluent 
streams from artisanal and small-scale mining activity. Improper discharge, especially in the 
form of acid mine drainage, is difficult and costly to clean up. Issues can be identified before 
they become catastrophic through careful internal monitoring (see the IGF’s 
Surface Water 
Monitoring for the Mining Sector: Frameworks for governments
, 2022). Proactive regulation 
of ASM activity will ensure that pollutants such as mercury (currently being phased out 
through the 
Minamata Convention on Mercury
), cyanide, and tailings are not improperly 
deposited or discharged to the environment. Refer to Pillar VI for additional guidance on ASM. 
4.2.3.c Require mining entities to 
protect groundwater from water-
leaching or percolating waste 
dumps, tailings storage areas, and 
leach pads. 
• 
As part of its environmental protection legislation and/or as part of its mine permitting 
process, government should require mining entities to ensure that water leaching or 
percolating waste dumps, tailings storage areas, and leach pads have sufficient protection, 
taking into consideration the impacts of climate change (e.g., increasing frequency and 
severity of weather events, such as flooding and drought).
• 
Waste dumps should be closely monitored because of the problems of acid drainage and 
stability, which are particularly important in areas that are prone to severe weather events 
and significant rainfall. The structural integrity of all dumps and storage areas should be 
closely monitored and protected, even after mine closure. 
• 
Government should act to reduce pollution, eliminate dumping, minimize the release of 
hazardous chemicals and materials, and help to reduce untreated wastewater. Governments 
may refer to the International Council on Mining and Metals’ 
Tailings Governance Framework: 
Position statement
 (2016) and the IFC’s 
Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines for 
Mining
 for further guidance. 
4.2.4 Establish robust 
mechanisms for monitoring water 
quality and quantity, that include 
regular inspections and analysis 
of reports; enforce standards 
with appropriate sanctions to 
ensure compliance with laws and 
regulations. 
• 
Government should establish regulations or permitting processes for the use of surface water 
and groundwater that involve strict monitoring and enforcement. Refer to the International 
Organization for Standardization (ISO) 
14001 and Related Standards: Environmental 
management
 for suggested standards.
• 
Tailings storage facilities failures can have significant adverse impacts, hence, environmental 
management standards regarding the location, design, construction, operation, inspection, 
maintenance, and monitoring must be strictly enforced (see the 
IGF Guidance for 
Governments: Environmental management and mining governance
, 2021). 
• 
Government should assign competent professionals or recruit independent technical 
reviewers for on-site inspections and review of reports submitted by mining entities.
• 
Government should impose sanctions for non-compliance through an established method of 
determining sanctions, with escalating violation categories. The regulatory framework should 
enable government agencies to legally apply pre-defined, objective sanctions. 
• 
Governments are encouraged to establish an accountability mechanism that is accessible and 
culturally appropriate where mining community members can file a complaint and seek 
resolution.