Community and Indigenous Relations

Question 1

What is meant by the term stakeholder

Answer 1

Any person, organisation or company that could be affected or who can affect a mining operation. Local communities in close proximity to a mine are stakeholders as are native title holders and indigeneour people occupying an area

Question 2

What is an SIA and what function do they perform

Answer 2

• Social Impact Assessment (SIA): measure the social impact. Estimates likely consequence and the social groups that may be affected. Assessment involves the public, identifies alternative measure and performs baseline stud tasks and project estimation

Involve the public
-identify the groups potentially affected and involve them

Analysis impact equity
- Identify what each group can expect to gain or lose and make sure to identify and represent vulnerable and underrepresented stakeholders

Focus the assessment
- Deal with real issues and public concern

Identify methods and assumptions and define significance
- Outline how the SIA will be conducted and why it will be used

provide feedback on social impacts to project planners
- Audit and review the SIA process

Use SIA practitioners
- Use people with previous experience to achieve better results

Establish monitoring and mitigation methods
- Monitor the effects of the SIA and pick up any adverse effects early so that further action can be taken

Identify data sources
-Identify sources on information to be used in the SIA

Plan for gaps in data
- Audit, review to identify missing information and plan to fill these gaps

Question 3

List 5 classes of cultural heritage elements

Answer 3

• Archeological sites
• Ethnographic (scared) sites
• Objects
• Historic Sites
• Human Remains

Question 4

Purpose of Cross-Cultural trainig

Answer 4

• Encourages cultures to share their own views, beliefs and traditions with people from other cultures
• Allows greater understanding of values between bultures
• Aims to build trust, respect, and understanding between people of different cultural background and often results in a more closely knit team

Question 5

Phrase ‘Prior, informed consent’

Answer 5

• Used by aboriginal people in Australia when a mining company want to mine on their land.
• Aboriginal people are entitled to the information regarding what is going to happen, including the risks, what it consists of and the consequence of associating with this
• Miners can then receive a social license to operate from a shareholder who is fully aware of the risks
• Relation to a firm’s action when dealing with indigenous communities. Relates to the provision of comprehensive information on proposals, access to independent advice and appropriate time frames for communities to respond and consent to proposals

Question 6

Community Relations

Answer 6

• Umbrella term referring to methods of communication and involvement companies use to establish and maintain a healthy and mutually beneficial relationship with communities in which they operate
• most beneficial when company takes a positive interest in the local community and other stakeholders