International Council on Mining and Metals. Mining Principles
ICMM Mining Principles, 10 Principles, 39 Performance Expectations
The framework that defines how the world’s largest mining companies operate. Health and safety, environment, communities, governance, and how to demonstrate conformance.
The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) is a CEO-led organisation representing many of the world’s largest mining and metals companies. Its Mining Principles, launched in 2020, replaced earlier ICMM commitments and now define what membership requires. ICMM members commit to 10 principles and 39 underlying Performance Expectations, with mandatory third-party validation. For operators, contractors, and ESG analysts, the Mining Principles are one of the clearest external benchmarks for responsible mining behaviour.
What ICMM covers
The scope and focus of the standard in plain language.
10 Mining Principles
The Principles cover ethical conduct, decision-making, human rights, risk management, health and safety, environmental management, biodiversity, communities, lifecycle planning, and stakeholder engagement.
39 Performance Expectations
Each principle is supported by specific Performance Expectations, concrete commitments that members must implement. Examples: zero fatality target, GISTM conformance, climate disclosure, free prior informed consent.
Mandatory third-party validation
ICMM members are subject to external validation of their conformance with the Performance Expectations. Validation reports are made public.
Position statements
ICMM publishes position statements on specific topics, climate, water, biodiversity, mine closure, tailings, that elaborate the expectations on members.
Key obligations
What the standard actually requires of inspectors, operators, or duty holders.
Implement all 39 Performance Expectations
Members must demonstrate implementation across all Performance Expectations applicable to their operations. Partial conformance is reportable.
Health and safety: zero fatality target
Members commit to a target of zero fatalities and document the systems supporting that commitment. Critical control management is the dominant approach.
GISTM conformance for tailings facilities
ICMM members committed to Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management conformance for highest-consequence facilities by August 2023, all others by August 2025.
Climate change disclosure (TCFD-aligned)
Members must disclose climate-related risks and opportunities aligned to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures recommendations (now folded into ISSB).
Free, prior, and informed consent
Where operations may affect Indigenous Peoples, members commit to seeking free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) consistent with international human rights frameworks.
Mine closure planning from project start
Closure and post-closure planning must begin at project conception and continue through the operating life. Financial provisioning must be transparent.
Common pitfalls
Where inspectors and duty holders most often get caught out.
- !Treating Performance Expectations as a paperwork exercise rather than operational discipline.
- !Validation findings that recur cycle after cycle without remediation, investors and analysts notice.
- !Inadequate evidence base for claims, auditors will test inspection records, training logs, and incident histories.
- !Underestimating community engagement obligations, particularly around FPIC and grievance mechanisms.
- !Tailings governance gaps relative to GISTM after the August 2025 deadline.
- !Climate disclosure that lacks substantive scenario analysis.
How InspectAndGo helps with ICMM
- Field capture for environment, health, safety, and community observations across operating sites
- GPS-verified inspection records that support third-party validation
- Tailings facility surveillance templates aligned to GISTM
- Multi-language support for international operations across Australia, Latin America, and Africa
- Audit-ready trail of inspections, findings, and rectifications
- Multi-asset portfolio management for ICMM member operators with multiple sites
Related articles
All articles →ICMM Performance Expectations: The 39 Commitments That Shape Member Inspections
The International Council on Mining and Metals' Mining Principles drive site-level inspection regimes for all member companies, and increasingly, for their contractors.
Read articleMine Closure Plans: ICMM Integrated Closure vs State Requirements in WA, QLD and NSW
ICMM's Integrated Mine Closure Toolkit is the global benchmark, but every Australian state still imposes its own plan and bond regime on top.
Read articleICMM's Tailings Conformance Protocol: What Year-3 GISTM Reporting Looks Like
GISTM conformance was due by August 2023 for the highest-consequence facilities and August 2025 for the rest. Here is where the industry actually landed.
Read articleFrequently asked questions
Is ICMM membership mandatory?
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No. ICMM is a voluntary association of mining companies. However, for the major operators that are members, the commitments are binding within the organisation and externally validated. Non-members frequently face the same expectations from investors and customers.
How does ICMM validation work?
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ICMM members commission third-party validators to assess conformance with each Performance Expectation. The validation reports are published and the member is expected to act on findings. Validation runs on a multi-year cycle.
How does ICMM relate to GISTM?
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ICMM was one of the three sponsors of GISTM (with UNEP and PRI). GISTM conformance is now embedded in the ICMM Performance Expectations on tailings, with binding deadlines for member companies.
Who should know the Mining Principles?
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Anyone working with or for an ICMM member: contractors, consultants, technical service providers, supply chain partners. The Performance Expectations frequently flow down through procurement requirements and contractor management systems.
How does ICMM compare to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance?
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ICMM is broader (covers health, safety, environment, community, governance) while OECD Due Diligence focuses specifically on responsible mineral supply chains in conflict-affected and high-risk areas. Operators with OECD-aligned customers often need to satisfy both.
Build audit-ready ICMM conformance evidence
InspectAndGo gives operators and contractors a defensible field tool for environment, health, safety, and community observations.