Community Development - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 644

and shifts power. Some community members may perceive a loss of power or be threat-
ened by the new relationships that they see being developed. To resist or to be threatened
by this type of change is natural. How work is divided and managed can also have a large
impact. With the best of intentions and in good faith, community members or organiza-
tions may be taking on work that impinges on others without realizing it. It is not possible
to avoid role confusion and power struggles completely, but mutual respect, transparency,
and maintaining an open dialogue do help to minimize adverse effects.

Unresolved Confl icts

Only the naïve will believe that a mining project or a CD programme can be implemented
in full consensus with all involved. Conl icts and disagreement will occur. This may not
be such a bad thing; it depends on how conl icts are managed. It is always best to create
an atmosphere in which disagreements are clearly expressed and out in the open. This,
of course, is not a universally accepted approach in all cultures. However, disagreement
becomes dangerous when suppressed. If ignored, conl ict will escalate. On the other hand
it is clearly not possible, necessary or affordable to satisfy everybody.

Disagreement becomes
dangerous when suppressed.

Throwing Money at Problems

Some problems go away with money, most won't. Throwing money at problems is treat-
ing the effect not the cause. The reality is also that community expectations rise with each
dollar spent.

Community expectations rise
with each dollar spent.

Not Managing Mine Contractors and Consultants

Communities do not differentiate between mining employees, contractors, or consult-
ants; all personnel working on a project represent the project in the view of communities.
Mine management must be aware of this fact, and take measures to ensure that everyone
involved in the project adopts and follows corporate directives. The need for all project
personnel to adopt the established project-specii c Codes of Conduct, is a simple example.
No formal meeting between community members and contractors or consultants should
occur without adequate representation of the mining management. At no time is this more
important than during the environmental permitting stage.

Making Promises that Cannot Be Kept

Great care must be taken to ensure that the project does not raise unreasonable expecta-
tions. While this is true throughout the entire mine life, the i rst phases of community
involvement are the crucial ones. Related to un-kept promises is the tendency to over-
design CD programmes. Few if any CD initiatives are cost free. Funding is often a major
challenge for many community development initiatives as they do not i t into the tradi-
tional types of activities in the mining sector. What may be appropriate and in fact neces-
sary for a large-scale mining project with an expected mine-life of 20 years or more, may
represent complete overkill for a small-scale mine that may be in operation for say 10 years
or less. The planning principles remain the same, but the scope and depth of CD initiatives
will differ. Put simply, a small mine cannot afford to engage in community development
to the same extent as governments or large mines do, or should do.

What may be appropriate and
in fact necessary for a large-scale
mining project with an expected
mine-life of 20 years or more,
may represent complete overkill
for a small-scale mine that may
be in operation for say 10 years
or less.