Glossary of terms – Mine closure hub
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:
- AusIMM Social Responsibility Framework, Appendix 5: Social Performance Definitions ICMM Community Development Toolkit. Available at https://www.icmm.com/en-gb/guidance/social-performance/community-development-toolkit
- IFC, 2014, A Strategic Approach to Early Stakeholder Engagement, A Good Practice Handbook for Junior Companies in the Extractive Industries, Available at https://commdev.org/publications/a-strategic-approach-to-early-stakeholder-engagement/
- ICMM Integrated Mine Closure Good Practice Guide, 2nd Edition (2019). Available at https://www.icmm.com/website/publications/pdfs/environmental-stewardship/2019/guidance_integrated-mine-closure.pdf
9. Community
(Also note affected community, community of interest, neighbouring community, local community)
The terms ‘local community’ and ‘neighbouring community’ are used to refer to a group of people living near a mine who will be directly affected by its closure. The effects may be economic, social or environmental. ‘Affected community’ and ‘community of interest’ are broader terms and encompass a group of interacting people who may be geographically dispersed but linked by shared culture, experiences or interests. They may not live near the mine. They could be dispersed along a resource corridor or, in the case of some indigenous peoples and traditional owners, no longer residing in their traditional territories but nevertheless maintaining a connection to land.
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Professor Sandy Worden
Research Fellow, Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining