Freeport-McMoRan Safeguards Biodiversity Surrounding Mining Operations

November 17, 2015/ 3BL Media/ - Thirteen Freeport-McMoRan mining sites are certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council’s (WHC) Wildlife at Work program, which recognizes activities that create, conserve and restore wildlife habitat on corporate lands, and six sites were certified by the WHC Corporate Lands for Learning program, which recognizes activities to promote environmental education and outreach initiatives in local communities. PT Freeport Indonesia received the prestigious Corporate Lands for Learning of the Year award for outstanding conservation education, stewardship and voluntary employee efforts.

In addition, WHC together with Bat Conservation International (BCI) honored Cerro Verde in Peru with the Bat Conservation Action award, which recognizes programs that actively promote bat habitat through enhancement and management activities. Cerro Verde received the award for its efforts to monitor and protect the Peruvian long-snouted bat (Platalina genovensium), a species that the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists as near threatened. Monitoring results indicate that the population has increased from 1.12 million to 1.35 million bats in the past year.

The Wildlife Habitat Council works with corporations, government agencies and conservation organizations to create voluntary wildlife habitat enhancement and conservation education programs. Freeport-McMoRan has been a WHC member for several years.

For more information about biodiversity conservation programs at Freeport-McMoRan operations, see http://www.fcx.com/sd/env/biodiversity.htm

Visit the 2014 Working Toward Sustainable Development Report for more information on all of their social, economic and environmental efforts.