The Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining's (CSRM) staff and students have in-depth expert knowledge of the extractives sector, in particular the mining sector.
They have connections across different disciplines in the Sustainable Minerals Institute and The University of Queensland (UQ) and examine issues within a broader context.
The Centre's multi-disciplinary orientation, position within UQ, and ability to conduct leading edge social science research, is what sets CSRM apart in the education and extractives sector.
10. Mine closure
Many mining companies find themselves approaching mine closure without clear government or regulatory guidelines on the social dimensions of closure. Existing international standards provide limited guidance, and most companies lack strong standards or internal guidelines to support business units moving through social closure.
Governments and communities are equally concerned about the prospect of operations closing and being handed back to the public under these circumstances. The knowledge base on the social aspects of mine closure remains shallow.
To address this gap, CSRM is developing new research agendas around mine closure, with specific attention on the ways that mining agreements with local project stakeholders shape closure outcomes.