New low-impact mineral exploration technologies and the social license to explore: Insights from corporate websites in Finland

Abstract

The websites of companies practicing mineral exploration in Finland (CPMEF 1 1 CPMEF = Companies practicing mineral exploration in Finland. ) were surveyed for references to new low-impact mineral exploration technologies (NLIMET 2 2 NLIMET = New low-impact mineral exploration technologies. ) and the social license to explore (SLE 3 3 SLE = Social License to Explore. ), i.e., acceptance/approval of mineral exploration by the local community. The purpose was to examine which NLIMET are used by the companies and how they understand the SLE, how these two topics are communicated on their websites, whether they are interlinked, and what may be the motivation for communicating these topics. Twenty companies were found to refer to SLE-related issues on their websites. However, most of these websites do not directly mention the SLE as a term, but instead address it under terms such as acceptance, stakeholder engagement or the company–community relationship. Nine companies report the use of NLIMET. Coincidently, the same companies mostly also refer to the SLE. The operational contexts of companies mentioning NLIMET were examined, and most of them were found to be exploring in sensitive areas and/or deposits associated with uranium and facing opposition. Indeed, such contexts may challenge the acquisition the SLE in Finland, even if the companies apply and communicate the use of NLIMET. • Of 73 companies, 20 communicate on their websites about SLO/SLE-related issues, 9 about NLIMET. • The most commonly mentioned NLIMET are drones. • The SLO/SLE are rarely directly mentioned, but indirectly under related topics. • Reference to them on corporate websites indicates social and environmental concerns. • Their communication may be motivated by operation in sensitive contexts.