Community management plan for mining exploration

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1 Community management plan for mining exploration Cristian Rojas Universidad de Chile Allison Coppel de Guerrero Teck, Chile ABSTRACT Problem Often Explorations ignore or minimise community relations, which sets the project on a difficult path to obtain and maintain its social licence. Objective Teck Explorations aims to begin community relations at the earliest stage. Methodology: Before developing any exploration project, a Community Management Plan is written. This plan is in line with Teck s Charter of Responsibility, Code of Sustainable Conduct, Environment, Health, Safety and Community Standards, and Social Management and Responsibility at Teck (SMART) toolkit, and includes as a minimum: Teck policies and community standards, project description, area of influence identification, identification and analysis of communities of interest, analysis of community risks, engagement planning, sustainable benefits plan, which includes the local content (employment and purchasing) plan, feedback mechanism adapted to the specific project, management tools in use for project, which include tracking mechanisms, closure plan, and the Archaeological Chance Find Procedure, adapted to the specific project. The plan is flexible, and follows the logic of the social particularities of each area of influence. Teck participates in the Mining Council of Chile (Consejo Minero)/Mining Society of Chile (SONAMI) Sustainable Explorations Group in Chile with other mining companies, and is the only company in the group to employ such a comprehensive plan. Cases Importance of Work and Results the plan is a model that could be replicated in other exploration projects. This paper will highlight three cases where the plan has ensured a solid relationship with the communities while integrating social responsibility into the project s overall management. Conclusion the plan is an integral part of how Teck explores, contributing to its overall positive reputation in social responsibility and its social licence to operate. 1

2 INTRODUCTION From the earliest stages of exploration activity, it is important to develop and implement appropriate community management strategies in order to obtain and maintain the social licence to operate the project. Teck s Charter of Corporate Responsibility, Code of Sustainable Conduct, and the 21 Environmental, Health, Safety, and Community Management Standards guide all activities in Teck, even in the earliest stages of exploration. The policies and standards are designed to be aligned with key international guidelines and standards. In the exploration phase, these are notably the International Finance Corporation Performance Standards, the International Council on Mining and Metals Sustainable Development Framework and related guidance papers, and the E3 Plus Framework for Responsible Exploration of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC). Teck developed the Social Management and Responsibility at Teck (SMART) Toolkit to build internal capacity and enhance social performance. The SMART Exploration toolkit was designed to bring the above mentioned policies and international standards and guidelines to an operational level. During the generative stage, community aspects are part of the overall analysis process, such as landowners and communities of interest are, and what areas are environmentally sensitive or protected. This information allows the project to conduct a high level social risk analysis, which contributes to the ability to effectively determine the viability of the project going forward and the associated costs. As the project moves forward through the different exploration phases, it is necessary to analyse what aspects of community management are necessary to implement in order to obtain and maintain the social licence to operate. Accordingly, Teck Exploration Chile developed a Community Management Plan for each project, which is based on SMART Exploration and guided by the following flowchart: 2

3 Training to project workers on community relations with landowners Project Generative Plan Charter of Responsibility, Code of Sustainable Conduct Standards: Communication and Reporting, Communities and Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights, Water Assign small budget for community Identify landowners and sensitive Geological Target Identify preliminary area of influence, communities of interest, local context, sensitive areas Produce basic engagement plan and feedback procedure. Conduct high level social risk screening for area of influence Territorial study (tenures, protected areas, indigenous areas, etc ) Define area of influence Drilling Campaign Identify and analyse communities of interest Conduct community profile Implement archaeological chance find check list Conduct detailed social risk assessment Produce engagement plan Implement worker and contractor training Closure Implement temporary or permanent Closure Plan Figure 1 Community Management Plan Work Flow 3

4 DESCRIPTION The square like shape on the top right hand side indicates the documentation inputs required during the exploration phase described in the middle. The exploration phases are quite simplified for the sake of demonstrating the evolution of community work. During the beginning generative phase, where there is little to no field work, the project team should take into account the Teck documents described. These documents are found on the Teck website, The hexagon describes the actions the team must take to further the community goals. For formatting reason, the training actions are on the left hand side. As the project progresses to the geological target, meaning the decision of where and how to drill holes to test material, community contact becomes more apparent, albeit still at a low profile. Once the drilling campaign begins, community engagement is more intensive, as communities of interest (described below) usually become more curious, and perhaps critical, of the process. As exploration campaigns are relatively short, it is essential to plan for the permanent or temporary closure of the activities with the community. The company may want to return at a later point, or otherwise want to make sure that its reputation remains positive upon its exit. Area of Influence, Communities of Interest, and Basic Engagement Communities of interest are individuals or groups (formal or informal) who are directly or indirectly affected by an activity, and/or those who may have interests in the activities and/or the ability to influence the activity. Before being able to understand who they are and what their concerns are, it is necessary to first take into account company policy and standards, and then the basic technical details of the project. With these tools, it is possible to define the area of influence, or the geographical area that is or will be impacted by project activities. The area of influence in exploration projects is usually quite small, however as activities become more intense and intrusive, the area will likely grow. The next step is to conduct a community profile, which is a high level desktop analysis of the socioeconomic context. Once the above analyses and definitions are complete, it is possible to begin to map who the individuals and groups are that are affected or have influence over the project, what their level of influence is in the community, and their initial perceptions of the project. The end goal of these exercises is to plan a basic engagement phase with them. Engagement is the process of developing and deepening the relationship between a project and its communities of interest through meaningful interaction and dialogue. An engagement plan maps out the specific activities that should take place in order to build relationships with key communities of interest. Activities could include letter writing, telephone calls, individual meetings, and group meetings (with a preference for small group meetings). Risk Analysis As indicated in Figure 1, once targets are identified, a high level social risk screening is undertaken. This analysis takes into account general sector elements revealed through the community profiling process, such as socio economic and political conditions. Once the project moves forward to a drilling campaign, which is a more visible and intrusive activity, detailed risks need to be identified 4

5 and prioritised in terms of frequency and severity. Control measures should be outlined at this stage in order to minimise potential negative impacts and enhance positive ones. Sustainable Benefits/Community Development Plan Given that exploration activities are temporary and small in budget; social investment is minimal to none. However, it is possible to generate tangible benefits to communities thanks to local purchasing of goods and services, local employment, and targeted, low budget community activities that stem from community initiatives. Feedback Mechanism Globally, Teck has developed a Feedback Mechanism Procedure that is adapted to particular projects on a case by case basis. This is in line with international standards, notably the International Finance Corporation Performance Standards. Overall, the procedure outlines a plan on how to set up site specific vehicles to receive feedback, classify the feedback, and respond to it in a timely manner. Besides allowing the project to adhere to Teck and international standards, the mechanism facilitates early risk identification and risk monitoring as well as contributes to the project s transparency, which minimises potential conflicts. CASES Arcas Project The Arcas Project is located about 50 km northeast of the village of Quillagua, in the Antofagasta Region of Chile. In order to access the project site, Teck had to build an unpaved road. Thanks to early community engagement set forth in the engagement plan, the Aymara Indigenous community was given the opportunity to illustrate its traditional land holdings, which were not apparent in official government documents. Thanks to this information, which was collected prior to finalising road design plans, Teck circumvented the traditional lands. This initial demonstration of goodwill provided a positive platform to continue engagement. The community of interest identification and risk analysis process revealed that two rival families dominated village governance and influence. The community benefits plan therefore identified that the project team lodge in one family s inn, yet take their meals in the other family s restaurant, thus not contributing to an existing conflict by favouring one family over another. The result of this project is that it was able to complete the scheduled campaign on time. As the overall goal of the Social Responsibility area in Teck is to obtain and maintain the social licence to operate, the success completion of the project campaign attests to the success. Pampa Lina Project Also located in the Antofagasta Region, the Pampa Lina project lies six km north of the town of Sierra Gorda. In the earlier part of the twentieth century and the nineteenth century, the area was a central part of the nitrate mining boom, and the Pampa Lina project site is completely surrounded by a historical mining site. In order to not disturb the archaeological value of the area, close attention is paid to the Teck Archaeological Chance Find Procedure, which was adapted to the specific project, and is accompanied by intensive training to all field staff. 5

6 Field staff learned to identify what is a zone of archaeological significance, and mark it off appropriately. The result is that the project campaign continued without disturbance to the archaeological zones. Erika Project In the Coquimbo Region of Chile, Erika is located about 40 km from the nearest town, Las Ramadas de Tulahuén. Thanks to the feedback received through the Feedback Mechanism specifically designed for the project, the Environmental Group of Tulahuén shared its concern regarding possible risks to land and water sources around the project site. The project team invited the group to visit the site, and openly discuss any environmental concerns while the project team shared the actions taken to protect the environment. The group, which had protested against a neighbouring mining project in the area, thanked Teck for its openness, and acknowledged its trust in the project. In short, the early engagement and Feedback Mechanism allowed for the early identification and mitigation of a potential risk. While the above situation was under development, other members of the community approached the project team with the desire to implement an environmental education activity in the primary school. Project team members prepared a short, interactive curriculum to work with the 31 children in the school, and received very good feedback from the children, teachers, and parents for the activity. Following the course, the teachers and the Neighbourhood Association asked the team to implement a similar course for the Senior Citizens Club. This course demonstrates a successful lowcost activity (about US$ 550), principally building on resources (such as team members) already available, that generates strong bonds of trust with the community. Similar to the other cases mentioned, the project campaign was able to be implemented according to schedule. In an area where some communities of interest have protested against other mining activities, this achievement is quite significant. CONCLUSION Thanks to the exploration Community Management Plan described, the Exploration team has been able to build solid relationships with community members from the earliest stages, identify community risks, and overall integrate community issues, opportunities, and risk management into project development. In turn, Teck earns a stronger social licence to operate current and future projects. REFERENCES International Council on Mining and Metals, Sustainable Development Framework, London. International Council on Mining and Metals, Indigenous Peoples and Mining, London (2010). International Finance Corporation, Performance Standards, Washington, DC. Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, E3 Plus, A Framework for Sustainable Exploration, Toronto. Teck Resources Limited, Environment, Health, Safety and Community Management Standards, (2010). Teck Resources Limited, SMART Exploration, (2011). Teck Resources Limited, Archaeology Chance Find Procedure, (2010) Teck Resources Limited. Community of Interest Feedback Mechanism Procedure, (2010). 6