Mining relations with local communities.
Mining companies have come under fire across Latin America for failure to heed the demands of local communities and to introduce policies that turn these into active stakeholders. In response, many firms have sought to remedy this either through policies to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) or by integrating communities more fully into the planning processes. While NGO campaigns have grated, gradually mining companies are adopting many of their suggestions.
Governments will struggle to combine policies to attract mining investment with those that protect community interests.
However, these objectives are not necessarily incompatible.
Inability to achieve the social and environmental license can doom projects to failure.
Chinese mining firms are being forced to adopt best practice.
