This paper addresses approaches to stakeholder engagement and socio-economic closure planning, drawing on the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Policy and Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability and experience with various mining projects in sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, reference is made to Sadiola Gold Mine in Mali which provides many lessons learned over a 14 year period. This includes a comprehensive ongoing stakeholder engagement and planning process with key role players, including local communities and civil society; local, regional and national government; the mine; international non-government organisations (NGOs) and the IFC. In particular, successful use has been made of participatory land use planning processes to address key spatial aspects, including (i) maximising the protection of limited available arable land (essential for continuity of agriculturally based livelihoods beyond mine closure); (ii) the accommodation of an influx of over 3,000 in-migrants following commencement of mine construction; (iii) the resettlement of two villages; and (iv) the preparation and implementation of an integrated development action plan (IDAP).
Pollett, E. A. (2009). Mine closure - participatory staekholder engagement and socio-economic closure planning for community sustainability in the context of an uncertain future. In A.B. Fourie & M. Tibbett (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Mine Closure. Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth (pp. 417-428).