Social License to Operate: Integration into Mine Planning and Development
Title: Social License to Operate: Integration into Mine Planning and Development Author/Institution: Jacqueline Laura Nelsen – PhD Thesis, University of British Columbia Publication Year: 2006
Embedding Legitimacy into Mining Governance
Jacqueline Nelsen’s doctoral research provides one of the earliest and most comprehensive treatments of the Social License to Operate (SLO) as a conceptual and practical framework in the mining industry. She argues that mining projects cannot rely solely on regulatory compliance or technical performance; they must cultivate legitimacy and trust among affected communities to maintain continuous approval to operate. Through detailed case studies, Nelsen demonstrates how social expectations, shaped by culture, history, and power relations, directly influence corporate risk and project stability. Her thesis situates the SLO within the broader evolution of corporate social responsibility and participatory governance in resource extraction.
Methodological Approach and Empirical Insights
Nelsen employs a comparative multi-case study method combining policy analysis, corporate documentation, and stakeholder interviews. By examining mining operations in Canada, Latin America, and Australia, she identifies recurring tensions between corporate strategies and community perceptions. Her findings reveal that companies often frame engagement as a one-time process rather than a long-term relationship. This mismatch leads to escalating conflict once production begins. Nelsen’s empirical analysis shows that firms that embed community dialogue into mine-planning and operational decision-making—rather than post-approval outreach— experience fewer disruptions and maintain stronger reputational resilience.
Implications for Extractive Policy and Practice
Nelsen’s work remains a foundational reference for understanding how legitimacy and accountability underpin the stability of mining investments. She concludes that the SLO should be treated not as a public- relations tool but as a governance mechanism integral to project design and lifecycle management. The study’s implications reach beyond mining: it calls for institutional reforms that link environmental regulation, community participation, and revenue distribution into one coherent framework. For policymakers and industry leaders alike, Nelsen’s thesis establishes that the endurance of extractive ventures depends less on geological promise than on the credibility of relationships built with those living closest to the mine gate.