In the global scenario, mining companies and governments are being pressured to make decisions regarding the model of mine development in remote areas. It is imperative that both mining companies and policy makers understand how these decisions impact the industry’s ability to attract and retain skilled employees, and facilitate high quality of life in the local existing communities.
This paper discusses a multiple case study developed in collaboration a Brazilian mining company - Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD). Objectives were to identify factors that most impact quality of life (QOL) of mine employees in three Brazilian mining communities; opportunities to improve the QOL in these communities and determine the major factors that should be taken into account by both mining companies and policy makers when dealing with mine development in remote areas. This multidisciplinary study used the Healthy Communities concept and Subjective Wellbeing as a theoretical framework and used a combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews and focus groups (n=30), a comprehensive review of the literature and the application of a questionnaire (n=461) anchored on the Australian Centre on Quality of Life's Personal Well Being Index.
