Mines can impact natural habitats, pollute underground and surface water systems and create negative impacts downstream, if carried out in an unsustainable way. Mines can pollute the air and cause poor health conditions. Mines can cause displacement of communities and might be carried out without complying with fundamental social accountability principles.
Sustainable mining is conducted in a manner that minimizes the impact on the surrounding environment, and leaves mine sites in an acceptable state for re-use by people or ecosystems. Consumers and processing companies purchasing products and raw materials from mines certified sustainable according to Friend of the Earth standards, contribute to conservation of our wilderness areas and natural resources, while reducing environmental pollution and respecting workers in the mines and all along the processing chain.