GineersNow Engineering Magazine November 2016 Issue No 009

Photo by ResolutionPossible
Photo by SMI
Photo by BritanniaMining
Photo by RoyalBafokengPlatinum
How Mining Companies
Give Back To Communities
Mining companies get a bad reputation
for most people who do not understand
the importance of what they are doing.
For anti-mining activists, the extraction of
minerals and metals from different lands
lead to the destruction of the environment.
This is what some people would like to
believe. Forget the importance of the
metals and minerals extracted to supply
society’s demands - mining is bad for the
environment, mining is bad for us. That’s
exactly what anti-mining organizations
want us to believe.
But through responsible mining and
proper information dissemination, mining
companies can shed some light on the
benefits of the activity and how it’s not
necessarily bad for the environment at
all. Another thing they do is to involve the
communities where mining companies
are located in their activities through
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
programs. These are voluntary actions
that will help benefit the communities
involved. Whether it benefits the locals
socially, economically or environmentally,
mining companies would take the initiative
to offer programs that could help people
and have a better relationship with them.
As we all know, the future of a mining
company depends on the relations
between the company and the locals. If
the locals don’t support a mining company,
chances are there will be delays on future
projects and problems in getting permits
for an operation to push through.
So what exactly do these companies offer
in their CSR programs?
There are a lot of choices for different
communities. The most common
program involves development of
different infrastructure. Roads will be
built to provide better transportation
while hospitals and schools will become
available for the community as well. Since
mining companies are found in rural areas,
electricity may also be prioritized for the
community.
Jobs are also given to the locals. Not
only are the jobs available to provide
people with income, some companies
offer jobs that involve training to prepare
these people for a sustainable living.
These programs may be beneficial to the
community even if mining companies
leave them after operation.
Lastly, CSR programs may involve building
social capital. To give back to communities,
companies can provide free education
for the children to go to school to. They
can provide families on different types
of information including family planning,
HIV prevention, proper hygiene and many
more.
While some people still question the
ulterior motives of mining companies in
having the initiative to do these programs,
we really can’t help but approve of these
CSR programs. After all, they still get to
help different communities improve their
way of life.
78
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance