First Quantum Minerals in second case before Canada’s CSR Counsellor closes

In February 2012, the office of the Extractive Sector Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Counsellor released the "Closing Report Request for Review File Number 2011-02-MAU" (the "Report"). This ends the second case, or Request, that has been brought before the CSR Counsellor. The Request was brought regarding First Quantum Minerals Ltd.'s Guelb Moghrein copper-gold mine in Mauritania. In this case, the CSR Counsellor ended the process herself, stating that incomplete information "at least in part … lay at the root of the request" and finding that the company had a locally available dispute resolution process that had not yet been accessed. The Report concluded that "[t]he initial place to begin a resolution was through a closer-to-the-ground process." The CSR Counsellor was complimentary of First Quantum's approach to the Request, stating that "[o]ver the course of this request for review, the company has consistently demonstrated its good faith efforts to deal with the issues and to share information." Kevin O'Callaghan and Claudia Feldkamp, co-Chairs of Fasken Martineau's International CSR law practice group represented First Quantum Minerals regarding this Request.