Although mining’s record on social license to operate is often seen as poor, sustainability expert Luke Danielson is confident mining can “lead the way in pioneering new and more effective social relationships”.
RENO (MINEWEB) – “A large and growing number of project failures are a direct result of the inability to deal successfully with the combination of environment, community and social” concerns, said former Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development project administrator, Luke Danielson.
In a speech to the 2014 Mining and Land Resource Institute in Reno, Nevada, attorney Danielson observed, “(Mining) Project failure and conflict resolution resulting from lack of social license is extraordinary expensive.”
“Lengthy conflicts are all too frequent and debilitating” for companies, governments, communities, shareholders and other stakeholders, he said. Danielson, now the president and co-founder of the Sustainable Development Strategies Group highlighted several major mining projects which have had difficulty with issues stemming from social license to operate.