2.1 The impacts of uranium mining are very broad. Led by colleagues at Curtin University, Central Queensland University (CQU) and the Australian National University (ANU), the cluster has focused on developing an understanding of the resource development cycle and how this impacts on communities. Just consider this: it takes two grams of gold to make a wedding ring. For example, with declining ore grades (Fig. Outcomes of the RUEI The RUEI paid special attention to social impact issues and proposed a range of measures to address this, including the establishment of a joint managed National Park to act as a social impact 'buffer' — ensuring space between new residents, tourists and local indigenous people. 2) it may be more economical in the future to recycle and recover materials from products at the end of their life cycle than dig them out of the ground. reduce water and energy use), improve the cost-efficiency of mining, and improve the safety of industry workers. Land has a fundamental social and economic importance to indigenous societies, one that can be disrupted and substantially transformed by mining operations. However, little information exists to classify key impacts … The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) states that in the year to March 2011 the value of mining exports was $155 billion and represented 52.8% of the value of total exports from this country, with the bulk of that being contributed by iron ore and coal. The analysis of the social impacts of mining is not a new area of academic interest and the Australian booming resource sector influenced a significant research interest in recent years. What is the future of mining in Australia, and can it be more sustainable? While larger intact forest ecosystems may withstand the impacts of mining and oil development, Ore grade has decreased over time across most commodities in Australia. Social impact assessment (SIA) is a methodology to review the social effects of infrastructure projects and other development interventions. Communities that are singularly reliant on resource development can find themselves at risk when that industry faces a downturn or needs to move on. Technology will play a central role in achieving greater levels of sustainability but its development, adoption and deployment in the mining industry need to demonstrate both environmental sustainability and broad societal acceptance. Add to cart. This research cluster represents an investment of around $3 million dollars over three years, with work due to conclude in June 2012. Mining activities in Australia tend to be cyclical, with boom and bust times impacting upon associated communities. Figure 2. This included the creation of jobs for Australians, employment and training opportunities in regional areas, and for Indigenous Australians and women. Social and economic impact assessment is an important component of environmental planning and project approvals processes in Australia. The key direct impact of mining on forest ecosystems is the removal of vegetation and canopy cover. This increase in the amount of mining conducted in Australia, and the value it has for mining companies and the government, has been driven by enormous global demand for commodities like iron ore and coal to fuel industrialisation and urbanisation, and to support population growth around the world. The mining industry in Australia features in much of the public discussion about our current and future prosperity. In this section, the focus will be on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Mining was considered to deliver positive benefits to regional and Indigenous communities. While the economic impacts of mining have been thoroughly explored and social impacts recently have received growing attention, increasingly, mining developments are being required to consider how they affect local communities and implement strategies to minimise negative impacts they … But how do we compensate those communities that bear most of the costs of living alongside mining activities? Restore content access for purchases made as guest. Lead, arsenic, cadmium, and other toxic elements are often present in such particles. Further, Franks suggests that technological change may also induce social and economic change such as shifts in employment and skills requirements, or economic returns to communities that may not necessarily lead to social conflict but nonetheless have serious impacts on those communities. We use cookies to improve your website experience. These themes discuss the breadth of findings and critical knowledge gaps of existing research. Some of the key challenges that have emerged for mining regions are the increasingly high cost and shortage of housing, the impact of “fly in and fly out” (FIFO) or “drive in and drive out” (DIDO) workforces, and a significant gap in the wages paid to mining staff and those who work locally in service industries. In this area, the cluster has focused on understanding how mining technologies impact on those who work and live around them. As advocates for the mining industry point out, the materials that mining produces are central to almost everything that our society uses and values: • coal is essential to our current electricity generation models; • metals are used to make the smart phones, computers and televisions we use every day; and. So, what happens when mining comes to town, and what happens when it leaves? In some ways, this is about managing the risks associated with technologies – a poorly chosen or unsuitable technology can lead to considerable damage to the public, individual industries, specific mining processes and companies, mine employees and the environment. Research is limited, but growing, and studies have identified how mining developments can affect nearby communities and town residents. While the economic impacts of mining have been thoroughly explored and social impacts … ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS . In turn, if the Australian government was genuinely interested in the job security of those working in and around Australia's coal mines, the last thing it … share of population participating in voluntary work for a group or an organisation within the community (35%) in comparison to other Western Australian (WA) mining communities (25% average for the State). This process has created controversy in Australia and other places where it is used for coal seam gas resources, much of which is based on little or incomplete information about the process, its impacts and the risks to people and the environment. Research Report No. Led by colleagues at the University of Queensland (UQ), the cluster’s research in this area has found that the success of technologies is no longer only about their technical efficiency but also their acceptability to the Australian public. 3. Our works shows that: 1. women aren’t consulted when companies negotiate access to land, compensation or benefits 2. when mining damages the environment, it undermines women’s ability to provide food and clea… After all, every Australian presumably has the right to spend their earnings wherever they please. Figure 1. Also, automation may push down the costs of mining because there are (potentially) fewer wages to be paid and it improves workplace health and safety by taking people out of dangerous situations. One of the clear messages that has emerged thus far is the idea that Australia needs to develop a national minerals policy supported by a comprehensive set of mineral accounts that provides some transparency about resource stocks (both above and below the ground), along with some detailed analysis of the impacts of mining activities. – The coal mining industry makes a key contribution to the Queensland economy, and is the underlying driver of employment and economic conditions in many local and regional communities. This is particularly the case in China, which has seen incredible development since the 1990s and is Australia’s second largest export destination behind Japan. Air quality is adversely affected by mining operations. Smarter Approaches to Mining One focus of the cluster’s work has been the direct impacts of the extractive industries on local communities in mining regions around Australia, and how those regions transition through various stages of mining activity. In an effort to maximise the positive benefits and minimise the negative impacts of mining, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has been exploring the future sustainability of the Australian mining industry through the Mineral Futures Collaboration Cluster. Over time, exposure to the dust created by mining operations can lead to disease and buildup of scar tissue in the lungs. USD 543.00 Women often experience the negative impacts of mining more than men, and rarely receive the benefits that men do. a “two-speed economy”), and the risks to communities that live near large or multiple mining projects as strong reasons why mining should be curtailed or even stopped. While the amount of material exported has increased during this period, so has the value of the commodities being extracted. Register to receive personalised research and resources by email, The social impacts of mining on local communities in Australia, Telethon Kids Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia, /doi/full/10.1080/10371656.2018.1443725?needAccess=true. While the economic impacts of mining have been thoroughly explored and social impacts recently have received growing attention, increasingly, mining developments are being required to consider how they affect local communities and implement strategies to minimise negative impacts they may be causing. Unrefined materials are released when mineral deposits are exposed on the surface through mining. It also raises the question of where some of that wealth being generated by the mining boom ends up being invested. 3. impact arising from uranium mining in Australia using the Ranger and Jabiluka mines as a case study. This choice has been made because two defining characteristics of the region highlight the significance of both environmental and social issues at Ranger and Jabiluka. Led by researchers at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney, Vision 2040 aims to provide a clear view of what governments, communities and the industry would need to do to have mining and mineral production contribute positively to a sustainable Australia in 2040. This design process attempts to reduce social hazards or minimise potential social risk by involving designers and decision-makers in considering the likely impacts (anticipated and unanticipated) of technologies once deployed, and how these may be communicated to the public more effectively. The mining industry in Australia is significant in both scope and size, and it’s still growing. Other mining companies have indicated that they too have plans to roll out autonomous haul truck fleets and underground loaders. Land use-related impacts and environmental impacts affecting human health and human rights appear to be the most concerning social aspects in the mining sector. SOCIAL IMPACT The modes of mining and the lack of regulation of waste management are among the main causes of the problems of mining at social level. Under this scheme the state government promised to distribute 25% of Western Australia’s mining and onshore petroleum royalties to the state’s regional areas each year as an additional investment in projects, infrastructure and community services. The proportion of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP: the value of all final goods and services produced by Australia during a specific period) made up by mining has grown significantly from around 4% in 2004 to around 9% today. Registered in England & Wales No. We need to get smarter and more creative in how we approach the business of mining, and what we export to the world. The mining boom of the last decade has done many things for the state and for Australia, most notably being the economic factor that stopped Australia … Although we are in no danger of physically running out of minerals any time soon, we do need to address the fact that continued production and declining resource quality create technological, environmental and social challenges. In an article in Resources Policy, Dr Galina Ivanova and Professor John Rolfe from CQU explored what mining communities want, using the town of Moranbah in Queensland as a case study. Businesses in the mining industry were least affected (38%) by reduced demand for goods and services, and only 17% of businesses (second lowest among all industries) had registered or intended to register for the JobKeeper Payment. Wind erosion and nearby vehicular traffic cause such materials to become airborne. 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