Abstract:
Mine closure planning is an evolving activity that today includes the development of a parallel economy based on non-mining support. The options available to a company to create a new community or use an existing one to support the non-working life-style of its employees have switched in recent years to the use of fly-in-fly-out camps. While this approach may reduce infrastructure costs, over the long term the best choice may depend on a myriad of factors such as orebody life and value, remoteness of the mine site, availability of an existing community, culture of existing inhabitants, availability of trained workers, etc. Many mining companies today are recognizing that a new community needs to develop a multi-dimensional economy that initially might integrate with the production activities of the mine, but eventually needs to be able to stand on its own post-mining. This paper describes a novel approach to creating entrepreneurs in a remote mine site that can grow the community in a sustainable one that can survive the eventual succession of the dominant industrial activity.
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