Dalradian has published its third Responsible Business Report (2021) providing an overview of the company’s environmental, social and governance activities and performance. The report includes an update on the project’s progression through the planning system as well as key metrics illustrating Dalradian’s long-term commitment and responsible approach to modern mining.
Key achievements for 2021 included:
- Certification as Carbon Neutral Plus for the third consecutive year
- Support for charities and community organisations surpassing £1 million
- Seven staff members celebrated 10 years of service
- In continued exploration for a broad range of minerals across the company’s prospecting licences, some 90% of landowners gave permission for land access, across a number of villages and townlands, including Mountfield, Mullaghnafye, Loughmacrory and Drumnakilly
- 382 internal and external environmental inspections, no instances of environmental or health and safety non-compliance
- Carbon emissions were reduced by 66.8% measured against the baseline year (2019) and by 16.6% compared to the previous year.
Patrick F.N. Anderson, Dalradian’s President and CEO, said:
“We are delighted to publish our third Responsible Business report marking our commitment to developing a world-class carbon neutral mine, benefiting our community while maintaining a healthy environment.
“Our achievements to date have come about because of the efforts of the great team we have on the ground in Northern Ireland supported by the strong backing of our North American owners and management team.
“To date, our US owners have invested more than $360M in advancing the project and relationships have been developed with over 500 local suppliers. Building and operating the mine will see further investment of $1.3 billion and creation of more than 1,000 jobs. We have built the foundations for a new industry in Northern Ireland – a once-in-a-generation opportunity that aligns with government aims around securing mineral supply, levelling up and regional investment.”
Brian Kelly, Dalradian’s Managing Director, added:
“The report outlines our commitment to supporting the community, maintaining our environmental survey work to meet regulatory requirements and highlights the importance of mining and minerals in society’s shift to a decarbonized economy.
“The UK government’s recent publication of its first Critical Minerals Strategy is a vital first step in building up the region’s indigenous supply of the raw materials necessary for modern life. As the strategy continues to evolve with annual updates based on stakeholder feedback, we expect there will be increasing recognition that many critical minerals are only found in trace amounts and in association with other minerals, necessitating a broader approach.
“Throughout 2021, our efforts remained focused on advancing our application to build a modern underground gold-silver-copper mine through the Northern Ireland planning system. Former Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon, referred the planning application to the independent Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) for a Public Local Inquiry in September 2021. We welcomed this announcement and look forward to participating at the Public Inquiry.
“In addition to the community and environment, we are also committed to becoming one of Tyrone’s leading employers and have recently been recertified with an Investors in People Gold accreditation, scoring 2nd highest in our industry sector globally.
“Dalradian look forward to concluding the permitting stage of the project and delivering on the immense opportunities that the mine will bring to Tyrone and beyond.”
