Gain Trust, Don’t Lie to Win Mine Support, Says Mining Law Summit Speaker
Transparency. Trust. Truth. Mining development efforts must rely on these tenets in order to overcome opposition—or know when to walk away.
“Be upfront,” Christopher Hopkins, president of River Landing Solutions, said at November’s annual Mining Law Summit sponsored by the University of Arizona School of Mining and Mineral Resources and the James E. Rogers College of Law.
Hopkins, who has been an adjunct professor for the law school and UArizona’s Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources, cautioned that the last thing a company ought to do is dodge hard discussions with opponents of major mining development and operation.
“They may not like (the answers),” Hopkins said, “but it maintains our credibility. If you lie, they will never forgive you and won’t forget it.”
Hopkins helps mining companies and commercial developers navigate the regulatory process to develop property. This includes communicating with stakeholders such as environmental activists, community residents, regulators, political officials and underrepresented groups. His topic for the summit was “The Evaluation of Community Relations.”
Extensively identify and study all the proponents, opponents and political bodies that will be involved in the decision-making process, he advised, then meet with small groups of them to make your case. He suggested that meeting with large groups allows strident opponents to take over the tenor of the gathering and drown out what companies have to say.
Companies would do well to stay focused on the science and the benefits of a proposal, Hopkins said. Especially seek respected third-party peer reviews, then stay on message.
Find people willing to listen to your message.
Environmental activists sometimes have the loudest voices in opposition, Hopkins said, and leaders may resort to filling their followers with fear and misinformation. “Try to talk to them, but know you’re going to get nowhere,” he said. A better strategy is to reach out to those who are willing to listen, then answer their questions and find ways to allay their concerns.
In one example, Hopkins mentioned that a company equipped every home near a mine site with a seismograph so residents could monitor blast effects for themselves.
Indigenous communities require special attention and early engagement, he said. “Show them the proper respect that they deserve,” he advised. “Try to identify the most influential members of that group to understand if the project will be viable at all.”
Mining Law Summit tackles challenges in mining.
The interests of indigenous peoples also were discussed in a separate panel during the summit, which this year focused on “Addressing Challenges to Mineral Resource Development.” Other topics included compliance with environmental law, standards for responsible mining and UArizona’s new mining school that encompasses all aspects of mining and mineral resource education and research.
Some 150 law and mining students and professionals registered for the virtual summit. The annual event strives to expand practical and policy discussions.
“This year’s summit did a great job in highlighting the need for transparency in working with indigenous peoples and community groups,” said John C. Lacy, director of the UArizona’s Global Mining Law program, “and presented some of the important educational and technical advances developed by The University of Arizona.”
