The BGS team comprises globally recognised leaders for knowledge and understanding of reliable data and research relating to mineral resources and supply chains. We work with a wide range of stakeholders to further understanding of responsible mining practices and the circular economy for all minerals, from bulk construction aggregates to critical raw materials.

Through fostering a better understanding and management of primary raw materials for global economic prosperity, our work enables stakeholders to implement transformative changes to meet sustainability goals and deliver informed decision-making.

The BGS has developed significant expertise in the application of the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) to resource and project classification and has developed resources and training materials to promote use of the UNFC. This work facilitates a better understanding of minerals endowment.

The BGS focus for the Centre is on understanding and implementing the principles of the UNRMS for good resource governance. We will do this via the development of international case studies where the effects of mineral extraction are most significant. Additionally, with a domestic focus on gathering data and knowledge on raw material supply chains we will develop models of how critical raw materials flow through our society and use these to identify where effective circular economy interventions may be possible.

The current work programme focuses on the following elements:

• Implementing good ESG in the extraction of lithium brines from the lithium triangle in South America. By working with local stakeholders, we aim to develop an understanding of the suitability of UNRMS principles for ensuring equitable resource extraction.
• Development of tools to enable sustainable sand extraction, integrating with UNRMS principles. Sand is one of the most consumed commodities globally, and its extraction causes significant negative impacts globally. BGS is developing new tools to monitor sand consumption and promote good governance of sand resources, for example: https://www.bgs.ac.uk/news/good-practice-for-sand-mining/.
• Sustainable mining in the Philippines. Evaluating the applicability of the UNRMS principles to provides insight into their suitability for monitoring and reporting sustainable practices in the Philippines. This assessment involves examining whether UNRMS principles align with the country’s specific environmental, economic, and social contexts, as well as its regulatory and governance frameworks.
• Expanding the content of the techmetals data observatory; https://techmetalsobservatory.org/index.html in the UK for critical raw materials with deep dives into specific CRM supply chains.
• Continued input into promotion and greater understanding of UNFC, including contribution to training tools in collaboration with the proposed European ICE-SRM and conducting training.