Mining Projects Research Articles

Barriers to local community participation in mining projects: The eroding role of power imbalance and information asymmetry

Mining activities produce environmental, economic, and social impacts that may affect the quality of people’s lives in surrounding communities. Community participation in decisions that can affect their safety and wellbeing is essential for reducing the risks and vulnerabilities of the local population. Our research attempts to understand the critical aspects that negatively affect the development of community participation in mining projects. Moreover, since community participation is key to developing trust in company-community relations, we also investigate the impact of these critical aspects on trust, as a prerequisite to an SLO. Employing qualitative methods, this study uses a mining case to investigate the major obstacles to community participation in a local community near the areas where the two largest disasters in the history of the Brazilian mining industry had recently occurred (Brumadinho 2019; Mariana 2015). We performed large document analysis and conducted 209 on-line and in-person interviews with subgroups of local people and related actors. Our results suggest that power imbalance and information asymmetry are critical obstacles to community participation when it comes to developing mining-community relationships. This study suggests that in some cases communities have no power at all to participate in the decisions that affect their safety and wellbeing.

Safety and risk management of Chinese enterprises in Gabon's mining industry

The mining sector is booming due to the market and worldwide demand increase. The use of novel industrial processes and equipment, growth in trained personnel, and growth in managerial skills go hand in hand with the need to increase productivity in mining areas. These improvements make the mining industry one of the world's riskiest and most unstable. Several large-scale mining projects have failed due to a failure to recognize or underestimate risks, even when the industry uses risk management methods appropriately. To increase decision-making accuracy and protect mining organizations, risk mitigation of development work should be pursued. Safety and risk assessment is vital in the mining industry. The paper evaluates mining industry risks and safety. This research used Gabon's mining sector. This research included multiple dataset-gathering and interpretation methods. This study shows how to find a variety of recognized risks and uncertainty that have not been considered in any methodical or systemic approach to mining sector risk and safety monitoring. This research organizes risks hierarchically to show their consequences and propensity for each stage.

Exploring the policy space for public health in large-scale mining in Burkina Faso: A Q-methodology study

Large-scale resource extraction may lead to significant negative externalities on the environment, social well-being and public health. Negative environmental impacts of extractive projects are regularly considered through mandatory environmental impact assessments; however, public health impacts frequently remain unaddressed due to a lack of legal requirements, particularly in Africa where many resource extraction projects are being implemented. While policy instruments are available to mitigate negative externalities on public health - the most eminent being the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) - such instruments have not been widely established. We use Q-methodology to explore the policy space available to advance public health in large-scale mining projects in Burkina Faso. A Q-methodology study is purposeful as it allows to reveal common ground between government, private sector and civil society stakeholders on whose support successful policy initiatives depend. We identify two broader stakeholder perspectives that reveal an overarching consensus on the need to regulate health impacts of mining projects. Both perspectives reject industry self-regulation and broadly agree on introducing HIA as a regulatory instrument, but also point to different priorities and focal points among stakeholders. We develop a conceptual framework to map stakeholders’ shared and divergent policy preferences. The findings can help to initiate a policy dialogue on safeguarding public health in large-scale mining projects and may guide policymakers to implement public health policy reform.

Governance capture and socio-environmental conflict: a critical political economy of the global mining industry’s prior consultation regime

Prior consultation purports to mitigate socio-environmental conflict risks by creating deliberative and democratic spaces for local communities to influence decisions over newly proposed mining projects. Yet, many contest state and corporate claims to fair and inclusive decision-making, insisting that mines are often approved in violation of their human rights. Using a critical political economy of environmental governance approach, we analyze the multilevel governance regime which informs the practice of prior consultation within the global mining industry. We argue that this regime has become ‘captured’ by mining interests, as evidenced by the ‘market-enabling’ procedures which restrict communities’ capacity to exercise self-determination. Furthermore, we suggest that this leaves some local groups with little choice but to engage in risky protest action to express opposition. We utilize the Brazilian and Peruvian mining sectors as illustrative vignettes, for which data were collected from extensive fieldwork in both countries.

Contrary Perceptions of Environmental Health and the Governance of the Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area, Colombia.

The participation of civil society is essential for environmental health policies to be accepted. The objective of this study was to know the perceptions of government officials, members of civil society, and academics about environmental health problems and its governance in the Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area, Colombia. In the region, there is a strong citizens movement that defends the moorland ecosystem (páramo) as a source of drinking water for large-scale mining projects. A multi-method study was conducted, including the review of newspaper and scientific articles, a citizens survey, and interviews and focus groups with identified key stakeholders. The findings indicate that government officials prioritize their actions on issues related to air and water pollution and environmental education. In contrast, citizens prioritize water availability from the moorland ecosystem. There are some advances in the management of environmental health, mainly related to greater citizen awareness. Contrary perceptions among government officials, academics, and civil society prevent adequate prioritization of environmental health problems. Participation of civil society is absent in activities related to environmental governance. An ongoing citizens science experience engaging high school students and the academy can be the first meeting point with government officials in the pathway to improve the environmental governance in the territory. The participation of civil society in the environmental health governance must be enforced to broaden the issues of interest and prioritize the activities in short- and long-term policy planning.

Analisis Fuel Ratio Pada Project Penambangan di Pit 1 PT Cahaya Riau Mandiri Jobsite PT Duta Alam Sumatera

This study analyzed the fuel ratio in mining projects to determine the factors that affected loose opportunity and the profit or losses encountered by the company. This analysis process was conduted by determining the target and realization of production where the overburden and coal getting production target in March on Fleet 1 was 68.885 bcm/month with the fuel consumption of 11.907,19 liter, on Fleet 2 was 70.944 tons/month with the fuel consumption of 11.460,38 liter, on Fleet 3 was 68.885 bcm/month with the fuel consumption of 9.611,94 liter, Fleet 4 was 68.885 bcm/month with the fuel consumption of 11.907,19 liter. Whereas, in the field the realization of overburden and coal getting production in march of Fleet 1 was 55.403,23 bcm/month, Fleet 2 was 51.907,52 tons/month, Fleet 3 was 18.259,34 bcm/month, Fleet 4 was 56.582,92 bcm/month. The planned fuel ratio on Fleet 1 was 0,17 liter/bcm, Fleet 2 was 0,16 liter/tons, Fleet 3 was 0,14 liter/bcm and Fleet 4 was 0,17 liter/bcm while the actual fuel ratio on Fleet 1 was 0,18 liter/bcm, Fleet 2 was 0,20 liter/tons, Fleet 3 was 0,16 liter/bcm, Fleet 4 was 0,18 liter/bcm and the fuel ratio difference on Fleet 1 was 0,01 liter/bcm, Fleet 2 was 0,04 liter/tons, Fleet 3 was 0,02 liter/bcm and Fleet 4 was 0,01 liter/bcm. The factors affecting the production loose opportunity from the tool working hour was breakdown, slippery, rain and wait other unit. The total cost spent by the company for the overall fuel consumption was Rp 428.989.792,00 while the overall loss was Rp 45.989.837,74 in March.

Embedding extreme events to mine project planning: Implications on cost, time, and disclosure standards

Extreme events, characterized as infrequent and catastrophic occurrences, can present significant challenges in various industries. These events can be associated with earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes, floods, rainfalls, and wildfires. The mining industry is also highly vulnerable to extreme events because it threats operation sustainability, employees' safety, and environmental compliance. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of earthquakes in a mining area and evaluates their impacts on a mining operation through a case study based on a mine construction project. To this end, Extreme Value Theory (EVT) using both the Block Maxima (BM) and Peaks Over Threshold (POT) methods was employed to analyze the historical earthquake data and estimate the return levels corresponding to the planned mine project completion time. Furthermore, a Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model was developed to perform a comprehensive risk assessment, allowing for a detailed examination of the potential consequences that a specified magnitude earthquake could have on the project's cost and duration. 1000 earthquake scenarios for the period covering the project life were generated for a thorough risk assessment. The case study focused on a hypothetical open pit mine construction project located in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Historical earthquake data specific to the selected region were analyzed, and the potential consequences of earthquakes on the project were evaluated. According to the results, the return level of 4.7 ML earthquake was obtained corresponding to the return period defined as the planned project completion time. In the event of an earthquake with this specified magnitude, simulation results revealed that there is a 95% probability that the project will experience a delay of at least 6.28% of the project completion time, ultimately leading to project costs exceeding the normal project cost by a minimum of 4.85%. The study highlights the importance of considering extreme natural events, such as earthquakes, in mining project planning and risk mitigation. The results provide valuable insights into the likelihood and potential consequences of earthquakes, contributing to better risk assessment, strategic planning, informed decision-making, and improved project management practices in the mining industry.

The Impact of Resettlement on Quality of Life in Ghana: The Mediating Role of Residential Satisfaction

The effects of large-scale land acquisitions for development projects such as mining, urbanization and dams are widely contested in the literature. Prior research has focused on the difficulties that resettlement poses for the affected families in terms of their capacity to meet the demands of the new community. This study suggests that resettlement (built environment) quality may act as a predictor and influence the residential satisfaction and quality of life of project-affected families. This study investigates how residential satisfaction influences the relationship between the quality of the dwelling, the context of resettlement homes, and the quality of life of mining-affected families in Ghana. A sample of 256 household heads displaced by a large-scale mining project in Ellembelle was used to evaluate the suggested model. The findings indicate that resettlement quality greatly enhances the quality of life of the mining-affected families. The findings also revealed that residential satisfaction was a significant mediator of the quality of dwellings and the context of the resettlement, in addition to being a strong predictor of quality of life. Indirectly, resident characteristics, such as socioeconomic and demographic conditions, influenced how people felt about their homes and quality of life. These results indicate that residential satisfaction and resettlement quality are accurate indicators of the mining-affected families’ quality of life. Integrating these features make it possible to quantify the mining-affected families’ quality of life for future research and public policy.

Development of a simplified test for the determination of the Bond Ball Mill Work Index using a modified Hardgrove test

Grinding ores in conventional ball mills demands high energy consumption, resulting in relatively high operating costs in a typical mineral processing industrial plant. Whether in the initial stages of a mining project or during its operation, conducting tests to determine the processing circuit’s energy consumption throughout the life of mine is necessary in order to reduce such high operating costs. Traditional tests used to determine the energy consumption in grinding, like the Bond Ball Mill test, are relatively time-consuming and require significant amounts of sample, e.g., 8–10 kg, which is not always available in the initial stages of a mineral project or geometallurgical studies. Several authors have developed simplified tests to predict ball mill’s energy consumption, typically using the Bond Ball Mill Work Index (BBMWI) as a reference. One option requiring less mass is the Hardgrove mill, traditionally used in the laboratory to determine the energy required to grind coal in roller mills. This test requires 50 g of sample, and the result is based on the amount of fines at the end of grinding to a fixed time. The present study used a modified Hardgrove test to predict the BBMWI. This test involves the measurement of the torque, uses a fixed sample volume with different particle feed sizes from the Hardgrove standard, and determines the specific energy related to the percentage of product passing through the closing size screen of the Bond test, defined as the size specific energy. The results indicated that for a set of 13 samples with the 150 µm closing screen, the average error associated with the predicted BBMWI is within ±2.3%. Further results indicate an error of ±3.1% for 20 samples with the 106 µm closing screen. The correlations presented here are proposed to be validated and/or adjusted for different ores and mines. The proposed test is thus suitable for geometallurgical studies and other applications where relatively small samples are available. In addition, this is a low-cost test, has a quick turn-around time, it is simple to conduct and does not require the handling of heavy loads by operators.

Investigate the potential of using fuzzy similarity in decision making under uncertainty for mining projects

Multi criteria decision-making methods are used in mining engineering, in which various aspects are involved, such as selecting mining methods, mineral processing sites, etc. Decisions in this field can be made using a variety of techniques. The Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method is one of the most widely used decision-making methods based on multi criteria to make a decision. As part of this research, an attempt was made to investigate how fuzzy measurements can be applied to mining projects to improve the TOPSIS methods' efficiency. A full investigation of the mining method selection process, the waste dump site selection process at Gol-e-Ghar mine Area 3, the location of Bahabad Pelletizing plant, the appropriate site selection for crusher machine Sarcheshmeh copper mine, and loading-haulage equipment selection for Sungun copper mine has been carried out in order to achieve this goal. Accordingly, an area north of the pit was selected as the best location for the waste dump, open-pit mining was selected as the best mining method for the Gol-e-Gohar mine, Cite Number 2 was selected as the best location for the Bahabad Pelletizing Plant, the East side of the Sarcheshmeh copper mine is presented as the most suitable one, and shovel-truck-belt conveyor selected as the transportation method for Sungun copper mine. For mining projects, fuzzy similarity logic in the TOPSIS method provides both accurate and efficient results, as well as reducing the number of calculations. It also provides accurate results based on linguistic, numeric, and fuzzy values and determines whether all alternatives are feasible. Finally, it is shown that the TOPSIS based on fuzzy similarity for considering uncertainty in mining projects that are involved the decision-making process can be practical and useful.

Valuation of mining projects under dynamic model framework

Valuation of mining projects under dynamic model framework

Mining out of the crisis? The role of the state in the expansion of the lithium frontier in Extremadura, Spain

The increasing demand for transition minerals, such as lithium, to decarbonize energy and transportation systems has led to the emergence of new mining projects within the Global North. This paper explores the role of state actors in the contested expansion of the lithium frontier in Europe, using the Spanish region of Extremadura as a case study. It combines historical-materialist policy analysis and politics of scale to examine how state actors at multiple scales of regulation promote domestic lithium mining through legislative and non-legislative initiatives. The paper also investigates the discursive legitimizations of expanding the lithium frontier in Extremadura, highlighting how state authorities produce and refer to various “scales of meaning" (Towers, 2000) to discursively legitimate a green capitalist mode of crisis regulation. The analysis demonstrates the crucial role of state actors in shaping conflicts around lithium mining in Extremadura and contributes to the emerging literature on green extractivism and lithium onshoring in the Global North.

Analysis on the Induced Polarization Characteristics of “Three-Phase” in Coal Goaves

The induced polarization (IP) method can obtain different response characteristics in the detection of coal goaves, water-bearing goaves, rock fissure water-bearing areas, and has a good distinguishing effect. Based on the theory of soil mechanics, the composition and IP characteristics of “three phase” of coal goaves are analyzed. The “three phase” models are established under different conditions, such as coal goaves and rock fissure water-bearing areas. By conducting a series of experiments, the relationship between the “three-phase”-related parameters (saturation, porosity) and the IP parameters (resistivity, polarizability) was analyzed. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that: coal goaves are characterized by “high resistivity, low polarizability”, the water-bearing goaves are “low resistivity, medium-high polarizability”, while the rock fissure water-bearing areas are “low resistivity, high polarizability”; the IP parameters are closely related to the saturation and porosity of the coal seams. Combined with the experimental project of Huanglian Coal Mine in Shanxi Province, China, the theoretical analysis results are verified.

Research on the effects of heating and cooling processes on the mechanical properties of yellow rust granite

Geological hazards caused by high-temperature rocks cooling down after encountering water are closely related to underground mining and tunneling projects. To fully understand the impact of temperature changes on the mechanical properties of rocks, yellow rust granite samples were subjected to heating-natural cooling and heating-water cooling cycles to experimentally study the effects of these processes on the mechanical properties of the samples. The mechanism of the heating-cooling process on the macromechanical properties of the rock was discussed. Based on the Drucker-Prager criterion and Weibull distribution function, a damage variable correction factor was introduced to reflect the post-peak strain softening characteristics, and a thermo-mechanical coupled damage constitutive model of the granite was established. The results showed that in the natural cooling mode, the mechanical properties deteriorate significantly when the temperature exceeded 600 ​°C, and the failure mode changed from brittle failure to ductile failure. In the water cooling mode, the peak strength and deformation modulus increased at temperatures below 400 ​°C with an increase in the cycle number, while at 600 ​°C, the peak strength and elastic modulus notably decreased. The peak strain increased with the increase of the cycle number and temperature at all temperatures, and the failure mode of the granite tended to change from tensile failure mode to shear failure mode. The experimental results were used to validate the damage constitutive model. The shape parameter r and scale parameter S in the Weibull distribution function of the model were used as indicators to reflect the brittleness degree and peak strength. This study helps to understand the behavior of rocks in high-temperature environments, in order to prevent and mitigate potential geological hazards.

Resource recovery potential of Kumasi landfill waste

Landfill mining is an innovative way to minimize environmental pollution, secure land and airspace, and recover secondary raw materials from landfills. The study examined the characteristics of landfilled waste at the Kumasi landfill and its potential for resource recovery. Samples were collected based on the deposition age and characterized in the laboratory. Characteristics determined were composition, volatile solids, moisture content, and heavy metal concentrations. The results indicated that the most significant recoverable resources were Decomposed Organic Materials (organic waste mixed with sand and papers) and combustibles (plastics, wood, and textile), constituting 44 % and 36 % by weight, respectively. The composition of the landfill waste was found to be influenced by the components of waste initially disposed at the landfill and its subsequent age of deposition. The metal content concentration was, however, independent of the age of deposition. The results indicate that a landfill mining project at the Kumasi landfill will make available about 89 % of the landfill volume and airspace for reuse. However, the DOMs recovered may not be suitable for application as compost on agricultural soils due to the high zinc concentrations unless applied to zinc-deficient soils. It may, however, be used as construction material in earthworks and as cover materials at landfill sites. The combustible component can be combusted to generate heat for producing hot water for hospitals, hotels, and old age care facilities.

Entangling global chains of wealth and value through CSR-ization: A critical Polanyian perspective on Weda Bay Nickel

Recent contributions to Global Value Chain studies have cast the intertwining of global finance and production in a new light, through the concept of entanglement of Global Wealth Chains (GWCs) and Global Value Chains (GVCs), and their uneven social consequences have been questioned. The paper contributes to this emerging debate through a critical Polanyian perspective on GVCs/GWCs where the processes of fictitious commodification pertain not only to money, labor, and the land as theorized by Polanyi, but also to ethics, which is commodified via Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) standards and discourses. Our contribution is based on a grounded research study of Weda Bay Nickel (WBN), a mining project that unfolded over two decades of exploration and across the intertwined scales of financial markets, multinationals, government, activists, and the villagers residing in Weda Bay, on the Indonesian island of Halmahera. We show how “CSR-ization” was orchestrated by lead corporate and financial players to obtain the World Bank’s ethical approval and financial guarantee for the project. Standardized ethicality was granted to WBN even though high social and environmental risks were acknowledged, and several contestation movements had to be erased, discredited, and/or physically repressed for the mine to see the light of day. We contend, in Polanyian terms, that fictitious commodification leads to the destruction of people and nature—and not simply inequality—in the deployment of GWCs/GVCs where CSR-ization is closely intertwined with contestation and repression.

Discrete Choice Experiment Consideration: A Framework for Mining Community Consultation with Case Studies

Local community acceptance, a key indicator of the socio-political risk of a project, is addressed through good stakeholder (community) engagement. Discrete choice modeling (DCM) enhances stakeholder analysis and has been widely applied to encourage community engagement in energy projects. However, very little detail is provided on how researchers design discrete choice experiments (DCEs). DCE design is the key step for effective and efficient data collection. Without this, the discrete choice model may not be meaningful and may be misleading in the local community engagement effort. This paper presents a framework for mining community engagement DCE design in an attempt to determine (1) how to identify the optimum number of factors and (2) how to design and validate the DCE design. Case studies for designing discrete choice experiments for community acceptance of mining projects are applied to accommodate these two objectives. The results indicate that the four-factor design, which seeks to reduce cognitive burden and costs, is the optimal choice. A survey was used to examine the difficulty of the survey questions and the clarity of the instructions for the designs. It has, therefore, been proven that the DCM design is of reasonable cognitive burden. The results of this study will contribute to a better design of choice experiments (surveys) for discrete choice modeling, leading to better policies for sustainable energy resource development.

Willingness to pay to avoid mining with adverse externalities

ABSTRACT This paper is one of the very few to use the discrete choice experiment method (DCEM) to estimate the nonmarket values of the impacts on the environmental and health related to mining activities in a developing country. We show that the local population that live close to the mining sites is willing to contribute relatively high levels of money or working hours to avoid mining projects using open pits as their exploitation technology and having important adverse impacts on residents’ environment and health. This study is also one the first to apply the DCEM on the mining setting, to analyse the welfare differences between two contribution modes, money and working hours, and to use the mixed-logit model in this context. We found that the willingness to pay with money, relative to the willingness to work, is not downward biased, a concern in the related literature considering developing countries. To prevent social conflicts, mining companies and governments need to consider the high value that local populations assign to avoid mining with adverse attributes. Such conflicts are costly for mining companies, local populations and countries.

Experiences of Underground Mine Backfilling Using Mine Tailings Developed in the Andean Region of Peru: A Green Mining Solution to Reduce Socio-Environmental Impacts

In Peru, socio-environmental conflicts related to the development of mining-metallurgical processes and the responsible disposal of mine tailings have become central issues for accepting mining projects, especially regarding building relationships of trust with the communities. This condition has prompted the Peruvian mining industry to advance in managing alternatives to the conventional surface disposal of mine tailings. A promising and increasingly popular management strategy for mine tailings in Peru is their disposal inside underground mines. This article presents: site-specific conditions, advantages/disadvantages, and lessons learned from practical experiences of mine tailings disposal in underground mines in Peru. In addition, some techniques are highlighted, such as (i) hydraulic fill, (ii) cemented hydraulic fill, and (iii) cemented paste backfill. Finally, this article concludes that the responsible disposal of mine tailings in underground mines is a green mining solution that reduces negative socio-environmental impacts, limiting the generation of acid rock drainage (ARD) and the leaching of metals due to the decrease in contact with oxygen and rainfall, thus mitigating the contamination of surface and underground waters, reducing the footprint of affectation in the territory, and eliminating the emission of particulate matter in the environment.

From Watershed Moment to Hydrosocial Movement: Patagonia without Dams and The Free-Flowing Rivers Network in Chile

In this article, we examine how social movement activists draw on the hydrosocial dynamics of the watershed unit to build a river protection network in resistance to extractivist development. We apply a critically engaged activist anthropological focus, and drawing on four years of collaborative fieldwork, we describe how activists formed a hydrosocial movement to reconfigure Chile as an interconnected territory of living watersheds. In 2014, the Patagonia Without Dams movement successfully stopped the development of a mega-dam complex in Chilean Patagonia, catalyzing a major upheaval in environmental politics. The Free-Flowing Rivers Network harnessed momentum from Patagonia Without Dams and jumped scales from place-based campaigns that defend singular rivers against dams to translocal actions that protect watersheds from an array of extractive industries. We show how this movement bridged rural and urban conflict zones, seeking to protect watersheds from forms of extractivism beyond dams, including mining and irrigation projects. By focusing on the Free-Flowing River Network’s efforts to translate its political-ecological platform into policy, we show how hydrosocial territories may be established, defended, expanded, and stabilized through strategies that explicitly connect water and society.