NEWS

Responsible Mica and Minerals Initiatives Collaborate to End Child Labor
and Improve Working Conditions

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RESPONSIBLE MICA INITIATIVE

Toward a Fair, Responsible and Sustainable Indian Mica Supply Chain.

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PROGRAMS

Community Empowerment

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ABOUT US

The Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) is a global coalition for action – putting policy into practice – comprised of multiple organizations committed to establishing a fair, responsible and sustainable mica supply chain in the states of Jharkhand and Bihar in India that will eliminate unacceptable working conditions and eradicate child labor by 2030.

mica

The term mica refers to the 37 phyllosilicate minerals that occur in a layered or plate-like structure. The most commercially important variants of mica are muscovite and phlogopite. Mica is mined in more than 35 countries. While there is competing and incomplete data on precise production volumes, due in part to the informal economy that is involved in mica mining in some countries, the consensus is that India and Madagascar are the two largest sources of mica followed by China and Brazil.

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achievements

Grew from 20 to 74 members as of January 2022
Programs in 130 villages, benefitting more than 9,000 households
More than 17,000 people getting free treatment with local health insurance
More than 300 children have benefited from scholarships to prevent dropouts
670 men enrolled in Farmers Clubs to promote alternative livelihood opportunities
Collaborating with
8 Indian NGO partners to implement Community Empowerment Programs
Published third RMI Annual Report in 2022 covering programs and progress during 2021
UN Forum on Business and Human Rights recognized RMI’s multi-stakeholder approach as best practice
RMI members represent 50% of Jharkhand and Bihar’s mica exports by volume
RMI facilitates training sessions to enable processors to adhere to innovate workplace standards
US International Labor Affairs Bureau recognized RMI as a case study in addressing child labor
RMI annually addresses the OECD Forum on Responsible Minerals Supply Chains
In 2020, RMI organized a multi-stakeholder event in Ranchi, India.
The Indian National Commission for Protection of Child Rights acknowledged mica child laborers in 2019
Responsible Mica and Minerals Initiatives signed an MOU in 2019 to accelerate work on securing responsible mica supply chains