Even when people’s intentions are good and mineral prices are high, it is neither simple nor straightforward to generate lasting benefits for local communities from a mine. That takes careful planning. It takes persistence, clarity about one’s goals, and research. It takes carefully-prepared and -conducted negotiations that capture the whole range of benefits: revenues, training and jobs, business opportunities, and management experience and ability. With good negotiation and good implementation, a mine can be made to generate benefits that outlive the mine itself, and build the community’s self-reliance. With poor negotiation or poor implementation, a mine can divide communities, weaken families, and degrade social and environmental conditions.
In short, mining offers no quick fix to the challenges faced by Aboriginal communities. The Aboriginal Mining Guide will help Aboriginal communities to decide if they can gain lasting benefits from mining. It also explains how to negotiate with mining companies in order to gain those benefits while protecting the environment and their quality of life.
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