The Ethics of Space and Time in Mining Projects: Matching Technical Tools with Social Performance

Developing a major extractive project requires a long planning horizon from exploration to project development to operation and closure. Calibrating expectations of indigenous communities with such planning horizons can frequently be a challenge for companies and governments. The physical areas where benefits are manifest on indigenous lands versus more indirect benefits that come through the development of the broader tax base or the economy are often not effectively communicated by development planners. This conceptual study will aim to provide guidance on how best to manage expectations in this context through scenarios, geographic information systems techniques, and a more inclusive economic development planning process.