Mine Closure - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 829

21.6 SOCIAL ASPECTS OF MINE CLOSURE

The most important aspects of mine closure from the point of view of local communities
are:
●

Managing workforce reductions to minimize adverse economic impacts;

●

The success of Community Development programmes in providing alternative, post-
mining livelihoods and income sources for those directly and indirectly affected by
mine closure;

●

The success of environmental management measures in avoiding or minimizing off-
site impacts such as reduced water quality, as discussed in Chapter 8 and other parts of
this topic, and

●

The ultimate return of affected land to sustainable benei cial usage, as discussed earlier
in this chapter.

It is clear that all of these aspects, if they are to be handled adequately, require substan-
tial planning and investment, well before closure takes place. Workforce reductions,
while unavoidable, pose particular difi culties and require detailed planning. Elements
of a workforce reduction plan that have proved benei cial in minimizing adverse impacts
include:
●

Preparation and communication of employee redundancy schedules, well in advance
of their implementation;

●

Scheduling the workforce reduction process over as long a period as practicable;

●

Development, sponsorship or promotion of alternative employment schemes as part of
the Community Development programmes;

●

Re-training of employees, as appropriate to meet the needs of alternative employment
schemes, and

●

Accrual of funds for use in future, as yet unidentii ed initiatives, possibly administered
by a reliable NGO or other third party.

Community development programmes, as discussed in Chapter Fifteen, are perhaps the
most important contributors to the minimization of adverse social impacts. This applies
particularly where Indigenous Peoples are involved.
As mine closure issues have come to the attention of mining companies relatively
recently, there are very few case studies involving mine closure with successful social out-
comes, from which to learn. There are, of course, many examples of poor outcomes from
past projects that closed without adequate environmental management, rehabilitation, or
Community Development programmes. The approaches suggested above have been based
on critical analysis of the outcomes of past projects, combined with a common sense evalu-
ation of practical options for improvement. Clearly, as for other aspects of environmental
management with a longer history, lessons will be learnt from each future mine closure,
enabling social aspects of mine closure to be improved and also enabling social outcomes to
be predicted with more coni dence.

Community development
programmes are perhaps the
most important contributors
to the minimization of adverse
social impacts.

REFERENCES

Clark AL and Cook Clark J (2000) An international overview of legal frameworks for mine closure.
Fisher T and Lawrence GA (2006) Development of the Island Copper Mine Pit Lake for the
Treatment of Acid Rock Drainage; Fisher T, Cornet Contracting Ltd, London; and Lawrence,
Greg A., Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.