The Hardrock Mining and Beneficiation Environmental Management System Guide was jointly developed by a team of environmental professionals drawn from the membership of both the National Mining Association and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME).

The guide is a new tool to aid hardrock mining operations with managing environmental performance. The Hardrock Mining and Beneficiation Environmental Management System Guide includes eight steps covering initial implementation of the management system through to continual improvement stages. The guide is designed to provide useful examples and tools for each step of the process and addresses environmental impacts uniquely associated with the hardrock mining sector to improve a company’s environmental stewardship.