Large Mines and the Community : Socioeconomic and Environmental Effects in Latin America, Canada and Spain

The book examines the impacts of medium-
and large-scale mines on local communities, through six case
studies, analyzing both the socioeconomic and cultural
effects, as well as environmental impacts of mining
operations on the communities. From a multidimensional
perspective, studies investigate mining operations costs,
and benefits, with an emphasis on the sustainability of
benefits, and the outcomes of the legal, and consultative
processes, in an aim to identify best practices - from the
stakeholders' perspectives - in the management of
mining development, extraction, and closure phases. It is
relevant to note the two factors that affected increased
globalization of trade markets in recent years: the decline
of the communist trading block, and the increased
environmental control in developed countries, being mineral
activities in developing, and transition countries one of
the most notable. Recommendations suggest that mining
sustainability can only be maintained with public, and
community support for the social, and economic activities of
a region, based on valuable comprehensive environmental
reviews of mine projects, and articulated with local
populations through employment, and services provision. To
this end, training strategies for the formation of
"semi-technicians" or, a broader technical
formation, should prepare a skilled work force, able to make
contributions, and as well, be less dependent on one
specific economic sector. But, concerted efforts on
participatory local development should focus not only on
capacity building, but on strengthening local community
leadership beyond the lifecycle of a mine.