In theory, everyone involved in mining understands that a mine has a limited life and will eventually deplete its ore reserves and close; however, the likely impact of the closure on communities is generally not a topic that many stakeholders want to discuss.
According to Adel Malebana, a senior social scientist at SRK Consulting, there has been some recognition of the value of this engagement by certain large mining houses. "We have seen corporate policy starting to respond to this issue," she starts. "In some companies their guidelines on how to engage with stakeholders on issues of mine closure, and there is a growing awareness that this needs to be done sooner rather than later in the mine's life cycle."
On the other hand, there is also a pervasive attitude in the mining industry that prefers to avoid the topic. After all, it could demotivate employees and affect the running of the business - especially if the process is left until the mine is already struggling to remain viable.
There is currently no legal requirement to engage with communities on closure issues until very late in the mine's life. As part of mine closure, mine owners are commonly required by law to undertake an environmental authorisation process. In South Africa, for example, this is driven by the fact that the decommissioning of the operation is a listed activity in terms of the country's National Environmental Management Act (NEMA). This process includes stakeholder engagement, which is often the first time the local communities and other affected stakeholders officially hear about the impending closure of the mine.
SRK Contributors:
Lisl Fair, Adel Malebana, Jessica Edwards, Ashleigh Maritz
