Balancing Extraction and Ecosystem Revival: The Next Frontier in Responsible Mining

Onwusa Benson Olayinka

The global transition to clean energy is quietly reshaping the mining industry, with demand for critical minerals and rare earth elements, which are essential for battery storage, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar technologies, rising rapidly.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), demand for minerals used in clean energy technologies could more than quadruple by 2040 as governments accelerate the shift from fossil fuels, pledge to expand renewable energy capacity, and increase their share of global generation from 30 per cent in 2022 to 60 per cent by 2030. 

This surge in demand places extractive industries under unprecedented scrutiny. Once largely judged by output, mining companies are now increasingly assessed on how responsibly they manage the ecosystems in which they operate. As production expands, so do the environmental complexities surrounding land use, water resources and biodiversity. With the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems worldwide, approaching its final point, the challenge facing the sector is clear: how to balance resource extraction with credible ecosystem recovery.

Balancing Extraction and Revival: The SROL Model

As climate risks intensify and the timeline for the UN Sustainable Development Goals narrows, the real test for the mining sector becomes less about compliance and more about execution: how can operators turn ambition into measurable environmental impact? At Segilola Resources Operating Limited, Nigeria’s first large-scale gold mine, we approach environmental stewardship as a life-of-mine commitment, integrating restoration into every stage of operations rather than treating it as a phase-specific task.

Before extraction, we conduct detailed Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and baseline studies, establishing a “No Net Loss” strategy to safeguard biodiversity. During operations, we deploy real-time monitoring and materiality-led mitigation plans to manage energy, emissions, and waste. Post-extraction, closure plans are embedded into current operations, ensuring land reclamation and stabilisation occur concurrently with mining rather than as an afterthought. This proactive stance mitigates long-term liabilities and strengthens our Social Licence to Operate (SLO).

Water management exemplifies our approach, prompting programs such as the Water Reclamation Project, where we maximise resource circularity, significantly reducing freshwater withdrawal and alleviating water stress in our host communities. In 2024, our total water demand was 1,479.3 ML, yet we withdrew only 337.6 ML of fresh water. The remaining 77 per cent, over 1,141 ML, was reclaimed and reused from our Tailings Management Facility, significantly reducing stress on local water resources. Similarly, we preserve topsoil and reintroduce indigenous species and cash crops for immediate vegetative regeneration, providing ecological benefits even before closure. Adaptive management has been key, with our environmental and production teams collaborating continuously and adjusting strategies in real time to balance operational efficiency with evolving ecological realities.

When Restoration Is Not Enough

Even the most robust restoration cannot fully compensate for economic disruption in host communities. That’s why our Livelihood Restoration Programs (LRPs) go beyond aid to create self-sustaining enterprises. Launched in 2021 after a detailed needs assessment, these programs focus on viable, community-driven ventures. For instance, our Ifesowapo Cooperative Society fish farm produced 18,500 kg of fish in 2024, generating $42,461 and empowering 45 Project-Affected Persons (PAPs). Our Agbelere market garden yielded over 20,000 kg of vegetables, generating nearly $8,000. In 2025, we further strengthened agricultural resilience by donating 28,400 high-yield cocoa seedlings and 2,100 oil palm seedlings, along with fertilisers, pesticides and other essential farming inputs, to Project-Affected Persons (PAPs) across the three host communities. These initiatives reduce reliance on aid, build local capacity, and generate economic stability, all of which are crucial for long-term community support and a robust social licence to operate.

Future of Successful Environmental Stewardship

Success requires rigorous, data-driven monitoring to track emissions, energy, water use, waste, and biodiversity. So, we combine daily internal tracking with quarterly audits from third-party experts and regulators to ensure transparency and accountability.

Through these practices, environmental stewardship and social impact are no longer side projects; they are core business imperatives. In 2024, our water reclamation rate reached 77 per cent, and by 2026, we aim for 90 per cent. We have also reduced emissions intensity by 57 per cent between 2021 and 2025 (from 1.15 tCO2-e/oz to 0.49 tCO2-e/oz), positioning us favourably for future carbon credit markets. Combined with our LRPs, these measures enhance operational resilience while delivering tangible benefits to communities.

Ultimately, the future of responsible mining will be measured not only by the minerals extracted but by the net-positive environmental and economic impact it leaves behind. Achieving this requires holistic planning, integrating sustainability into core operations, and a shared commitment to ensuring that extraction today does not compromise the livelihoods and ecosystems of tomorrow.

.Onwusa Benson Olayinka is the Sustainability officer, Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL)