IGF Case Study: Mine Water Management

The case study emphasizes that because mining is a significant water user and potential contaminant source, governance must occur at the watershed scale rather than the individual user level. It highlights that climate change increases risks to water quality and availability through rainfall variability and extreme weather. The text notes that while legal frameworks are essential, challenges remain regarding the ownership of water as a common resource, mentioning an emerging trend of granting legal rights to nature in countries such as Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, India, and New Zealand. Specifically, Mongolia and the Antofagasta region of Chile are identified as jurisdictions that have implemented watershed-level management frameworks to balance mining's economic importance with water demands in arid environments.

• Mining operations require governance at the watershed scale because they are both significant consumers of water for processing and maintenance and potential sources of contaminants.
• Climate change exacerbates risks to water security by increasing temperature, rainfall variability, and the intensity of extreme weather events, which affects all users within a watershed.
• There is a growing legal trend of granting rights to nature, allowing rivers to litigate for damages caused by pollution or use, as seen in Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, India, and New Zealand.
• Mongolia and Antofagasta, Chile, have established watershed-level management frameworks to address the high water demand of mining in arid environments and mitigate conflicts with other users.

APA

Gillman,, J. H. (2021). IGF Case Study: Mine Water Management. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/igf-case-study-mine-water-management

Chicago

Gillman,, Jenifer Hill,Matthew. IGF Case Study: Mine Water Management. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/igf-case-study-mine-water-management.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gillman, |first1=Jenifer Hill,Matthew |title=IGF Case Study: Mine Water Management |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=14 December 2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/igf-case-study-mine-water-management |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gillman2021igf, author = {Gillman,, Jenifer Hill,Matthew}, title = {{IGF Case Study: Mine Water Management}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, month = dec, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/igf-case-study-mine-water-management}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }