Reduction of Conflicts in Mining Development Using “Good Neighbor Agreements”

Abstract

Good Neighbor Agreements (GNAs) are a relatively new mechanism for improving communication and trust between a mining company and the community. The focus of a GNA will be to provide a written and enforceable agreement, negotiated between the concerned public and the respective mining company to respond to concerns from the public, and also provide a mechanism for conflict resolution, when there is mutual benefit to maintain a working relationship. GNA agreements resulting from current research coupled with international environmental standards will provide the basis for an accessible interactive model. This model will serve as a tool for independent technical scientific expertise and provide strategies for implementation of the GNA. Because of the higher quality environmental standards already in place, this new approach is most likely to be initially applicable in a developed country with mature state and federal regulatory programs, although utilization in other less-developed nations can be beneficial.