Responsible Minerals Initiative Updates and New Template Releases for 2022

This fall, the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) made several changes and released new tools to collect information and perform due diligence on smelters. These changes and tools support RMI’s Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP), which is responsible for reviewing disclosures to maintain current smelter lists, auditing existing smelters for RMI conformance, and assisting companies in maintaining a supply chain free from conflict minerals.

Russian Smelter Audits Suspended Due to Ongoing Conflict
On September 19, RMI suspended all assessments of Russia-based smelters. This directly impacts the inclusion of these smelters on the public RMAP conformance and active smelter lists. Any Russia-based smelters on the active or conformant list will be effectively removed from these lists by January 31st, 2023.

RMI Releases Two New Reporting Templates
RMI has incorporated its cobalt and mica reporting templates into the new Extended Materials Reporting Template (EMRT) as of November 4th, 2022. The EMRT now replaces the former cobalt and mica reporting templates, which were phased out on March 31st, 2022. There is no regulatory requirement for the disclosure of cobalt and mica via EMRT, or otherwise at this time.

The Pilot Reporting Template (PRT), released on November 9th, 2022, allows for the disclosure of up to ten nonspecific minerals while capturing supplier response rate and a smelter list. This new and free reporting template was designed to reveal previously unknown smelters and sources for minerals within any supply chain. The PRT strengthens due diligence per the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines and supports RMAP via the identification of new smelters, refiners, and processors.

As these Responsible Minerals Iniative updates and New Templates released incentivize smelters to more closely examine and maintain compliance within their organization and within their supply chains, please continue to follow the QPoint Technology blog for more news regarding the Responsible Minerals Initiative and other updates to the ever-changing landscape of regulatory compliance.