| Measured by economic output, the resources sector represents the most extensive area of overlap between Latin America and Australasia. Both continents have experienced rapid growth of their mining and resources industries in the last ten years and the emergence of diverse sectors that include the well-known major companies as well as smaller operators and a range of service providers and infrastructure developers.
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While the business of resource extraction has become more sophisticated, processes of negotiation and collaboration with local people affected by mining operations often lag far behind. As a result, a number of major projects, especially in Latin America but also in Australia, have been characterised by disputes and conflict.
There exists scope for greater attention to be given to the ways in which mining can lead to local development, including:
- Models of practice for early-stage processes of discussion and negotiation around the scope and nature of new resource projects and their impact locally.
- Methods for communication across the gap between professional mining and local community cultures.
- Frameworks for establishing and managing expectations on both sides.
- Approaches that identify priority local development needs while reducing negative impacts.
Of course, existing examples of good practice are part of this process as well as guidelines developed by government agencies, mining companies and community organisations. At the same time, new approaches to diverse and complex settings are sorely needed.
Download the article 'What's the benefit? Dispute resolution in mining' written by Steve Fisher. |
