attractive nuisances and wicked solutions
TRANSCRIPT
JV Parshley ‐ SRK Consulting (U.S.) Inc., USACS MacCallum ‐ SRK Consulting (UK) Limited, UK
Attractive nuisances and wicked solutions
MINING LEGACIES
The bad
The bad
The bad
The bad
The good
The good
The good
The good
Laws and Guidelines
Mine closure objectives
Safe conditionsProvide beneficial useSurrounding land usesProximity of populationFit the social contextCan be uncontrollableMay create unidentified residual risk
Mining legacies
ATTRACTIVE NUISANCES
Attractive nuisances
A dangerous condition that may attract people [or animals] and may involve risk or harm to their safety of which trespassers may not be aware Pits Level land Roads Dams and water bodies Mineral resourcesPhoto: B. Liber
Attractive Nuisances
B. Liber
Pit lakes
Attractive Nuisances
• Drinking water sources
• Livestock & wildlife watering
• Recreation sites
• Fisheries
Pit lakes
Attractive Nuisances
• Drinking water sources
• Livestock & wildlife watering
• Recreation sites
• Fisheries
Level land
• Scarce near cities or in mountainous terrain
• May have enhanced soils
• Substrate may be phytotoxic or toxic
• Ground may not be stable
Attractive Nuisances
Level land
• Scarce near cities or in mountainous terrain
• May have enhanced soils
• Substrate may be phytotoxic or toxic
• Ground may not be stable
Attractive Nuisances
Level land
• Scarce near cities or in mountainous terrain
• May have enhanced soils
• Substrate may be phytotoxic or toxic
• Ground may not be stable
Attractive Nuisances
Level land
• Scarce near cities or in mountainous terrain
• May have enhanced soils
• Substrate may be phytotoxic or toxic
• Ground may not be stable
Attractive Nuisances
Mineral resources
• Subgrade resources left behind
• Mine waste that isn’t mine waste
• Ore that was too dangerous to mine
• Quantities too small to mine
Attractive Nuisances
Mineral resources
• Subgrade resources left behind
• Mine waste that isn’t mine waste
• Ore that was too dangerous to mine
• Quantities too small to mine
Attractive Nuisances
WICKED PROBLEMS
What makes it wicked?
• Closure is forever• Poverty is complex and
multi‐dimensional• Existing livelihoods
destroyed• Alternative livelihoods not
appropriate• Philanthropy can build
resentment• Communication can be
difficult
Wicked problems
Stakeholder Engagement
FPIC ‐ free, prior and informed consentTransparencyManaging expectations
• balanced• realistic• achievable
Positive community relationsConstructive partnerships
Wicked problems
F. Toprak
POST‐MINING LAND USE
Future Land Users
Current residentsInformal or illegal usersImmigrantsFuture generations
Post-mining land use
B. Liber
Closure SE
For closure we presume:1. representatives speak for all land
users2. we understand what is wanted
(needed)3. a consensus can be reachedIs there sufficient capacity?What about future land users?
Post-mining land use
F. Toprak
ARTISANAL AND SMALL SCALE MININGM. Dey
When you view the world through a different lens, things change focus ‐ Steve Berry (author)
The problem and the risks
The lure of perceived wealth in the face of poverty, can result in• Damage or destruction of closure
work;• Harm to the environment;• Health and safety;• Liability issues for mining companies.
Artisanal and small scale mining
T. HartT. Hart
The problem and the risks
The lure of perceived wealth in the face of poverty, can result in• Damage or destruction of closure
work;• Harm to the environment;• Health and safety;• Liability issues for mining companies.
Artisanal and small scale mining
T. Hart
H. Van Vlaenderen
The problem and the risks
The lure of perceived wealth in the face of poverty, can result in• Damage or destruction of closure
work;• Harm to the environment;• Health and safety;• Liability issues for mining companies.
Artisanal and small scale mining
T. HartT. Hart
The problem and the risks
The lure of perceived wealth in the face of poverty, can result in• Damage or destruction of closure
work;• Harm to the environment;• Health and safety;• Liability issues for mining companies.
Artisanal and small scale mining
T. HartT. Hart
M. Dey
The problem and the risks
The lure of perceived wealth in the face of poverty, can result in• Damage or destruction of closure
work;• Harm to the environment;• Health and safety;• Liability issues for mining companies.
Artisanal and small scale mining
T. HartT. Hart
The problem and the risks
The lure of perceived wealth in the face of poverty, can result in• Damage or destruction of closure
work;• Harm to the environment;• Health and safety;• Liability issues for mining companies.
Artisanal and small scale mining
T. HartT. Hart
WICKED SOLUTIONS TO ATTRACTIVE NUISANCES
M. Dey
Ability to be quite not right ‐ Edward Said
Considerations
Closure is foreverAre there alternatives to philanthropic approaches towards a social licence to operate? Do we now need social licences to close?How can traditional economic bases be strengthened and less dependent on the boom and bust cycles?Can a host community become environmentally responsible?Will the post mining land use be controllable?
Wicked solutions
Wicked solutions
Change our perspective of land usersEffective and inclusive SEEngineer community based learning and shared understandingShared obligations and responsibilityPeople at the center of development rather than the resources they useFocus on strengths and the ‘can do’ rather than a ‘what is needed’ approach
Wicked solutions
T. Hart
Wicked solutions
Engineer safe conditionsRemove low/sub‐grade resourcesReskillingPlanned transition to ASMEducation• health risks• environmental protection• safe processing methodsRecognize the possibility of
failure
Wicked solutions
M.Dey
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Albert Einstein
Thank you