Investigating beyond the Scope of Responsible Mica Initiative: Preliminary Findings of Social Risks Assessments in Brazil and Malaysia

Introduction

The Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) has always been committed to fostering sustainable, responsible, and fair mica supply chains. Since its creation, RMI has focused on reducing child labor, improving working conditions, and building resilient communities in mica-producing regions. While its entire work to date has centered on India and Madagascar, the mica supply chain is global in nature – and social risks extend beyond current areas of action.

In alignment with our mission to engage multiple stakeholders under a Coalition for Action with a holistic approach, RMI commissioned two desk-based assessments on social risks related to mica extraction and transformation in Brazil and Malaysia. These analyses were conducted by Embode, a human rights and social protection consultancy with extensive experience in analyzing labor and community risks in global supply chains.

While exploratory in nature, these studies shed light on potential challenges and underline the importance of diving further into these geographies’ specific situations. This article presents the initial findings, their implications, and the next actions RMI is planning.

Why expanding knowledge beyond RMI’s current scope matters

Mica is used in a wide range of industries – from automotive, paints, plastics and electronics to cosmetics and construction materials. The global demand is rising, and so is the need for ensuring that the mineral is sourced responsibly.

Currently, RMI’s efforts around responsible mica sourcing have focused on the two leading exporters in volume of mica scraps and sheets: India and Madagascar. However, supply chains are complex, and mica is also mined, processed, or traded in other regions where information is scarcer. If these areas remain relatively small in terms of volume production, they also remain unmonitored, creating a significant risk that exploitative practices may go undetected, undermining progress achieved elsewhere.

Source: UN Comtrade Database

By proactively assessing risks in new countries using a desk-review process, RMI and its members contribute to:

• A better understanding of the mica value chains in these countries, in a way that builds knowledge for the whole sector.
• Undertakes risks assessments and identification as the first step in a human rights due diligence approach.
• Provides a basis on which to undertake more build on-the-ground assessments and direct stakeholder engagement.
• Lay the first foundations to strengthen collaboration with in-country governments, civil society and industry stakeholders.
• Pave the way to a fairer and more sustainable mica sector worldwide.

The studies in Brazil and Malaysia, prepared by Embode, are the first step toward extending this vision.

About the preliminary findings

The two assessments commissioned by RMI and conducted by Embode are desk-based research. This means they are based on existing documentation, secondary data, and expert consultations rather than on-the-ground field research at this stage. Importantly, desk-based reviews are a necessary step before conducting field data gathering.

A significant limitation in conducting these two studies is the fact that very little specific information on mica is available for these countries (which itself is a data finding).  Therefore, it was necessary to extrapolate information related to mining activity in general and cross-reference this information to specific mica-producing regions, in order to make analyses specific to mica.

Their objective is to provide an overview of potential social risks, such as child labor, informal mining, or unsafe working conditions. Furthermore, the desk-based review approach enables a presentation of the historical and socio-political contexts in which social and human rights issues take place.

It is important to keep in mind that these are preliminary findings. They are not exhaustive, nor do they replace in-depth field assessments. However, they are an essential foundation for informed decision-making about which investigation or even action RMI should prioritize in future.

Key findings: Brazil

Brazil’s mica supply chain is a component of the country’s wider mineral sector, with an annual production volume generally ranged from 4,000 to 10,000 tons per year between 2010 and 2020 (source: study for the 2050 National Mining Plan, conducted by the National Mining Agency in 2022). In Brazil, mica is mostly extracted as a byproduct of other minerals such as quartz, with muscovite being the primary type of mica extracted.

The main states that produce mica in Brazil are Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte, Ceará, Minas Gerais, Bahia and Goiás. Mica extraction in Brazil is often small-scale and cooperative-based, making Artisanal Mining Permit Regime a relevant instrument for formalization.

Brazil’s mica value chain includes actors from upstream activities (exploration, mining, and initial processing) through midstream steps (refining and separation) to downstream stages (manufacturing and fabrication of mica-based components or products) before reaching end-use.

According to the preliminary findings on Brazil, several points of concern emerged:

• Safety: Workers in mica mining can face elevated risks due to unsafe detonation practices, prolonged exposure to dust and toxic substances, musculoskeletal strain, and lack of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). Potential informal employment arrangements and minimal enforcement exacerbate these risks.
• Community Risks: Mining-affected communities may suffer from poor sanitation, air and water pollution, respiratory illnesses, and economic displacement. Women, children, and Indigenous peoples face disproportionately high impacts. These findings relate to mica mining and mining in general in Brazil.
• Forced Removals: Involuntary removals and housing displacement are reported to be widespread in mining areas, with compensation mechanisms often absent or inadequate. Structural inequality and weakened governance usually contribute to the vulnerability of impacted communities. Data was not conclusive on this issue specifically as it relates to mica.
• Child Labor: While no current documentary evidence was found of child labor in mica extraction, the prevailing structural conditions – informality, poverty, and lack of oversight – indicate potential risk, warranting further investigation.

The salience of the social risks determined by Embode is as follows:

The report suggests that while Brazil has certain legal frameworks in place, enforcement remains weak in mica mining regions. Informal labor practices appear common, and mining communities face significant social and economic challenges.

These insights reinforce the importance of monitoring mica production in Brazil and exploring opportunities to get additional first-hand information, as well as engage with local stakeholders.

Read more about this preliminary research here: Preliminary findings_Brazil

Key findings: Malaysia

Malaysia’s mica supply chain is a small part of the country’s wider mineral sector, with an annual export of mica powder volume of 5,505 tons in 2023 (source: Embode preliminary findings – World Integrated Trade Solutions). In this country, mica is mainly a byproduct of other minerals primarily extracted, such as quartz, feldspar, silica, and kaolin. There are only two known mica focused mines in Malaysia, located in Bidor, Perak. Malaysia’s mining of mica mainly relates to sericite, which is fine-grained muscovite mica.

The main region that produces mica is Perak, a state of Malaysia located on the west of the Malay Peninsula on the coast of the Straits of Malacca. This state is also Malaysia’s major producer of a variety of non-metallic minerals, which includes mica.

Malaysia’s mica value chain includes actors from upstream activities (exploration, mining, and initial processing) through midstream steps (refining and separation) to downstream stages (manufacturing and fabrication of mica-based products) before reaching end-use.

The Malaysia risks assessment, also conducted by Embode, highlights quite different but equally significant risks:

• Health Risks: Workers in informal or small-scale mica-linked operations face exposure to silica dust, respiratory issues, musculoskeletal disorders, and chemical-related illnesses due to poor ventilation, limited use of protective equipment, and inadequate oversight.
• Community Risks: Communities surrounding mining activities in general and processing sites experience water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity, contamination of agricultural land, and weakened livelihoods. Informal operations using outdated or illegal techniques heighten these risks.
• Land Conflicts: Land conflicts arise in areas where land acquisition is facilitated by state-led industrial zoning or private development without adequate consultation. Indigenous and rural communities, particularly in Peninsular Malaysia, are vulnerable to displacement and lack accessible grievance mechanisms.
• Child Labor & Forced Labor: While no verified cases of child labor were found in the context of mica, the wider informal sector in Malaysia has documented cases of child and forced labor, suggesting systemic vulnerabilities that may also affect mica-adjacent activities.

The salience of the social risks determined by Embode is as follows:

This preliminary research indicates that mica supply chains in Malaysia may involve communities that are highly dependent on artisanal mining for survival. This increases their vulnerability to exploitative practices if not addressed responsibly.

Read more about this preliminary research here: Preliminary findings_Malaysia

Next steps for the Responsible Mica Initiative

The preliminary findings from both Embode assessments, which identify potential social risks, undoubtedly invite us to take the investigation a step further, in order to better characterize the issues and understand the role that RMI and its members could play to build a responsible mica sector globally.

Based on the insights from these reports, RMI has decided to:

• Organize a field visit in 2026 in each country to conduct a targeted supply chain assessment. This will be to better understand labor conditions, environmental risks, and community-level impacts at mica extraction and processing sites.
• Engage discussions with supply chain actors and related stakeholders to deepen understanding of both Brazil and Malaysia’s mica sector’s needs and figure out whether RMI could support. This step is also important to enhance stakeholder mapping and begin building trust with key actors.

This phased approach ensures that decision making process is evidence-based, inclusive, and effective.

Conclusion

Although these two geographical areas are not relevant to all of its members, the RMI is aware that India and Madagascar do not supply the entire mica used worldwide. The Social Risks Assessments on Brazil and Malaysia, commissioned by RMI and conducted by Embode, remind us that the challenges are complex and geographically widespread.

By extending our investigations to new regions, we are taking another step toward supporting our members in improving their understanding of mica supply chains and in conducting their due diligence.

As more detailed research unfolds, RMI will continue to share insights and collaborate with diverse stakeholders to figure out the relevance and potential content of future interventions. The journey is ongoing, but the direction is clear: mica must be mined and sourced responsibly everywhere it is found.