· 23 min read
GROUNDS: The Mediation Methodology for Extractive Conflicts
A drilling program needed access across grazing land. The herders' association said no, then said worse, and two seasons of goodwill evaporated inside a...
From the field
The field teaches what the textbook cannot
Practical analysis on social license, grievance mechanism design, FPIC and community conflict in the extractive sector. Most of these start with something that went wrong on a mandate.
Latest
· 22 min read
REBUILD: Repairing a Fractured Relationship
A mediator I know arrived at a community hall with an agenda built around numbers. Compensation tiers. A monitoring schedule. A remediation timeline.
Read the article· 20 min read
The Shared Intent Protocol
Two years into a stalled land-access negotiation, the offer per hectare had been raised three times, and each increase made the deadlock worse.
Reply to an article
This is the most insightful article I have read in a long time. So agree with your comment that companies invest heavily in the appearance of process and starve the substance, then they pay for the difference in delay, blockade, and lost production. Early and professional engagement is an investment, not a cost.
· 21 min read
The Trust Audit
I once watched a traditional leader sign every document a company put in front of him.
Reply to an article
Your framing of social performance as a financing, permitting and execution issue, not just a community relations issue, feels exactly right. That shift is becoming visible on lender-driven projects.
· 10 min read
What a Fair Agreement Looks Like From the Community's Side
A mining company will sign many agreements over the life of a project. The ones it actually keeps are the ones the community watches, and the ones written...
Reply to an article
Sometimes I find your posts depressing. I thought some of these things were standard practice. Not best practice, or even good practice, just standard. Thank you for highlighting them, since apparently people are still not getting it.
· 10 min read
Leveling the Table: Independent Advice for Communities
When a mining company sits down across from your community, the table is not level, and everyone knows it.
· 9 min read
Reading the Company's Promises
Treat every promise a mining company makes as worthless until it carries a number, a date, and a consequence. That sounds harsh.
· 10 min read
One Voice: Building Community Cohesion Before Negotiation
Before a mining company sits across from your community, you must settle one question that decides everything else: who speaks for us.
· 10 min read
Before the Mine Arrives: How a Community Prepares to Negotiate
Your leverage is highest before the first shovel breaks ground, and it drains away with every dollar the company commits.
Reply to an article
Excellent article, and it absolutely speaks to trends that have been taking place across the Australian mining sectors for some years.
· 10 min read
Durable Agreements on Transition Timelines
A community agreement signed fast to hit a financing window is not a settlement. It is a postponement, and the bill comes due later at a higher price.
· 10 min read
The Just-Transition Backlash
A transition-mineral project that treats "green" as a substitute for fairness will breed exactly the conflict it expects to avoid. The pitch sounds clean.
· 9 min read
Cobalt, the DRC, and Artisanal Reality in the Supply Chain
Most of the world's cobalt comes from one country, and a meaningful share of it is dug by hand.
· 10 min read
Lithium's Local Resistance: Lessons From Contested Projects
The lithium the world needs for its batteries is not scarce, and it is not, for the most part, technically hard to reach.
· 10 min read
The Energy Transition's Social License Problem
The transition to clean energy runs on a mining boom, and that boom is reopening the oldest fight in the extractive sector.
· 10 min read
Crisis Communications When Trust Has Collapsed
When a community has stopped believing anything your company says, better messaging is not the fix, and reaching for it makes the hole deeper.
· 10 min read
De-escalation in an Acute Crisis
The first hour of an acute crisis at a mine decides most of what follows. The reflex that feels safest in that hour is usually the one that makes it...
· 10 min read
Managing a Community-Driven Shutdown
When a community shuts your operation down, the most expensive mistake is not the stoppage. It is what the stoppage tempts you to do next.
· 10 min read
Security and Human Rights on Site
A security-led response to community tension is the single most dangerous reflex on a mine site. Not the most common. The most dangerous.
· 10 min read
Responding to a Blockade Without Escalating
A blockade is a message, not the problem. By the time a community physically closes your road or your gate, it is telling you that every quieter channel...
· 10 min read
Building Trust Through Data Transparency
Most mining conflicts I have worked near run on an information gap before they run on anything else.
· 10 min read
Managing Misinformation and Social Media in Mining Disputes
A single WhatsApp voice note can shut your access road by morning. I once watched a rumor about contaminated water move through three villages in a day.
· 10 min read
AI in Community Grievance Management
Artificial intelligence can make a grievance mechanism faster, more organised, and much harder to ignore, but it cannot resolve a single grievance.
· 11 min read
The Future of Community Engagement Technology
The most effective community engagement technology I have watched a mining company deploy was a community liaison office and a set of hand-held...
· 11 min read
Digital Tools for Remote Stakeholder Engagement
The most effective digital engagement tool I have seen in a remote mining area is not a portal or an app.
· 10 min read
Mine Closure and Community Transition
Mine closure is an economic and social event that happens to involve environmental remediation.
· 10 min read
Post-Conflict Rebuilding in Mining Regions
When a mining company and a surrounding community fall into open conflict, attention goes to the acute dispute.
· 10 min read
From Protest to Partnership
I have stood in northern Portugal, in the Barroso region, and watched opposition to a mining project up close.
· 10 min read
The Community Relations Manager's Handbook
The community relations manager carries one of the most demanding roles in mining. You represent the company while you also advocate for the community.
· 10 min read
Five Essential Skills for Mining Community Relations Professionals
The community relations skills that matter most in mining are not the ones listed in typical job descriptions.
· 10 min read
Small-Scale vs Large-Scale Mining: Different Community Dynamics
Most community relations frameworks treat all mining the same way. They should not.
· 12 min read
Labor Conflicts in Mining
Employment is the most volatile trigger of conflict between mining companies and the communities around them.
· 10 min read
Artisanal and Industrial Mining Coexistence
Two mining systems often want the same ground. An industrial company holds a legal concession with exclusive mineral rights.
· 10 min read
Water Rights Conflicts in Mining
Water disputes are the hardest conflicts a mining project will face, and the reason is structural. You can survey a contested land boundary.
· 10 min read
Land Access and Resettlement Disputes
Mining operations sit where corporate interests, government authority, and community land rights collide.
· 10 min read
Environmental Justice Mediation
Environmental justice mediation in mining needs shared facts, community capacity and remedies that address harm and dignity.
· 10 min read
Designing a Remote Mining Mediation Process
Design remote mining mediation around travel, neutral venues, local authority, access and time for community decisions.
· 10 min read
Online vs In-Person Mediation
Choose online, in-person or hybrid mining mediation by weighing trust, cultural protocol, access and power before you convene.
· 10 min read
Co-Mediation in Mining Disputes
Co-mediation in mining disputes works when roles, authority, language and trust anchors are set before talks begin.
· 11 min read
Cross-Cultural Mediation in African Mining
Cross-cultural mining mediation starts with local authority, land, time and agreement norms. Learn how to build a process communities can trust.
· 10 min read
Mediating Multi-Stakeholder Conflicts in Mining
Mediating multi-stakeholder mining conflicts requires mapping constraints, testing interests, and building consent that can adapt over time.
· 10 min read
The Mediator's Toolkit for Extractive Conflicts
Match mining mediation tools to the right moment, from power mapping and fact-finding to monitoring clauses that help agreements hold.
· 10 min read
Reality Testing in Community Mediation
Use reality testing in community mediation to examine alternatives, compare evidence, and adjust expectations without signaling mediator bias.
· 10 min read
Caucusing in Mining Disputes
Caucusing in mining disputes can build trust or deepen power gaps. Learn when private sessions help and how to structure them fairly.
· 10 min read
Managing Power Imbalances in Mediation
Power imbalances in mining mediation demand safeguards. Learn how to protect informed community participation and fair process.
· 10 min read
Cultural Heritage Disputes in Mining
Resolve cultural heritage disputes in mining through early assessment, design changes, avoidance, mitigation, and co-management.
· 10 min read
Gender-Inclusive Community Engagement
Design gender-inclusive mining engagement so women can shape decisions through safe forums, local information, and responsive changes.
· 10 min read
Working with Traditional Leaders in Mining Engagement
Work with traditional leaders in mining by verifying authority, mapping decision-makers, honoring protocol, and preventing captured consent.
· 10 min read
Building Trust with Indigenous Communities
Build trust with Indigenous communities through rights-based engagement, independent facilitation, shared agreements, and accountability.
· 10 min read
An FPIC Consultation Guide
Learn what FPIC requires in mining, from governance mapping and independent advice to ongoing consent and durable community agreements.
· 9 min read
The Regulatory Landscape for Consultation by Country
Community consultation rules vary by country, lender, and EU exposure, so mining projects should plan to the highest enforceable standard.
· 10 min read
Stakeholder Mapping for Mining Projects
Stakeholder mapping for mining projects identifies hidden actors, power shifts, relationships, and company constraints before engagement starts.
· 9 min read
Building a Stakeholder Engagement Plan
A stakeholder engagement plan works when it names real groups, funds participation, closes feedback loops, and resolves disputes independently.
· 9 min read
From Consultation to Collaboration: Climbing the Engagement Ladder in Mining
Consultation to collaboration explains how mining projects move from informing communities to shared decision authority that can hold.
· 9 min read
What Meaningful Community Engagement Looks Like
Meaningful community engagement shows whether affected people shaped mining decisions, not just attended meetings or signed registers.
· 9 min read
Early Stakeholder Engagement: The Exploration-Phase Window
Early stakeholder engagement lets mining teams surface risks, protect trust, and shape project design while exploration choices remain open.
· 9 min read
Mining in Post-Conflict Regions
Post-conflict mining needs conflict-sensitive engagement, honest risk planning, and mediation before board approval in fragile regions.
· 9 min read
Energy Transition and Community Relations
Critical minerals community relations require consent built for faster timelines, new actors, benefit pressure, and transition-era risk.
· 9 min read
Comparing Regulatory Models for Community Consultation
Mining community consultation rules differ sharply across Canada, Australia, and Africa. Compare consent, benefit, and lender standards.
· 11 min read
ESG Requirements and Community Engagement
ESG community engagement now carries legal and financial exposure. See where mining compliance fails and how to build defensible records.
· 9 min read
Investment Due Diligence and Community Risk
Community risk due diligence shows how mining investors can price conflict, consent gaps, and mediation capacity before they sign.
· 10 min read
Good Neighbor Agreements in Mining
Good neighbor agreements help bridge early mining uncertainty by defining commitments, monitoring, dispute paths, and a transition to a CBA.
· 10 min read
CBA Case Studies: What Worked and What Failed
CBA case studies show why clear benefit formulas, independent monitoring, community control, and dispute paths decide whether agreements hold.
· 9 min read
Renegotiating Community Agreements
Community benefit agreement renegotiation needs clear triggers, neutral facilitation, shared evidence, and review terms before disputes harden.
· 10 min read
Dispute Resolution Clauses in CBAs
CBA dispute resolution clauses work best when they put consultation, mediation, expert review, and arbitration in the right order.
· 10 min read
Implementing CBAs: From Paper to Practice
CBA implementation needs governance, monitoring, capacity, and review systems that keep mining agreements working after signature.
· 12 min read
The Legal Framework for CBAs by Region
CBA legal frameworks determine enforceability. Compare statutory, contractual, regulatory, and reputational enforcement across mining regions.
· 10 min read
CBA Financial Structures: Revenue Sharing and Benefit Funds
CBA financial structures shape durable community benefits. Compare five revenue-sharing models, formula choices, governance, and safeguards.
· 10 min read
Community Participation in CBA Negotiations
Community participation in CBA negotiations requires inclusive representation, independent advice, capacity building, and accountable processes.
· 10 min read
Common CBA Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Community benefit agreement pitfalls hide in vague clauses. Learn practical fixes that make CBA commitments measurable and enforceable.
· 10 min read
What Should Be in a Community Benefit Agreement
Learn the 10 essential CBA elements that make a community benefit agreement measurable, enforceable and durable through the full mine life.
· 10 min read
The True Cost of Community Conflict in Mining
Estimate mining community conflict costs, from delay and lost output to social-license risk, and compare prevention spend.
· 10 min read
Early Warning Systems for Mining-Community Conflict
Detect mining community conflict early with signal tracking, clear triggers, and mediation before grievances escalate.
· 10 min read
Designing Grievance Mechanisms That Actually Resolve Conflict
Grievance mechanism design for mining: build trust, deliver real remedy, and route hard cases into mediation.
· 20 min read
Managing Stakeholder Expectations During Mining Project Delays
Silence can break stakeholder trust on delayed mining project. A practitioner's guide to communication, mediation, and keeping your social license.
· 17 min read
When to Call a Mediator, and When to Trust Your Own Team
Know when to hire a mining community mediator, when to trust your CR team, and how to avoid costly stakeholder escalation.
· 24 min read
The Permit and the Permission: A Long Look at Social License to Operate in the Age of Critical Minerals
This is what social license to operate looks like in 2026. Not a slide in a sustainability deck. Not a number on a regulator's checklist. A daily judgment
· 18 min read
The Role of Apology and Acknowledgment in Mining Conflict Resolution
A genuine apology is the foundation of durable mining conflict resolution. A practitioner guide for community relations directors and ESG leaders.
· 15 min read
From Adversarial to Collaborative: Transforming Mining Conflict Dynamics
Adversarial mining conflicts need relationship transformation, not settlement. A practitioner guide for ESG leaders and community relations teams.
· 18 min read
Infrastructure Projects and Community Mediation: Pipelines, Roads, and Dams
Community mediation for infrastructure projects. Strategies for pipeline, road, and dam projects adapted from extractive industry best practices.
· 14 min read
Community Relations in Mining vs. Oil & Gas: Key Differences That Shape Your Strategy
Discover the critical differences between mining and oil & gas community relations. Field-tested strategies for each sector. Get expert guidance.
· 13 min read
Critical Minerals and Community Conflict: The New Frontier
Critical minerals projects are generating community conflict at scale. A practitioner risk analysis for ESG leaders and social performance teams.
· 9 min read
Navigating the Space Between: The Invisible Toll of Social Performance Work in Mining
What social performance work in mining does to the people who do it, and a practical framework for building resilience, from fifteen years in the field.
· 20 min read
Industry Trends: What Is Changing in Community Relations for Mining?
What is changing in mining community relations? 2026 trends analysis with strategic implications and recommendations for extractive industry professionals.
· 16 min read
Social Performance Indicators: Tracking Relationship Quality in Mining Operations
Social performance indicators for mining that measure outcomes, not activities: community trust, commitment delivery, and resilience.
· 15 min read
Shuttle Diplomacy in Mining Conflicts: When and How to Use It
Learn when and how to deploy shuttle diplomacy in mining conflicts. Field-tested protocols for mediators navigating high-tension extractive disputes.
· 13 min read
Impact Benefit Agreements vs. Community Benefit Agreements: Key Differences Every Mining Professional Should Understand
IBAs and CBAs differ in legal foundation and parties. A practitioner comparison for mining executives and community agreement negotiators.
· 14 min read
The Anatomy of Mining-Community Conflicts
Uncover root causes of mining-community conflicts with a practical framework. Discover prevention strategies for better relations and reduced risks.
· 15 min read
Introducing Social Accord Architecture: The Discipline That Treats Mining-Community Agreements as Engineered Infrastructure
Social Accord Architecture is a new professional discipline for designing, building, and maintaining the structured processes through which industrial
· 16 min read
Resolving Community Protests at Mining Sites: A Mediator's Approach
When community protests block your mining operation, your first priority is stabilization, not resolution. You cannot negotiate comprehensive agreements while
· 19 min read
Community Benefit Agreements: The Complete Negotiation Guide
Complete guide to negotiating CBAs for extracting industries. Get enforceable targets for jobs, procurement, revenue sharing, and penalties.
· 14 min read
How to Mediate Land Access Disputes in Mining Operations: A Step-by-Step Guide
How to mediate land access disputes in mining: A practitioner's guide to the 6-phase process, power balancing strategies, and durable agreements.
· 10 min read
Mediation as a Strategic Tool for Earning Social License to Operate
Learn how mediation helps mining companies earn social license to operate (SLO) by shifting from transactional permits to genuine relationship building.
· 25 min read
Mediating Resistance to Change in Communities: From Pushback to Participation
Transform community resistance from an obstacle into a resource. Learn how mediation converts adversarial pushback into collaborative problem-solving.
· 13 min read
Designing Human Rights Mediation in High-Conflict Mining Zones
Resolving human rights conflicts in mining: why traditional methods fail and how trauma-informed, culturally grounded mediation prioritizes accountability.
· 9 min read
Defusing Land Access Conflicts Through Early Dialogue
Learn how early, mediation-driven dialogue prevents land access conflicts in mining. Practical strategies for building trust with host communities.
· 11 min read
How Mediators Can Help Mining Companies Avoid Local Escalations
Discover how professional mediators can help mining companies identify tensions early, facilitate difficult conversations, and prevent community conflicts from escalating into costly project delays.
· 3 min read
Born or Trained? The 7 Core Qualities of Exceptional Mediators.
A breakdown of the seven core qualities that distinguish exceptional practice, and which ones can be trained and developed.
· 5 min read
Mediating Between Facts and Emotions in Mining Disputes
Mining disputes aren’t resolved by data alone. Discover how mediation bridges facts and emotions to build trust, address fears, and restore dialogue.
· 5 min read
Understanding and Mediating Community Resistance to Change in Mining Projects
This article explains why communities resist change, and how mediation can turn opposition into meaningful dialogue, and co-created solutions.
· 4 min read
You Have a Grievance Mechanism — But Do You Have Mediation?
This article explains why integrating mediation into grievance systems builds trust, accountability, and stronger stakeholder relationships.
The quoted replies are unsolicited public comments on articles published here, quoted by role rather than by name. Nobody was asked for them, so the people who wrote them stay unnamed.
Newsletter
The field notes
One email when I publish something worth your time. Case studies, mediation lessons and engagement strategies from fifteen years in the field.
If the relationship around a project is under pressure, or heading there, let us talk.
A 30-minute call is enough for me to understand the situation and tell you honestly whether I can help. Active opposition, a social license problem, an FPIC process that needs an independent facilitator, a negotiation a community has to prepare for, or a conflict that is not public yet but will be. It makes no difference which side of the table you are on. No obligation, no generalist pitch.
Every first conversation is confidential.