Lithium mining company Talison Lithium has announced the first Australian mine to undergo a third-party independent assessment against the IRMA standard for responsible mining.  

The Greenbushes Lithium mining operation in Western Australia (WA) will have the IRMA audit carried out by SCS Global Services, an IRMA-approved independent audit company. The two-stage process will comprise a desktop review (Stage 1) followed by an on-site audit (Stage 2). 

IRMA is a voluntary mining standard that champions best practice to protect people and the environment.  

The assurance process is in place to measure mines against a standard and is controlled by six stakeholder sectors: communities, finance, mining companies, nongovernmental organisations, organised labour and purchasers.  

Volunteering for the audit highlights Talison Lithium’s growing commitment to more transparent and responsible mining practices.  

Aimee Boulanger, IRMA executive director, said: “By volunteering Greenbushes for independent audit against the world’s most rigorous global mining standard, Talison is providing unprecedented transparency into the operations of an Australian mine. They are effectively putting themselves under a microscope and welcoming affected stakeholders to examine their mine and help them make their mine more responsible”. 

Talison has welcomed any potential changes that come with the audit.  

Ian McGuire, interim managing director, Talison, explained: “We care about a better future – and we know our stakeholders do as well... we want them to know we are committed to responsible mining and production practices.  

"To achieve this, we need to provide those affected by our mine with the information they need to engage in meaningful dialogue about where Talison is achieving best practice, and where there is more work to be done. That is why we are conducting an IRMA audit.” 

Located 250km south of Perth in WA, Greenbushes has been a leading Australian lithium mine for more than 40 years. 

Australia currently dominates global lithium production, accounting for 77,600 tonnes of the critical mineral in 2023, according to Mining Technology’s parent company GlobalData.