MRF > About the Mineral Resources Forum (MRF)

The Mineral Resources Forum (MRF) is an information resource for issues related to mining, minerals, metals and sustainable development. It seeks to engage a diverse set of users from governments, mining, mineral and metal companies and other concerned civil society institutions, and to promote an integrated, inter-disciplinary approach to mineral issues and policies. The MRF is designed to accommodate a broad and growing range of technical and socio-economic issues that arise during the life cycle of mineral resources, i.e. as resources are: discovered and explored; exploited, transformed and traded; and finally consumed, disposed of, or recycled.

Organization of the Contents

Mineral Resources Forum (MRF) comprises a number of sections covering different subjects and geographical areas. Subjects covered are presently divided between Environment and Development, Law and Policy, and Small Scale Mining.The geographical areas - Africa, Asia & Pacific, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean and Europe - cover subjects with a regional or country-level focus. The General Forum is a section devoted to global issues that cut across some or all of the other sections.

The contents of each section are usually arranged into subsections: News; Events; Documents; and Related Web Sites. In order to encourage participation, MRF invites users to send information to minerals.forum@unctad.org.

Becoming a Partner or Sponsor

Each section of MRF is operated by a managing partner, generally an international or regional institution with expertise in the section concerned. Managing partners organize content, interact with users, run discussion groups, and point to relevant issues in other sections of MRF. These partners may engage associate partners to assist in managing their section of MRF.

Sponsorship opportunities exist for mining and metal companies and other interested organizations to support the work of MRF's partners. Sponsors are given a simple named acknowledgement for their support which can include a pointer to the sponsor's website.

Institutions and individuals interested in contributing to the FORUM as sponsors or as principal or associate partners are invited to contact minerals.forum@unctad.org.

Who Manages the MRF?

The Mineral Resources Forum (MRF) is an initiative of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), established with financial assistance from the Government of the Netherlands. UNCTAD operates the MRF from a server located at the International Computing Centre (ICC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The United Nations Environment Programme - Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP-DTIE) is a principal partner in the MRF. UNCTAD is discussing partnership opportunities with other organizations and aims to establish a small consortium of managing partners that will jointly administer the MRF. Communications regarding the administration of the MRF should be sent to minerals.forum@unctad.org.

Comments and suggestions to: minerals.forum@unctad.org