Lerato Ratsoenyane, Manager for Stakeholder Engagement Digby Wells Environmental will be presenting at the American Society of Reclamation Sciences (ASRS) conference. She will discuss “Developing Social Closure Plans (SCPs) in Mining: A Consultative Approach,” a paper co-authored with Jessica Pryor.
Creating effective SCPs requires meaningful input from both external and internal stakeholders to address concerns and opportunities in reclamation. Traditionally, post-closure opportunities were decided by management, but reclamation now focuses on stakeholder risks and opportunities.
Key points for a successful SCP:
✅ Align with government authorities to ensure compliance with national legislation and international best practices.
✅ Engage internal management, workforce, and unions to assess impacts and gather input for management actions.
✅ Collaborate with local communities and businesses to understand economic impacts, set expectations, and explore development partnerships.
Engagement must be tailored to each mine, sharing local knowledge and risks upfront. Proactive engagements and preemptive planning help manage closure timing and integrate stakeholder inputs, reducing surprises when the mine eventually closes.
We are proud to have Lerato Ratsoenyane represent Digby Wells Environmental at this esteemed conference, sharing valuable insights that contribute to sustainable social closure across mining operations globally.
