Opportunities for social sustainability through local governance of mine and quarry restoration

• Local government has no major role in mine and quarry rehabilitation in Victoria Australia. • Socially sustainable rehabilitation requires knowledge of the local context. • Synthesis of strategic planning documents and experience of 20 council officers. • Benefits for local government involvement due to their role in strategic planning. • Subsidiary role in multi-level governance reduces capacity to influence outcomes. Sustainable development in the mining and quarrying industries requires consideration of environmental, economic and social aspects across the lifecycle of sites. Yet much of the literature covers the environmental and economic lifecycle with little effort in capturing social aspects. Most studies on mine closure focus on financial barriers to rehabilitation and restoration. Literature regarding the social sustainability of extractive industries has remained focused on producing a social license to operate, which is typically established through the approval and operation phases of mining, with little attention on its role in rehabilitation and restoration. This paper reports on the opportunity to improve social considerations of mine and quarry restoration by increasing the influence of local government within the rehabilitation planning process. Drawing on strategic planning documentation from local governments and the experiences of 20 council officers in Victoria, Australia in relation to quarries within their municipalities, evidence suggests that local governments are well-positioned to provide strategic guidance to private proponents in determining restoration end-uses of value to the local community. However, to derive the most value from these interactions, changes to the regulatory framework must address considerable timeframes of mining and quarrying and limited technical and human resourcing capacity of local governments.