Arctic mining has a bad reputation because the extractive industry is often responsible for a suite of environmental problems. Yet, few studies explore the gap between untouched tundra and messy... Show moreArctic mining has a bad reputation because the extractive industry is often responsible for a suite of environmental problems. Yet, few studies explore the gap between untouched tundra and messy megaproject from a historical perspective. Our paper focuses on Advent City as a case study of the emergence of coal mining in Svalbard (Norway) coupled with the onset of mining-related environmental change. After short but intensive human activity (1904–1908), the ecosystem had a century to respond, and we observe a lasting impact on the flora in particular. With interdisciplinary contributions from historical archaeology, archaeozoology, archaeobotany and botany, supplemented by stable isotope analysis, we examine 1) which human activities initially asserted pressure on the Arctic environment, 2) whether the miners at Advent City were “eco-conscious,” for example whether they showed concern for the environment and 3) how the local ecosystem reacted after mine closure and site abandonment. Among the remains of typical mining infrastructure, we prioritised localities that revealed the subtleties of long-term anthropogenic impact. Significant pressure resulted from landscape modifications, the import of non-native animals and plants, hunting and fowling, and the indiscriminate disposal of waste material. Where it was possible to identify individual inhabitants, these shared an economic attitude of waste not, want not, but they did not hold the environment in high regard. Ground clearances, animal dung and waste dumps continue to have an effect after a hundred years. The anthropogenic interference with the fell field led to habitat creation, especially for vascular plants. The vegetation cover and biodiversity were high, but we recorded no exotic or threatened plant species. Impacted localities generally showed a reduction of the natural patchiness of plant communities, and highly eutrophic conditions were unsuitable for liverworts and lichens. Supplementary isotopic analysis of animal bones added data to the marine reservoir offset in Svalbard underlining the far-reaching potential of our multi-proxy approach. We conclude that although damaging human–environment interactions formerly took place at Advent City, these were limited and primarily left the visual impact of the ruins. The fell field is such a dynamic area that the subtle anthropogenic effects on the local tundra may soon be lost. The fauna and flora may not recover to what they were before the miners arrived, but they will continue to respond to new post-industrial circumstances. Show less
Walsh, B.M.; Plank, S. van der; Behrens, P.A. 2017
Consultation is the predominant method of community engagement in infrastructure development. Therefore, understanding stakeholder interactions within consultation is critical to acquiring a... Show moreConsultation is the predominant method of community engagement in infrastructure development. Therefore, understanding stakeholder interactions within consultation is critical to acquiring a social licence to operate. While previous research has focused on the factors which contribute to this social licence, little work has been conducted on how mining company consultation strategies influence perception formation. We explore how stakeholder expectations and experience of consultation impact perceptions of proposed mining projects. We undertook a case study of a proposed, large-scale, mineral sands mine in rural Australia using an open and closed-question questionnaire (n =32) and semi-structured interviews (n =20). We find that there are multiple, diverging understandings of the purpose of consultation both within and between stakeholder groups. The community experience of consultation drove negative perceptions of the proposed mine due to procedural and personal factors. We find several overlaps with the renewable energy (RE) literature, including: calls for two-way communication, (mis)trust of professional stakeholders, and the need for consistent and well-timed consultation. Other factors are not as common in the RE literature, and may be more specific to mining, such as stakeholder disenfranchisement misunderstood as apathy, calls for community involvement in agenda setting, the need for careful selection of company representatives, and the importance of meeting stakeholder expectations of consultation. Show less
The form and evolution of stakeholder perceptions toward renewable energy (RE) developments continue to be investigated, but there has been little similar research regarding mines. Responses of... Show moreThe form and evolution of stakeholder perceptions toward renewable energy (RE) developments continue to be investigated, but there has been little similar research regarding mines. Responses of community members and other stakeholders cannot be expected to evolve the same way between different resource and infrastructure projects. We ask what the various expectations of planned mines are among community members, and what factors impact these expectations. We perform a case study of a planned, large-scale, mineral sands mine in rural Victoria, Australia (2013–2015). Using a closed-question questionnaire (n=32) and semi-structured interviews (n=25), individual and community experiences of the planning process were examined. We explore stakeholder perceptions of the mining company and development process to date, as well as future expectations. Despite the recognition of mining as a normalised part of modern Australian economy and culture, the results revealed a community with low-trust in the mining company, and accompanying negative perceptions of their own involvement thus far. These perceptions translated into negative future expectations. Many factors influential in the formation of RE opinions were also significant here, these include: background factors; visual and environmental impacts; and, the actions of the company to date. Other factors are not so prevalent in RE literature and may be specific to mines, these include issues surrounding the rehabilitation of the land and the history of the mining company. Show less
