This glossary of terms has been developed to help navigate the technical language used by mining companies, including around mine closure.

These terms and their definitions have been adapted from:

22. Indigenous peoples

Distinct social and cultural groupings that have the following characteristics:

  • Self-identification as a member of a distinct cultural group and recognition of this identity by other people.
  • Collective attachment to a geographically distinct habitat or ancestral territory and to the area’s natural resources.
  • Customary cultural, economic, social and/or political institutions that are separate from those of the dominant society or culture.
  • A language which is often different from the official language of the country or region.

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Professor Sandy Worden

Research Fellow, Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining

+61 7 3346 3496 CSRM homepage