The extraction of minerals from the earth presents opportunities, challenges and risks to sustainable development. Minerals are essential for human well being and are fundamental for virtually all sectors of the economy. However, mining also presents critical challenges and risks for sustainability. Mineral resources are finite and non-renewable, at least in human or biological timescales. Environmental and social problems and risks posed by mining are increasingly generating conflicts between mining companies and local communities. With declining ore grades for most minerals, the resource intensity and the amount of waste generated per unit of resource produced is likely to increase, and the associated environmental costs will prove a constant and growing challenge. Mining activities can also contribute to sustainable development, particularly to its economic dimension. It can bring fiscal revenues to a country, drive economic growth, create jobs and contribute to building infrastructure. Thus, mining has both positive and negative implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with particularly strong impacts on 11 of the 17 the SDGs (Figure ES1). A Efforts to mitigate environmental impacts, protect human rights, promote social inclusion and enhance benefits from mining for development should be taken throughout the life of a mine and the whole value chain of mining. The impacts of mining are best understood when viewed through the various phases in the life of a mine: mineral exploration, mine development, mining operations and mine closure. Therefore, this sourcebook adopts a “life of a mine” approach (Figure ES2), which allows identifying concrete actions that governments and other stakeholders can take at different phases of mining