SUSTAINABILITY PLAN July 2021 - Auroch Minerals
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SUSTAINABILITY PLAN July 2021
Contents
1. INTRODUCTION______________________________ 2
2. OUR POLICIES________________________________ 2
3. ABOUT US 3
4. OPERATIONS OVERVIEW_____________________ 3
5. OUR SUSTAINABILITY PLAN___________________ 4
5.1 Sustainability Pillars_____________________ 4
5.2 Sustainability Goals_____________________ 4
5.2.1 Health and Safety_________________ 5
5.2.2 Climate Change__________________ 6
5.2.3 Environment_____________________ 7
5.2.4 People, Culture & Community_____ 9
5.2.5 Indigenous Partnerships__________ 9
5.2.6. Economic Sustainability__________ 10
5.3 Governance_____________________________ 11
5.4 Reporting_______________________________ 12
1. INTRODUCTION
At Auroch Minerals, we believe operating in a to ensure we plan for the implementation of
sustainable manner is essential to delivering sustainable practices across the company. We
the company’s core strategy and objectives. believe as early as project sanctioning, Auroch
In addition to achieving exploration success should achieve genuine, measurable and
across our portfolio of projects, we believe permanent improvements in sustainability
that putting in place a plan to become more practices in both the development and
sustainable will help create maximum long- operation of its projects.
term value for all our stakeholders, including
Accordingly, we have published this
shareholders, partners, traditional landowners
Sustainability Plan to set the foundations and
and the local communities in which we
framework for future development activities
operate.
across our nickel and base metal projects.
As a company focused on resource discovery
and definition, we have an ideal opportunity
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 2
“Whilst we are still an early-stage
exploration company, we have listened to
our stakeholders and believe it’s important
at the outset to put in place a framework
to ensure any future mine developments
are built and operated in a sustainable
manner. I am pleased to share our
inaugural Sustainability Plan with you”
Aidan Platel
Managing Director
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 3
2. OUR POLICIES
The policies that govern our values and standards and define how we operate include:
• Environmental Policy
• Risk Management Policy
• Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Policy
• Whistleblower Policy
• Diversity Policy
• Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy
3. ABOUT US
Auroch Minerals is an ASX listed explorer nickel metal at an average recovered grade
holding a highly prospective nickel sulphide of 2.99% nickel. The total area of the project
portfolio located within the Goldfields region tenure is 3,128ha and is only 70km from BHP’s
of Western Australia. processing plant at Kambalda.
The Saints, Leinster and Nepean Nickel Outside the core nickel portfolio, Auroch also
Projects are located in the Norseman-Wiluna has the Arden and Bonaventura copper-zinc
Greenstone Belt, arguably the best address projects in South Australia. These two projects
globally for nickel sulphide mineralisation. saw maiden drilling programmes during 2018
There is significant processing capability in with results from Arden confirming high-
the region, with BHP’s Mt Keith and Leinster grade SEDEX style zinc mineralisation, while
plants near the town of Leinster, Northern Star drilling at Bonaventura uncovered a previously
Resource’s Sinclair plant and Poseidon Nickel’s unknown base-metals mineralised system up
processing plant at Black Swan. to 1.5km long. Finally, the Torrens East Copper
Project is located in the world-class Olympic
Nepean lies roughly 25km south of the
Dam Province. The project is adjacent to the
township of Coolgardie and contains the
Torrens JV and close to BHP Group’s Oak
historic high-grade Nepean nickel sulphide
Dam West Project. Results from Oak Dam
mine, which was the second producing nickel
West have highlighted the area’s potential for
mine in Australia, producing 1,108,457 tons of
further major discoveries.
ore between 1970 and 1987 for 32,202 tons of
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 4
4. OPERATIONS OVERVIEW
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 5
5. OUR SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
We recognise that setting a framework to building and operating a mining project
sustainably is not only relevant to how Auroch impacts the environment and local
communities but is also vital to generating long term value for all our stakeholders.
Sustainability is central to Auroch’s corporate strategy and we have developed a pillared
sustainability plan to define ambitions, set action plans and track future performance.
5.1 Sustainability Pillars
1 Health and Safety: Safety and health are fundamental responsibilities we have towards
our workforce. Our strategies and practices today are based upon providing a safe and
efficient workplace and supporting our employees, suppliers and contractors to assume
responsibility for the safety and health of themselves and others.
2 Climate Change: Playing a role in the transition to a global green economy by
supporting the development of nickel sulphide resources and other base metals used in
applications such as the electric vehicle (EV) market.
3 Environment: Applying leading drilling and exploration techniques to promote
efficiency and minimise environmental impacts. We are committed to meeting or
exceeding environmental performance requirements outlined in permits and state
legislation.
4 People, Culture & Community: Attracting, developing and retaining a diverse, inclusive,
and competent workforce.
5 Indigenous Partnerships: Partnering with our local and host communities to share
value through the creation of local jobs and business opportunities. We are committed to
supporting indigenous stakeholders and respecting human rights throughout the value
chain.
6 Economic Sustainability: Generating economic growth and value for our investors,
employees, customers and communities through the drilling, discovery, definition and
development of nickel sulphide resources.
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 6
5.2 Sustainability Goals Policy strives to minimise hazards and
reduce risks to its entire workforce and the
Aurochs’ strategy is to drill, discover,
community in which it operates. We aim for
define and develop high grade mineral
zero incidents across all of our drilling and
resources to meet forecast deficits in key
operational activities by implementing the
commodities required to transition the
following functions:
world towards carbon neutrality by 2050.
• Workforce involvement in developing,
We specifically focus on high-impact nickel
implementing and reviewing the
sulphide (class 1) exploration opportunities
company safety management system,
in Western Australia given the geological
including the emergency plan, which
prospectivity for nickel sulphides within
defines objectives and targets;
the Norseman-Wiluna Greenstone Belt
as well as forecast nickel demand from • Compliance with legislative
electric vehicles (EV) due to (i) increasing requirements, Codes of Practice, and
battery capacity installation per car and (ii) standards;
preference towards higher nickel content • Ensuring adequate supervision, ongoing
batteries (e.g. NMC811). and relevant training and documented
Our sustainability plan provides a blueprint task procedures are implemented,
for how we will contribute positively developed and regularly reviewed, to
to the environment and communities improve task competencies;
where we operate while continuing to • Educating employees to share in the
build stakeholder trust, innovate, and play responsibility for the safety of themselves
a leading role in the energy transition and others in the workplace;
through discovery of nickel sulphide
• Selection of contractors and equipment
deposits.
which comply with corporate and
Our plan and pillared strategy is aligned regulatory safety standards;
to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable
• Periodic inspection of equipment for
Development Goals (SDG’s). The UN’s
safety compliance and appropriateness
SDGs were set in 2015 by 193 countries and
for the intended purpose;
comprise of seventeen goals that by 2030
are aimed to rid the world of poverty and • Provision of simple and effective
hunger and prevent the worst effects of communication systems;
climate change. In aligning our strategy • Risk assessment through identification
with the UN SDG’s, Auroch has considered a and response to hazards, near-misses,
mix of goals set by peers as well as outputs incidents and accidents reported;
from a third party ESG risk assessment tool.
• Structuring injury management
programs to facilitate employee return to
5.3 Health and Safety
work.
Safety and health are fundamental
• Providing a “Fitness for Work” policy.
responsibilities we have towards our
workforce. Our strategies and practices Sustainable Development Goals Impacted
today are based upon providing a safe and
efficient workplace and supporting our
employees, suppliers and contractors to
assume responsibility for the safety and
health of themselves and others.
Auroch’s Occupational Health & Safety
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 7
5.4 Climate Change first commercial applications for Li-ion
batteries emerged, initially in camcorders
Auroch today has minimal Scope 1
and eventually finding their way into
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions given
smartphones, laptops and the numerous
the company is primarily conducting
other portable devices we now take for
intermittent exploration activities through
granted.
drilling contractors. However, the company
believes it can play an important role The major advantage of using nickel in
in climate change by supporting the batteries is that it helps deliver higher
development of nickel sulphide resources energy density and greater storage capacity
and other base metals used in clean energy at a lower cost. Further advances in nickel-
applications such as electric vehicles (EV). containing battery technology mean it is
set for an increasing role in energy storage
It is common knowledge that nickel
systems, helping make the cost of each
and nickel-containing materials play an
kWh of battery storage more competitive.
important role in the technologies and
applications that are helping achieve At the time Auroch sanctions the
key environmental policy objectives, development of a mining operation, we will
such as reducing GHG emissions though monitor and report energy consumption
applications such as EVs. and activities, in compliance with the
National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting
Nickel has long been widely used in
Act. Furthermore, where possible, Auroch
batteries, most commonly in nickel
will look to incorporate renewable energy or
cadmium (NiCd) and in the longer-lasting
low carbon fuel sources to minimise Scope 1
nickel metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable
& Scope 2 GHG emissions.
batteries, which came to the fore in the
1980s. Their adoption in power tools and Sustainable Development Goals Impacted
early digital cameras revealed the potential
for portable devices, changing expectations
of how we work and live.
The mid-1990s saw the first significant
use of NiMH batteries in vehicles in the
Toyota Prius. Around the same time, the
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 8
vehicles, medical devices and cordless
power tools as well as store renewable
energy.
TODAY’S BATTERY CATHODE COMPOSITION:
OPTIONS ALUMINIUM 5% MANGANESE 10%
Lithium compounds are combined NCA* NMC**
with other materials in order to
create Li-ion batteries.
NICKEL 80% NICKEL 80%
Two of the commonly used Li-ion
battery chemistries contain nickel.
*NCA: Nickel Cobalt Aluminium COBALT 15% COBALT 10%
**NMC: Nickel Manganese Cobalt
ADVANTAGES
Source: Nickel Institute ENERGY
LESS SPACE LONGER LIFE STORAGE LIGHTER
NICKEL-
Source: NickelCONTAINING
Institute BATTERIES COME IN MANY CHEMISTRIES
AND OFFER THE HIGHEST ENERGY DENSITY ON THE MARKET
Wh/kg
Increasing nickel content in NMC
300 batteries increases energy density
Non-nickel-containing
250
Nickel-containing
200
5.5 Environment At the time Auroch sanctions the
150
100 development of a mining project, we
Auroch considers environmental protection
50 will be committed to measuring and
an integral part of its activities. We comply
0 reporting our impact on the environment
with allLead
applicable
Acid
Nickelenvironmental
NiFe NiCd
laws
LTO
and NMH LFP LMO NMC LCO NCA
Iron Nickel
Cadmium
Lithium
Titanium Oxide
Nickel Metal
Hydride
and
Lithium
will commence
Lithium
publishing
Lithium
Iron Phosphate Manganese Nickel Manganese Oxide
aCobalt Aluminium
Lithium Cobalt Lithium Nickel
for any future mining operation we are Oxide Cobalt
regular Sustainability Report focussed
committed to low Scope 1 & Scope 2 GHG
on environmental issues such as water
emissions.
usage (e.g. water consumed, recycled and
Today the company has minimal Scope 1 discharged), air quality, waste disposal,
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions however it land disturbance and if applicable, other
still applies leading drilling and exploration notable environmental risks such as tailings
techniques to promote drilling efficiency management.
and minimise the environmental impacts
Sustainable Development Goals Impacted
of its exploration activities. Longer term the
company is acutely aware that any mining
operation has the potential to be part of
the problem when it comes to hazardous
chemicals, pollutions and contaminations.
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 95.6 People, Culture & As a company we aim to provide a
gender-sensitive and inclusive working
Community
environment inside the company in order
Attracting, developing and retaining a to attract and retain female talent at all
diverse, inclusive, and competent workforce levels.
is important. Auroch employs new staff as
Sustainable Development Goals Impacted
required and has seen an increase in new
staff due to increased activity across the
company.
Auroch is committed to workplace diversity
and inclusion at all levels of the Company
regardless of gender, marital or family
status, sexual orientation, gender identity,
age, disabilities, ethnicity, religious beliefs, 5.7 Indigenous Partnerships
cultural background, socio-economic
Partnering with our local and host
background, perspective and experience.
communities to share value through
The Company recognises the benefits the creation of local jobs and business
arising from employee and Board diversity, opportunities.
including a broader pool of high-quality
Auroch is committed to developing
employees, improving employee retention,
and maintaining a positive relationship
better decision making, accessing different
with our local and host communities,
perspectives and benefiting from all
indigenous peoples and representative
available talent.
groups where we operate. We recognise
An area of current focus in the Western that the most critical partnerships, which
Australian mining industry is the under- underpin virtually all mining operations,
representation of women in mining from are those with host governments and local
the ore face through to the executive team. communities. Mining projects only proceed
In Auroch’s opinion, gender equality and once permission is granted by governments
the role of women in mining needs ongoing and increasingly, only once accepted or
attention. endorsed by local communities.
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 10To meet these commitments, Auroch the 2020 financial year, almost all of the
engages regularly, openly and honestly Company’s goods and services, by dollar
with people and organisations affected value, were procured with contractors
by our operations, ensuring that these based in Western Australia. Our economic
stakeholders are aware of our planned value distributed to the community
operations, the potential impacts of our amounted to A$2.3 million and included
operations, as well as environmental A$838,183 of payments to suppliers and
protection measures. This covers the employees and a further A$1,462,683 of
preservation of cultural and indigenous exploration expenditure. For further detail
heritage areas, conservation of flora and on the Company’s operational and financial
fauna, and protection of current and future performance, refer to our Annual Report.
land use.
Short term, the company strategy is to
We actively encourage community deliver exploration success from our
participation in our operations to foster portfolio of projects in an effort to provide
economic empowerment in our host a foundation for the development of a
communities. To that end, Auroch also has financially viable mining operation.
a preference to employing local contractors
We believe development of a sustainable
and service providers. For the 2021 / 2022
mining operation provides an opportunity
drill program, Auroch has used the services
to offer quality and well-paid employment
of Australia’s first indigenous owned and
opportunities, reduce informal employment
operated drilling contractor and a Supply
and even close the gender pay gap in local
Nation registered indigenous provider,
communities.
‘Seismic Drilling Services’. Supply Nation is
a leader in supplier diversity, established Furthermore, mining operations in regional
in 2009 to connect companies and communities typically result in considerable
government with indigenous businesses. infrastructure investment including the
construction of new road and air linkages,
Furthermore, in 2021 Auroch set aside a
the improvement of broadband networks,
capital budget to support local community
investment in power infrastructure and
initiatives and projects.
housing, and sometimes the establishment
Sustainable Development Goals Impacted of new schools, water and healthcare
facilities.
5.9 Governance
Management and Directors are responsible
and accountable for the effective
implementation, promotion and support
of the Code of Conduct in their respective
5.8 Economic Sustainability areas of responsibility. They manage
Generating economic growth and value business risks through sound business
for our investors, employees, customers process and high-quality decision making,
and communities through the drilling, following all applicable rules, regulations
discovery, definition and development of and standards.
mineral resources. The Board is also accountable for
Where possible, the Company supports monitoring the effectiveness of programs,
local manufacturers and suppliers for practices in relation to sustainability.
the purchase goods and services. During Occupational health and safety, risk
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 11management and social performance performance; and the human rights and
are standing agenda items at all Board security of communities, employees and
meetings. operations.
The Sustainability Committee, a committee The members of the Auroch Sustainability
of the Board, assists the Board by Committee are Mike Edwards
overseeing, monitoring and reviewing the (Sustainability Chair), and Aidan Platel
company’s practices and governance in (Managing Director).
safety; occupational health; sustainability;
environment; climate change; social 5.10 Reporting
Mike Edwards – Sustainability Chair
Mr Edwards has a Bachelor of Science (Geology) from The University of Western Australia and
Bachelor of Business (Economics) from Curtin University. He has over 20 years’ experience as
a senior manager in both the private and public sectors. He spent three years with Barclays
Australia in their Corporate Finance department and then eight years as an Exploration
and Mine Geologist with companies including Gold Mines of Australia, Eagle Mining and
International Mineral Resources. Since 2010, Mr Edwards has been consulting as a Geologist and
Corporate Advisor and is an Authorised Representative of Alto Capital. Mr Edwards is currently
Non Executive Chairman of Firefly Resources Limited (ASX:FFR), Non Executive Director of DE
Mem Limited (ASX:DEM) and Norwood Systems Limited (ASX:NOR). In the past three years, Mr
Edwards was a director of Digital Wine Ventures Limited (ASX:DW8).
Aidal Platel – Managing Director
Mr Platel is a geologist with over 20 years’ experience in the minerals industry, in both mining
and exploration roles across a wide range of commodities. Recently, Mr Platel has worked as
an independent strategic consultant focusing on project evaluation, prior to which he spent 12
years in South America in mining and exploration. He has a proven track record of exploration
success having discovered and developed several major deposits including the world-class
Santa Rita Nickel deposit (>1Mt contained Ni metal). Mr Platel is currently a director of Wildcat
Resources Limited. Mr Platel has not held any other directorships in the last three years.
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 12In accordance with this Sustainability
Plan, the Sustainability Committee will
commence Sustainability Reporting at
the time of sanctioning development of a
mining project. The Sustainability Report
will be based off the following reporting
standards:
• Adoption of the materiality identification
framework set by the Sustainable
Accounting Standards Board (SASB).
• Reporting climate change using the
framework approved by the Taskforce
on Climate Related Financial Disclosures
(TCFD).
• Integration of relevant reporting metrics
for the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
• Reporting relevant metrics and targets
to demonstrate our sustainable
approach to operations and becoming a
low CO2 producer.
• Reporting the impact of operations on
relevant UN Sustainable Development
Goals.
The information in this report that relates to
Mineral Resources and Exploration Results is
based on information compiled by Mr Aidan
Platel and represents an accurate representation
of the available data. Mr Platel (Member of the
Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy)
is the Company’s Chief Geological Officer and
has sufficient experience that is relevant to the
style of mineralisation and type of deposit under
consideration and to the activity being undertaken
to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the
2012 Edition of the ‘Australasian Code for Reporting
of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore
Reserves’ (“JORC Code 2012”). Mr Platel consents to
the disclosure of this information in this report in
the form and context in which it appears.
AUROCH MINERALS | Sustainability Plan | 13Suite 10, 38-40 Colin Street, West Perth, WA 6005 Telephone +61 8 6383 7817 Facsimile +61 8 6245 9853 www.aurochminerals.com
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