Social closure planning: scoping, developing and implementing – a case study

Abstract

Social aspects often lag behind or are not factored into closure plans with the same rigour and levels of confidence as the physical and bio-physical aspects. Anglo American has a predominance of operations in developing countries where local communities become directly and indirectly dependent on the mining activities for their livelihoods. This emphasises the importance of proactive management of social aspects throughout the life-of-mine and at closure. Anglo American is of the opinion that a mine closure plan without concurrent social planning leaves a significant gap in the planning process, lowers the overall confidence in sustainable closure and increases post-closure residual risk as well as associated liabilities. The objective of this case study is to demonstrate how the Anglo American Mine Closure Team is assisting a coal mine in South Africa to develop its social closure plan and closure costs for the site.