IGO SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020

BETTER RECOVERY Proactively Green mining is characterised by improved recovery of the valuable metals from ore. Target metals are generally extracted from ore by means of metallurgical processes. These processes are not 100 per cent efficient, but new technologies will improve these outcomes. The IGO Process™ is a new and innovative concept we have developed to produce high-quality nickel sulphate directly from nickel sulphide concentrate, which is more environmentally friendly, lower cost and more efficient with extraction rates in excess of 97 per cent for nickel and cobalt. This opportunity is aligned with IGO’s efforts to continue exploring value creation from downstream processing aligned to clean energy through potential partnerships and collaborative industry opportunities leveraging off the technology. Our progress • IGO Process TM . Read more on page 90 and our website. • IGO is a core participant in six projects of the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre (FBICRC). Program 2 – Process Legacy, will drive improvements in recovery and maximise economically viable co-products. This collaborative partnership ensures IGO will be at the forefront in battery innovation and recovery technology. Read more on page 91. BETTER REHABILITATION AND MINE CLOSURE Proactively Green mining will be characterised by effective mine closure. We must close mines at the end of their economically viable and operational lives more effectively, relinquishing to acceptable and approved land uses. Where the land was once a natural system, we must also restore ecological functionality or provide for adequate offsets. This process will further enable ongoing research and stakeholder engagement. Mine closure planning must be integrated into operational thinking and planning and occur at all stages of a mine’s life cycle. Our progress • Completed erodibility testing and modelling of the tailings storage facility and waste rock dump at the Nova Operation in FY20, to better understand landform stability and inform closure planning • Completed a gap analysis of the existing Mine Closure Plan (MCP) at our Nova Operation in FY20, to understand the current knowledge gaps and establish a future work plan. • Ongoing participation in the Curtin University Topsoil Health study, determining how the diversity, abundance and activity of soil microbes within topsoil stockpiles is influenced by factors such as storage time, and the potential impacts on rehabilitation and mine closure. • Key contributor to the Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute Framework for Developing Mine-site Completion Criteria in Western Australia. This project was carried out to support the prioritisation of data collection and monitoring activity to enable the development and assessment of completion criteria. BETTER USE AND REUSE Proactively Green mining is characterised by the preferential sale of our products to those users who manufacture clean energy technologies and products that are either reusable or recyclable. It is also characterised by better ways of managing our inputs and minimising waste streams. Our progress • I-GO Green Waste Reduction Initiative – waste reduction program at Nova, which established three new sustainable waste pathways and recycled over 46 tonnes of waste destined for Nova landfill within the first six months. Read more on page 59 • Elimination of all single use plastic waste in the Nova catering areas. • In FY20, we sought greater transparency of our product end use by engaging our customers to understand the final application of our products. Our customers have confirmed, or indicated through their public disclosure, that approximately 75 per cent of our total nickel product is  supplied directly into the downstream battery manufacturing market. • Developed all-of-site accurate water balance at our Nova Operation. IGO SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020— 31 30 — IGO SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 PROACTIVELY GREEN