Water-Energy-Food Resource Book for Mining

The document introduces the WEF security concept to operationalize sustainable development in mining. It details a conceptual framework based on availability, access, supporting infrastructure, and supporting institutions/policies. The guide provides a review of existing sustainability indicators and introduces WEFsat-Mining, an Excel-based tool for stakeholders to assess current WEF status, identify mining influences, and determine mitigation or enhancement actions. It also outlines stakeholder engagement practices and a four-stage participatory scenario planning process for regional landscape investment.

• Mining operations can significantly impact water security through water withdrawals in scarce areas and the release of chemicals, heavy metals, and sediment. A primary risk is acid mine drainage (AMD), which occurs when ores containing sulphides are extracted.
• Mining can provide energy security benefits by catalyzing the construction of electricity infrastructure in rural areas, although the mine's own high demand can strain existing supplies and reduce reliability.
• Mining impacts food security by competing for land used in agriculture, altering soil composition via tailings, and potentially contaminating flora and fauna with heavy metals, rendering them unsafe for consumption.
• Economic benefits of mining, such as well-paid jobs and local procurement, enhance the purchasing power of community members, which in turn improves their ability to afford water, energy, and food.
• Mining projects often invest in built infrastructure—such as roads, bridges, sewage, and hospitals—that can benefit local communities and fill voids in underserved regions, with some estimates suggesting 60% to 80% of project costs are infrastructure-related.
• Mining can degrade natural infrastructure, such as wetlands and forests, leading to increased soil erosion, decreased water purification capacity, and higher vulnerability to weather-related risks in coastal areas due to mangrove loss.
• The WEFsat-Mining tool is a Microsoft Excel-based workbook that guides stakeholders through 10 worksheets to assess community profiles, WEF inventories, mining influences, and the identification of key actions and indicators.
• The document identifies a 'causality chain' where mining's environmental, social, and economic by-products lead to system changes, which then result in specific WEF security impacts.
• Effective stakeholder engagement is presented as a continuous process throughout the mine life cycle (exploration, development, operation, and closure) to prevent human rights infringements and manage the risk of community opposition.
• A proposed four-stage participatory scenario planning process for regional WEF security involves: (1) assessing current WEF security, (2) envisioning future landscape scenarios, (3) creating a regional investment strategy, and (4) transforming the system through action and communication.

APA

Huppé, G. A., Bizikova, L., Roy, D., Swanson, D., & Borden, C. (2015). Water-Energy-Food Resource Book for Mining. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/water-energy-food-resource-book-mining.pdf

Chicago

Huppé, Gabriel A., Livia Bizikova, Dimple Roy, Darren Swanson, and Carter Borden. Water-Energy-Food Resource Book for Mining. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2015. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/water-energy-food-resource-book-mining.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Huppé |first1=Gabriel A. |last2=Bizikova |first2=Livia |last3=Roy |first3=Dimple |last4=Swanson |first4=Darren |last5=Borden |first5=Carter |title=Water-Energy-Food Resource Book for Mining |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=September 2015 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/water-energy-food-resource-book-mining.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hupp2015waterenergyfood, author = {Huppé, Gabriel A. and Bizikova, Livia and Roy, Dimple and Swanson, Darren and Borden, Carter}, title = {{Water-Energy-Food Resource Book for Mining}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2015}, month = sep, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/water-energy-food-resource-book-mining.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }