Mining Security & Human Rights

Getting it right
in extractive
industry risk

Over 20 years of field-tested expertise across security, human rights, ESG, and investigations — deployed as your strategic partner when the stakes are too high for generalists.

Our services Talk to Mac →
20+
Years in mining security & human rights
16+
Countries across five continents
VPSHR
Former Board, Voluntary Principles Initiative
6
Specialist service disciplines

What we do

Risk-informed services for the extractive industry

Each engagement is tailored to your operational context — not templated. We work alongside your team to build capability, not dependency.

Human Rights Impact Assessments & VPSHR

Independent HRIAs and Voluntary Principles implementation support. We conduct stakeholder consultation, gap analysis, and audit-ready reporting aligned with GRI Standards, ICMM guidance, and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

VPSHR GRI Standards EU CSDDD HRIA

Theft & Fraud Detection

Most operations underestimate loss exposure. We identify undetected theft and fraud, quantify the financial impact, and deliver investigation support and prevention strategy. Engagements regularly surface losses absorbed for years as "operational variance."

Loss Quantification Forensic Review Prevention Strategy

Civil & Social Disruption Response

Operational disruption from protest rarely arrives suddenly — it escalates from unaddressed grievances. We assess social risk, advise on community engagement strategy, and support response planning that protects operations without escalating tension.

Social Risk Community Engagement Protest Response

ESG Verification

Independent verification of ESG reporting against GRI Standards, ICMM Principles, and World Gold Council Responsible Gold guidance. We identify gaps between reported performance and on-the-ground reality, providing defensible assurance for investors, lenders, and regulators.

GRI ICMM World Gold Council Assurance

Investigations

Discreet, professionally conducted investigations into theft, fraud, misconduct, workplace harassment, and human rights allegations. We work to evidentiary standards, manage chain of custody, and produce findings that hold up to scrutiny — internally and externally.

Misconduct Harassment Human Rights Evidentiary Standards

Risk-Based Security Force Assessment

A security function limited to guarding perimeters is half-deployed. We assess your security strategy against the actual threat environment, develop proportionate response frameworks, and align security operations with your social and regulatory obligations.

Threat Assessment Security Strategy Proportionality
Mining community protest Community & Social Risk
Civil disruption response Civil Disruption Response
Community interaction Community Engagement
Christopher (Mac) Grace — Principal Consultant, MineRight
MPhil Strategic Studies — Massey University
BA Politics & International Relations — University of New England
VP Initiative Board Member, 2021–2023
20+ years, extractive industry security & human rights
Australia Pacific — Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji
Asia — Indonesia, India
East Africa — Tanzania
West Africa — Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Ghana
North America — USA, Canada, Mexico
South America — Ecuador, Chile, Nicaragua

About

Christopher (Mac) Grace

After leaving a long military career as a senior officer, Mac Grace has spent over 20 years at the intersection of mining operations, security, and human rights — not as an observer, but as the person responsible for getting it right under operational pressure.

His journey started with Barrick Gold, providing corporate oversight and guidance for security operations in troubled regions of Papua New Guinea, along with initial exposure to Tanzania operations and exploration. He went on to establish the security function at Newcrest Mining, conducted multi-country deployments across the Australia Pacific (Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji), Indonesia, India, West Africa (Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Ghana), North America (USA, Canada, Mexico), and South America (Ecuador, Chile, Nicaragua), and served on the Board of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights Initiative (2021–2023) — one of the most influential international frameworks for responsible security practice.

Where many consultants arrive with a framework and leave you to implement it, Mac works inside the problem. Engagements are hands-on, context-sensitive, and built around what will actually hold up — in the field, in an audit, and in front of affected communities.

Selected achievements

Established security function at Newcrest Mining from the ground up
Developed gold theft reduction strategy with measurable financial recovery
Managed sexual assault investigations in remote mine site contexts
Implemented enterprise crisis management systems across multi-site operations
Led ASM and illegal mining mitigation program in Indonesia
Designed community engagement frameworks reducing protest-related disruption
Delivered Board-level security and human rights risk reporting
Conducted VPSHR audits across Australia, PNG, and the Americas
Delivered the Security Assessment for a Lenders' Human Rights Impact Assessment for a major oil & gas operator
Designed and implemented VPSHR-aligned security and human rights scenario training for multinational mining companies

Get in touch

Let's talk about your operation

Engagements start with a conversation. Tell us what you're facing and we'll tell you honestly whether and how we can help.

Based in
Melbourne, Australia
ABN
923 5030 7580

We respond within one business day. All enquiries are treated as confidential.