Our Commitment
As a company, we are committed to:
- Prioritizing ESG as a key factor in all business decisions
- Complying with relevant regulations regarding human rights, health and safety, environmental practices, labour standards, and business practices
- Improving the communities in which we work
- Improving water efficiency and reducing harm to the environment
- Upholding high standards of conduct and avoiding unfair and corrupt business practices
- Continuously reviewing and updating our ESG practices as the industry progress
Geological crew in the field
Silver Viper Minerals staff attending a first aid course on site
Health and Safety
Ongoing training and awareness are key to keeping safety in the forefront of our crews’ minds. Daily safety meetings are attended and contributed to by all workers. All members are encouraged to identify and report any potential risks or items that should be brought to attention.
Strategy
Silver Viper Minerals knows the most important resource for any company is its people. The Company is committed to maintaining comprehensive health and safety protocols to protect employees in the field and in the office.
How we implement this strategy
The La Virginia Project is situated in the rugged terrain of the Sierra Madre in Sonora State, Mexico. The project is accessed by a limited network of ranch trails, leaving much of the project area inaccessible by vehicular traffic. By necessity, reconnaissance work conducted by our crews is undertaken away from road access, and safety is priority number one. La Virginia has operated with its small crew of 16 workers since 2018, for over 100,000 work hours, with no lost time incidents to date.
Community Relations and Charitable Giving
Strategy
Silver Viper Minerals is committed to re-investing in the communities in which we work to show our gratitude, strengthen relationships, and improve the lives of locals in these areas.
How we implement this strategy
Silver Viper Minerals works with local communities to identify areas of need. Some initiatives undertaken to date include regular assistance with road maintenance, donations to local schools and the donation of an automatic external defibrillator to the medical centre.
Donation of projector to local school
AED donation to Nacori Chico medical centre
SVM separates and recycles plastics and glass from general garbage
Modular man-portable drill
Grey water capture and recycling
Environmental Impact Reduction
Strategy
Silver Viper Minerals is committed to operating with minimal environmental impact. The Company reports on its sustainability efforts and uses certain technology with the aim of reducing environmental impact and increasing water efficiency.
How we implement this strategy – reporting
Expected environmental impacts and proposed mitigation strategies are detailed in an Informe Perventivo (I.P.), a technical document prepared by environmental consultants in collaboration with Silver Viper Minerals. The I.P. is a major component of notice of work applications filed by Silver Viper Minerals with the Federal Ministry of Environmental and Natural Resources, SEMARNAT (Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales). The I.P. details existing flora and fauna assemblages and addresses all aspects of potential impact including water, soil and air quality, as well as noise and visual pollution. Silver Viper Minerals is dedicated to reducing the footprint of mineral exploration on the land, and reclamation activities are ongoing throughout the year.
How we implement this strategy- sustainable technology
Silver Viper Minerals uses “man-portable” drills which are hauled to drill locations in pieces and assembled on site. This process can be slower and more physically demanding than the traditional method of bulldozing trails into the target area, but it allows access to previously unexplored areas with very little disturbance. Daily servicing of the drill equipment including fuel and consumables are hauled to the drill pad by mules. Once the crew is finished drilling an area, the pads are removed to be used again and seeds are spread to regrow the grass in that area.
How we implement this strategy- water efficiency
Silver Viper Minerals requires drill operators to recirculate drill return water as standard procedure. Water is a precious resource, and every effort is made to minimize the amount of water used by the drilling operations. As detailed in the Informe Preventivo, any additives to drill water are non-toxic and biodegradable. Settling ponds are used to capture fines suspended in drill return water prior to recirculation. Silver Viper Minerals is currently exploring the use of water reclamation technology with respect to more efficient separation of fine particulates from drill water return. There are several commercial units available for this purpose.Further water saving initiatives are made at camp, as well. Grey water from the laundry is reused in the toilet system, saving between 1,500 and 2,000 litres per week.
