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Politics, Mining and Sustainable Development

Module description

This module covers the vital industry issues of corporate social responsibility, social license to operate, stakeholder engagement, and political & environmental factors that affect mining decisions. The module explores how environmental impact is measured, monitored and controlled, and what sustainability means in the context of mining. It also explores international and local mining legislation, expectations of local people in mining regions, and the long and short term impacts of mining on a local and national scale with a particular focus on the social, economic and environmental impacts of mine closure.

Module aims - intentions of the module

Mines can only be developed where the mineral deposits occur, and this means that large scale infrastructure development and mining activities are established in widely differing countries, cultures, and environments. This module will focus on how mining operations, their activities and people, affect those around it, particularly within the growing agenda of resource nationalism and the environmental impact and legacy of mining. A sustainable mining operation needs to earn and maintain its social licence to operate. You will gain a broad understanding of mining legislation, sustainability, environmental, social and economic impacts, stakeholder engagement, CSR initiatives and particularly the challenges caused by mine closure.

The module aims to provide you with:

An international perspective on how mining companies operate in a diverse range of locations; politically, socially and environmentally. The module also explores the importance of small scale and artisanal miners, and their contribution to the international mining sector.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Evaluate the principles of the socio-environmental impacts of mining;
• 2. Explain the challenges of sustainability, CSR and governance;
• 3. Understand the complex relationship between stakeholders;
• 4. Summarize the social, economic and environmental issues associated with mining;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Identify the challenges, opportunities and strength of national and international mineral resource governance policies;
• 6. Identify good industry practice and analyse its long and short term impact on society and the environment;
• 7. Apply theories of corruption, governance and economic reforms to mining policies in developed and developing countries;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Gain specific knowledge that will enable students to pursue further academic studies, work in international development, private and public sectors;
• 9. Communicate effectively through oral presentation, research and writing, and effectively monitor, critically analyse and report on issues related to mining, CSR, SLO and current industry practice.

Syllabus plan

1. Introduction to Sustainable Development, Politics and Sustainable Mining
2. Environmental and social impacts of mining
3. Economics impacts of mining (downstream and side stream investments/activities)
4. Corporate social responsibility and the social license to operate
5. International best practice in mining (CSR, SLO)
6. Artisanal and small scale miners
7. Mine closure and remediation

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

If a student is referred or deferred, the failed / non-completed component(s) will be re-assessed at the same weighting as the original assessment.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Alao, A., Natural Resources and Conflict in Africa: The Tragedy of Endowment
• Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI), UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) & World Economic Forum (WEF), Mapping Mining to the Sustainable Development Goals: An Atlas
• Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), Global Trends in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM): A Review of Key Numbers and Issues
• Richards, J. (Ed.), Mining, Society, and a Sustainable World
• Shen, L., Muduli, K. and Brave, A., Developing a Sustainable Development Framework in the Context of Mining Industries: AHP Approach

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Key words search

Sustainable Mining; Political Economy of Mining; Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining; Social License to Operate (SLO); Mining and Human Rights