TY - JOUR
T1 - In the Shadow of the Mountain
T2 - Assessing early impacts on community development from two mining prospects in South Greenland
AU - Hansen, Anne Merrild
AU - Johnstone, Rachael Lorna
PY - 2019/4/1
Y1 - 2019/4/1
N2 - The study presented in this paper explored how people in South Greenland perceive their future prospects and the role of mining in this regard. This region hosts two important mining projects still in relatively early stages. The study further investigated how mining projects influence local decisions about individual and community development. It was conducted as a case study of the two specific mining projects and how these projects connect with local people's visions for the future and how people find that the projects influence the possibility of realizing these futures. The study is based on qualitative interviews with people from the towns of Narsaq and Qaqortoq and from a sheep farm near Narsaq, during a fieldtrip in May 2017. The authors found that the mining projects, even though they are still in the exploration phase, have already had great impact on local expectations for future development and on decision-making and planning in people's daily lives and thereby the development of the communities. Further, although located relatively close together in the same region, there are significant differences between the towns and their relations to the neighboring mining projects. There is both support and opposition towards the projects, which triggers division between individuals, between groups and between the towns. However, all agree on a need for more transparent processes and for timelines to inform people of when they can expect decisions to be made and activities to take place.
AB - The study presented in this paper explored how people in South Greenland perceive their future prospects and the role of mining in this regard. This region hosts two important mining projects still in relatively early stages. The study further investigated how mining projects influence local decisions about individual and community development. It was conducted as a case study of the two specific mining projects and how these projects connect with local people's visions for the future and how people find that the projects influence the possibility of realizing these futures. The study is based on qualitative interviews with people from the towns of Narsaq and Qaqortoq and from a sheep farm near Narsaq, during a fieldtrip in May 2017. The authors found that the mining projects, even though they are still in the exploration phase, have already had great impact on local expectations for future development and on decision-making and planning in people's daily lives and thereby the development of the communities. Further, although located relatively close together in the same region, there are significant differences between the towns and their relations to the neighboring mining projects. There is both support and opposition towards the projects, which triggers division between individuals, between groups and between the towns. However, all agree on a need for more transparent processes and for timelines to inform people of when they can expect decisions to be made and activities to take place.
KW - Mining
KW - Social impact assessment
KW - South Greenland
KW - Uranium
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85061280075&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.exis.2019.01.012
DO - 10.1016/j.exis.2019.01.012
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85061280075
SN - 2214-790X
VL - 6
SP - 480
EP - 488
JO - Extractive Industries and Society
JF - Extractive Industries and Society
IS - 2
ER -