Sir Robert: We are not setting the agenda for society - we are reflecting society's priorities

The report looks at the most controversial problems of mining including its impact on poverty, the environment, protected areas, corruption and the management of mining waste.

GMI was created to specifically bring to the debate independent analysis of the issues facing the industry.

Social concerns

Modern mining companies spend large sums on repairing the damage they do.

Global Mining Initiative members

Anglo American BHP Billiton Codelco Newmont Noranda Phelps Dodge Rio Tinto WMC

Companies often provide hospitals, schools and other facilities for local communities but they have also realised that environmental awareness makes good business sense.

Among delegates present will be Sir Robert Wilson, chairman of mining giant Rio Tinto.

He told the BBC's World Business Report that he would like to talk regularly with environmental bodies such as IUCN, the World Conservation Union.

He said there would be action at the individual company level.

"We will be revising our statement of business principals - our code of conduct if you like," he said.

Rio Tinto has already started a series of sustainable development projects, "not only on new projects but effectively retro-fitting the philosophy to existing parts of our operations".

There will also be action at the industry level through industry associations - defining what the industry as a whole will be trying to achieve.

Sir Robert said the industry would be establishing a protocol sooner rather than later.

Classification sought

He explained that there would be a third stage involving areas of action between individual companies, industry associations and outside organisations.

He said he wanted to work with organisations such as IUCN to re-address the question of what sort of areas should not be open to potential mining exploration and development in the future.

"Present IUCN categories not sufficiently consistent at this stage," he said.

"But we are open to discussion and actively want to promote that discussion - to actually try and progress that sort of debate with a view to defining areas of acute biodiversity interests where development should not be contemplated."

Facing reality

It was important to define a classification system before even beginning exploration in certain areas, he said.

"This company has already foresworn development in Antarctica - obviously that logic can be extended to other areas of biological diversity and sensitivity.

"We have got to recognise realities. And the reality is that unfettered developments of the past... have led to unattended environmental and social consequences."

"We are also reflecting incidentally, changes in society's values because we lived in a very different world 30 years ago when I joined this industry."

The standards expected by individual companies in terms of the environment, and corporate and social responsibility, had changed.

"We are not setting the agenda for society - we are reflecting society's priorities," Mr Wilson added.