Sustainable Mining Governance by Domínguez-Gómez, J. Andrés; Xavier, André; Muñoz-Moreno, Rocio;

Short description:

This volume provides a transdisciplinary analysis of the political, social and environmental aspects of governance and its implementation in the mining sector. It will be of great interest to students and scholars of the mining and extractive industries, natural resource governance, environmental governance and sustainable development.

Long description:

This volume provides a transdisciplinary analysis of the political, social and environmental aspects of governance and its implementation in the mining sector.

In a world profoundly shaped by the energy transition and the urgency of climate change, mining faces a dual challenge. On the one hand, it is expected to play a crucial role in the shift toward a more sustainable socioeconomic model. On the other hand, it operates within a context marked by deep economic, social, political, and environmental tensions across multiple territories. This book offers a critical, transdisciplinary, and rigorous exploration of a key concept for understanding this dilemma: governance. Through a theoretical and practical journey—ranging from colonial extractivism to current models of sustainability and corporate responsibility—it provides a comprehensive look at how formal and informal power structures, community relations, social and environmental impact assessments, and regulatory frameworks shape the present and future of mining. With a participatory approach that brings together voices from academia, government, NGOs, and the private sector, the book not only analyses the various dimensions of mining governance but also presents practical examples and case studies to better understand its sociopolitical, environmental, and economic complexity. From the role of the Social License to Operate to mine closure and post-closure planning, and waste management, this work invites readers to rethink mining as a long-term territorial development project.

This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of the mining and extractive industries, natural resource governance, environmental governance, and sustainable development.

Table of Contents:

Introduction: understanding mining governance as a key to sustainability 1

J. ANDRÉS DOMÍNGUEZ-GÓMEZ

1 History of governance in mining: the case of mining in Southwestern Spain: 19th–21st centuries 11

AGUSTÍN GALÁN GARCIA AND ROBERTO FERNANDEZ VILLARINO

2 Governance and mining governance 22

J. ANDRÉS DOMÍNGUEZ-GÓMEZ AND ALEXANDER RUSER

3 Governance and the social license to operate: a critical perspective 42

JACQUES DEMAJOROVIC AND ADRIANO AUGUSTO FRANÇA PIMENTA

4 Socio-environmental impact assessment as a New Governance tool for mining projects 59

ANTONIO ALEDO TUR

5 Governance and social participation in mining projects 74

ROCÍO MUÑOZ-MORENO AND TERESA GONZÁLEZ GÓMEZ

6 Unveiling gender dynamics for inclusive mining governance 95

MARION PROVENCHER AND EGE TEKINBAS

7 Critical minerals and the geopolitics of contemporary industrial mining 113

STEPHEN TEEUWEN

8 Governance issues in artisanal and small-scale mining: current realities and future directions 127

CLARA DE HOLANDA ARAUJO, BERN KLEIN, AND ANDRÉ XAVIER

9 Main debates in community mining politics 143

RODOLFO TARRAUBELLA

10 From closure to transition: the role of governance and collaboration in post-mining land use planning 159

JOCELYN FRASER AND ANDRÉ XAVIER

11 Governance of mining waste: landfills, ponds, by-products 172

SIMONE PICARELLI

12 Water governance challenges in Mongolian Gobi Desert and Forest-Steppe mining regions: unearthing the essentials: bridging information gaps, enhancing communication, and fostering coordination for effective water governance in Mongolian mining regions 185

BOLORMAA PUREVJAV

13 Energy transitions and power in contemporary (and future) mining 203

BRUNO PATRINI MENNA BARRETO GOMES

14 Conclusion 220

ANDRÉ XAVIER