Mine Monitoring
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Researchers from UQ’s Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining have developed a new framework that can be used to monitor and report on a company’s community engagement strategies. Developed by CSRM’s Director, Professor David Brereton, and researcher Dr Cath Pattenden, the framework is a major new initiative in this area.
Unlike traditional social impact assessments, which usually assess impacts and benefits retrospectively, this framework enabled a company to establish monitoring and reporting procedures that address broad sustainability issues throughout the life of the mine. The framework was designed to specifically monitor the social and economic impacts of BHP Billiton’s Ravensthorpe Nickel Operation (RNO).
RNO is a major new mine and processing plant located near the small towns of Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun in the far south of Western Australia. The mine, which had its official opening in May 2008, has an estimated life of 25 years and will employ a mostly locally based workforce. According to Dr Pattenden, social and economic development of this scale will bring a range of opportunities and risks for both the company and the local community, and understanding these impacts is essential to the sustainable development of the region.
