Gold Resource reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 38% as part of sustainability initiative

Gold Resource Corporation unveiled its 2020 Sustainability Disclosure Topics & Accounting Metrics overview summarizing its work last year to mine sustainably. 

Utilizing Value Reporting Foundation’s Metals & Mining Sustainability Accounting Standard rubric, the company outlined the progress on its sustainability performance in 2020 at its Don David Gold Mine in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Through this effort, the gold miner was able to make broad reductions in water use and greenhouse gas emissions while also increasing its tailing recycling. 

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“The team at Gold Resource Corporation holds itself accountable to the highest environmental, social and governance standards. Our commitment to acting responsibly and delivering excellence in sustainability allows us to deliver benefits to all our stakeholders, including our employees and local communities,” Allen Palmiere, President and Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. 

Highlights include: 

• A 38% decline in greenhouse gas emissions (or 23% decline related to tons of CO2 equivalent produced per tonne of ore processed);
• A 14.8% decline in fresh water withdrawn per tonne of ore processed;
• A 31% decline in the fresh water consumed per tonne of ore processed; and
• The percentage of tailings recycled through the paste plant rose to 26% from 5.7% in 2019

The Mexico-focused gold firm attributed the declines in tons of CO2 equivalent to the conversion to the electrical grid from diesel generating capacity. 

“We continue to focus on identifying opportunities to lower our power consumption and improve efficiency in this area,” the company said. 

Declines in water consumption were due to the installation of the paste tailings plant, which allows for water to be recycled back to the processing plant.

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Story by ProactiveInvestors