[PDF] Community Development Toolkit - CommDev

CASE STUDYEarly participatory planning for closureNewmont, PeruSummaryEngagement on mine closure with communities around Newmont’s Yanacocha mine wasinformed by previous experience of community protests around the company’s earlierwithdrawal from the nearby Cerro Quilish project. This experience led the Yanacocha teamto establish a permanent community centre in order to ensure that local people fullyunderstood the implications of mine closure.Context and challengeIn 2004, there were community protests against the planned expansion of Newmont’sMinera Yanacocha mine into the neighbouring region of Cerro Quilish. Local residents tookcontrol of Cerro Quilish and the roads leading to the mine. In response to the protests, thecompany asked the government to revoke its exploration permit in the area.Learning from the experience of responding to the community protests over Cerro Quilish,Yanacocha prioritized the development of an engagement plan with the communitiesrelating to the planned closure of Yanacocha – even though closure was many years away.COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TOOLSResponseThe company recognized that the protests at Cerro Quilish were partly the result of a failureto engage with communities effectively, and sufficiently in advance. In order not to repeatthe mistake, Yanacocha worked with the community to establish a specific gathering placeto enable the mine to share its proposed closure and reclamation activities in order toprepare the community economically, socially and environmentally for life beyond the mine.As a result of these discussions, Yanacocha’s “Center for Research in Mine Closure” wasbuilt. It provided the community with visual examples of programs that could be adoptedpost-closure, and gave regular opportunities for the community to provide feedback onways to strengthen the programs, or suggest alternatives.Based on this feedback, the Center commissioned analysis from local scientificorganizations in order to identify the best post-closure land use options – those offeringenvironmental protection while providing long-term economic opportunities for thecommunity. The proposed options included raising alpacas, farming crops in the Andes,propagating forests and attracting “eco-tourists”.The Center also conducted programs in order to help assess options for land reclamation,in response to the very wet climate of the mine site and the need to prevent rainwaterfrom infiltrating into waste rock storage areas. As a result of these adaptations – whichconsisted of physically measuring water runoff and seepage rather than adapting the usualpractice of relying on mathematical modelling – the company was able to discuss impactson local water supplies post-closure with local ranchers and farmers.OutcomesSince the Yanacocha mine is not due to close for many years, it is impossible to know inadvance what the impacts of this enhanced consultation program will be. However, as aresult of the work at Yanacocha, the company has looked at the possibility of implementinga similar approach at its sites, including Batu Hijau in Indonesia and Ahafo in Ghana.Sources:“Newmont mining withdraws from Cerro Quilish, Peru”, press release from Oxfam America, 5 November 2004.“Community engagement for mine closure”, case study from Newmont Sustainability Report 2007.Community Development Toolkit37