MEDIA RELEASE
Talison Lithium’s Greenbushes Lithium Operation Becomes First Australian Mine to Commit to IRMA Independent Audit
Perth, Australia — 7 August 2024— Talison Lithium Pty Ltd (Talison) proudly announces 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 its Greenbushes Lithium Operation for IRMA audit reflects Talison’s commitment to responsible mining practices and transparency.
Located 250 kilometres south of Perth, the Greenbushes Lithium Operation has been a leader in the Australian lithium sector for over 40 years. Renowned globally for its high-quality ore reserves, it is a key supplier of lithium, a critical mineral essential for the global transition to cleaner energy. Talison’s Greenbushes Lithium Operation employs more than 1,500 people, and is committed to engaging closely with its workforce, shareholders, and the local community to mitigate impacts and maximise opportunity as it continues to expand.
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 onsite audit (Stage 2).
“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” said Ian McGuire, Interim Managing Director, Talison.
“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”.
“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” said IRMA Executive Director Aimee Boulanger. “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 (6) affected stakeholder sectors – communities, organised labour, NGOs, finance, purchasers and mining companies – that controls the standard and the assurance process.
About Talison Lithium Pty Ltd: Talison, a wholly owned subsidiary of Windfield Holdings Pty Ltd—privately held by Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia (TLEA), a joint venture between Tianqi Lithium Corporation (Tianqi) and IGO Limited (IGO) holding 51%, and Albemarle Corporation (Albemarle) holding 49%—operates the Greenbushes Lithium Operation.
About IRMA: The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) offers a comprehensive and rigorous standard for ensuring mines operate responsibly with respect to social and environmental practices, providing a balanced governance structure that includes voices from communities, labour, NGOs, finance, purchasers, and mining companies.
For More Information:
Interested parties may contact the independent audit firm SCS Global Services, to share comments or to ask to be interviewed as part of the audit process. 30 days prior to the onsite audit, SCS will make its own announcement and invitation directly to local communities and workers. The audit firm can be reached by email at: feedback@scsglobalservices.com
For general information on the IRMA mine site assessment process, visit responsiblemining.net.
To follow progress of the IRMA assessment, visit the IRMA website for Talison’s Greenbushes Lithium Operation independent assessment status page.
For enquiries please contact Talison Lithium Pty Ltd at gbcontact@talisonlithium.com, or visit our website Talison Lithium.