Methodology

The project is structured in three stages:

• The first stage includes a review of recent trends and debates concerning social resistance towards the mining industry and current business practices for maintaining social ‘licence to operate’. This review will costs of: a) a literature review based on academic literature, reports of global financial institutions and mining associations; b) a comparative analysis of the mining legislation at national and provincial/municipal levels in Argentina; c) mapping of mining actors in Argentina. The review will contribute to identification of problems and conflicts in the mining industry and analysis of recommended as well as implemented actions for these problems.

• The second stage consists of data collection via interviewing representatives from the mining industry (local and international companies), regulators, financial community, local government authorities and NGOs. The interviews are aimed at investigating perceptions of various actors regarding positive and negative impacts of mining operations. Additionally, we plan to undertake a survey of communities affected by mining operations in different geographical areas.

• The third stage will provide an analysis of gaps in perceptions between different actors. During this stage, we will be developing various CSR models for reducing these perception gaps. In particular, we aim to explore organisational dimension (structure, compositions, responsibility, technical and administrative required capacity) of an effective and sustainable redistribution of benefits from the mining industry to the community. The option of redistribution may provide a resolution for minimising social resistance and optimising benefits received by the community.