Enhancing Socio-economic Sustainability of Mining Projects

2019

Krista Maydew, Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions; Brigitte Masella, Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions

It has been well-established that a key pillar of the success of mining projects is social acceptability. Greater emphasis is being placed on predicting potential social and economic effects of projects on communities during project planning and permitting. This session will focus on how social and economic considerations can be incorporated throughout the mine life-cycle (from early exploration through to closure) to support community social and economic goals for sustainability and social acceptance of a project, with a specific emphasis on Indigenous communities. In addition to sharing lessons learned from various resource development projects, this session will provide opportunities for participants to discuss strategies for enhancing socio-economic sustainability through: early engagement, strategic community investments, environmental assessment processes (baseline and impact assessment), effects management and monitoring planning, and planning for the socio-economic effects of closure. The session will also explore ways of defining and measuring success.

Keywords: Indigenous, socio-economic, social, sustainability, community, social acceptability