Mining through controversies: Public perceptions and the legitimacy of a planned gold mine near a tourist destination

Abstract

The economic, social and ecological implications of the extraction of mineral resources have been increasingly discussed under the heading of the social licence to operate. In Finland, critical public framings characterized by impressions of failed economic promises, unreliable technology and environmental hazards have dominated the recent mining debate. Operators probing for opportunities to establish new mines have faced critical public reactions. Changes to legislation, natural resource management and corporate responsibility have been demanded in order to effectively address environmental concerns and local social acceptability issues. We studied media representations and planning documents in order to identify the variety of publicly presented concerns related to a planned gold mine and mining company’s social licence to operate. Our case study focuses on the planning processes of a gold mine adjacent to an important tourist destination in the Kuusamo municipality in north-east Finland. We highlight the role of public debate on the formation and erosion of legitimacy and the fragility of the social licence to operate.