Change-Management in the Mining-Life-Cycle Needs Trust!

Trust is a valuable asset that must be built and maintained in scientific and technical projects. Especially in projects of the mining life cycle, which are due to the change of the social perception towards a circular value chain, trust is under special observation and has to be built up actively. The difficulties here lie in the transfer of the scientific-technical content in change management for the different target groups, which have different social as well as societal requirements. The transition from the exploration phase to the production phase or from the production phase to the post-mining phase, e. g., represents a significant change in visibility and must therefore be accompanied by communication and contextualized in a way that is comprehensible to the heterogeneous public. A holistic environmental and geomonitoring together with science communication methods offers the possibility to bring transparency into mining measures and the circular value chain. Trust in the change management of the mining life cycle is based on two pillars: trust in the technical and technological competence of the scientists on the one hand and trust in the value system of the scientists on the other hand. The goal is to build informed trust in society for science by creating transparency not only about mining-related actions, but also about science as a social system (1) that embraces the epistemic dependence of scientists and the limits of citizens’ own judgment.

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Introduction

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Change management in the mining life cycle describes comprehensive and far-reaching changes, such as the sudden closure of a production operation, combined with the immediate transition to the closure and aftercare phase. Change management poses a major challenge, especially when it involves phases of the mining life cycle that require a high level of participation.

The stakeholders in a mining life cycle are very diverse and include various social and political players, both locally and nationally. These include, e. g., the supervisory authorities involved, associations, non-governmental organisations and political actors at various levels (local, state, federal).

It is essential for sustainable change management that acceptance and trust in science are strengthened among those involved. In the field of post-mining research, this is a complex task, as it is not just a matter of building technical understanding and thereby strengthening trust in science. Rather, the overarching task is to address citizens’ uncertainties, which are often fuelled by the ambivalences inherent in science (2). This is particularly true of post-mining research, which is constantly evolving and whose interrelationships are often complex and not immediately tangible. One example of this is the relationship between sustainability goals and post-mining research in view of the specific spatial and temporal framework conditions of mining and its dynamic mode of operation (3). Uncertainties, which have their origin in fundamental ideological questions or misunderstandings that arise due to ambivalences, cannot be neutralised by fact-based trust, but require emotionally anchored trust (1, 2, 4, 5). As Nina Janich (6) convincingly argues, science communication increasingly needs to deal with “the socially constructed nature of knowledge, the rhetorical dimensions of scientific language and communication and also with the question of how to deal transparently with scientific ignorance and uncertainties”.

The importance of establishing a trust that enables citizens to deal with uncertainties and ambivalences is particularly important due to the dynamic nature of post-mining. The external conditions of the mining life cycle described below are changing rapidly and rapidly. Change management must react accordingly. There are four reasons for this.

Firstly, the switch to a circular value chain must be taken into account. As a result, society’s understanding of the processes of the mining life cycle, from exploration to post-mining, continues to decline. This can lead to the misunderstanding that raw materials are not consumed and can always be recycled. However, the increasing consumption of technical and energy goods still makes raw material extraction necessary (Figure 1).

Secondly, it can be seen that the development processes are causing legislators, non-governmental organisations and society as a whole to rethink their approach to climate and earth system protection. This can be seen very clearly, e. g., in the megatrend of sustainability. The questioning of one’s own actions and responsibility is summarised by the sociological term of a generation, the generation purpose (7, 8). The second megatrend of digitalisation supports this process of change (9).

Thirdly, consideration must be given to how the groups affected by the change are informed and how it is ensured that the scientific and technical content is communicated and understood sensitively. Three factors need to be considered here (Figure 2) (11):

1.) individual factors;

2.) social factors;

3.) structural conditions.

The three factors must be taken into account in the change management of projects in the mining life cycle and addressed with appropriate measures. The analysis by Schrögel et al. (11) shows that trust plays an important role in both the individual and the social factors. A comparison of the factors also shows that different tools and methods are required for knowledge and science transfer and communication.

Fourthly, the individual phases and changes in the mining life cycle are subject to the major challenge of building trust in the (scientific) technical content and continuously maintaining the reputation of the companies. Here, the application, implementation and adaptation of the technical measures of integrated geo- and environmental monitoring offer the opportunity to build a transparent understanding of the process (Figure 1) (3). This is particularly important at the end of the mining life cycle, when the extraction licence for the raw materials is terminated by the company responsible under mining law as part of the post-mining assessment. This can give stakeholders the impression that the companies responsible under mining law are shirking their responsibility. However, the fact that the successful termination of an extraction licence is possible is demonstrated, e. g. by the final remediation of former sites (11, 12, 13). This is because the successful dismantling of the sites and thus the completion of the mining projects shows that the process of raw material extraction is limited in time/finite and that there are no uncertainties due to the mining responsibility.

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Change management and trust

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Successful change management consists of three points: foundation, vision and initial action steps. In change management, since a new situation is to be achieved, fact-based and emotion-based resistance/personal involvement must be expected. It is therefore important to establish a common basis, i.e. trust, and to support this in the broadest sense through communication and thus build perspectives (Figure 3). A detailed analysis of the concept of trust shows that it consists of nine interlinked aspects (14, 15, 16).

Technological and technical expertise forms the basis of trust. It is used to recognise and assess complex projects in the mining life cycle and to initiate action. The reputation of the scientific institution also plays a decisive role here, as specialised persons and/or institutions are more likely to be able to establish a long-term relationship of trust (17).

Honesty is the most important aspect. Honest behaviour is essential in the scientific and technical implementation of change management in mining processes. This is particularly important in the post-mining phase, when the visibility of the companies responsible for mining law changes and possibly declines. For this reason, it is precisely for this critical phase of the mining life cycle that comprehensive transparency should be brought to the next steps. This can mean, e. g., that the technical (geo-environmental) data on which the process is based is made available in the participation process. However, this does not mean that internal, corporate-commercial information, such as the commercial model for provisions for mining damage regulations, is disclosed.

The multilateral respect, honesty and ethics of the companies responsible for mining law, supervisory authorities, non-governmental organisations and the public involved is a further basis for a successful scientific and technical exchange. Respect and sincerity here means that the respective needs of the parties involved, e. g. in the case of necessary technical explanations, are mutually taken into account. Honesty also means taking responsibility for one’s own actions.

The first-mentioned aspects make it necessary to establish transparency in order to make each project phase of the mining life cycle comprehensible and to define expectations. Transparency can also be used to eliminate uncertainties in the development of process understanding.

The transparent presentation of processes and project phases creates commitment and reliability in action. By combining these aspects, traceability is achieved for those involved and thus a step towards building trust.

The aspect of support means that further and possibly additional measures are taken during the project phases, possibly beyond the actual (legal) requirements. This means that the planning and approval documents are not only displayed as part of a participatory process, but are also accompanied, e. g. by explanatory workshops. The added value generated in this way increases trust, as identification with the topic is created. Citizen science and distributed sources (crowdsourcing) with environmental and geomonitoring measures, e. g., can be used here.

Despite the endeavour to be honest, respectful, sincere and supportive, there are situations in certain circumstances where guided attention and specific restraint are important. For instance, in phases of heightened awareness and possibly extensive public discussions, the resulting/emerging unrest and uncertainty should not be increased by expanding on other possible future, strategic and corporate internal project components that may have nothing to do with the actual reason for the discussion. However, necessary (geo-environmental) data and information must also not be withheld (see aspect of support).

Project implementation in raw material extraction can only be credible if it is linked to complete identification/empathy. This identification includes multilateral communication between the groups involved in order to be able to take into account the different perspectives of those involved.

Neutrality is an important asset in the realisation of projects with a major public impact. It is difficult for the operator, e. g., to maintain complete neutrality in project realisation as it is pursuing business objectives. It is therefore important to involve external neutral support from experts and research institutions and to provide the necessary funding for this work in other ways, e. g. via a local authority, funds, foundations (18).

To summarise, it should be noted here that trust and the associated aspects are an asset to be contributed by all parties involved (19). This is the only way to create the basis for a scientific-technical and at the same time social or societal exchange. With the mutual trust in change management, projects can be developed in the mining life cycle if an awareness of raw material extraction is achieved.

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Communication and knowledge/science transfer

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An overarching goal of knowledge/science transfer and communication is to develop a holistic form/strategy to establish a critical discourse within scientific and social groups and to generate an understanding of the responsible handling of change management in the mining life cycle. The overarching goal here must be “do not allow escalation”, but serious debate is desirable (according to (16)).

In the internal definition, the information content, timeliness, relevance and originality of the information form the basis of communication. The tools of environmental and geomonitoring offer the possibility of providing near-real-time information with a high degree of timeliness (20). In the outer, extended definition, four further aspects must be taken into account (Figure 4):

1.) perception;

2.) innovation;

3.) strategy;

4.) sustainability.

This shows that success can only be achieved through the basic combination of innovation and sustainability. Through innovation, e. g., methods can be developed for a minimally invasive production process that is designed in such a way that the post-mining design is optimised. By linking the 17 UN Sustainability Goals (17 SDGs) with the ecological, social and economic aspects, a better external perception can be achieved (21, 23)

Depending on the target group and their socio-cultural background, other formats are available in addition to the use of established methods of traditional knowledge/science transfer and communication as well as the use of social media. Innovative forms of communication and participation from the field of citizen science can be used to reach additional target groups (22). In this way, scientific and technical transfer can be stabilised and understanding created. This participation, according to the citizen science approach, leads to awareness and more conscious action.

These innovative forms of communication always aim to achieve the direct participation/interaction of those affected at “eye level”, away from the pure transfer/presentation of information, i.e. vertical reporting (23). In addition to raising awareness, this also achieves institutional knowledge transfer and builds trust through optimised mutual understanding (14, 19). This also prevents the spread of “fake news” or “alternative facts” (24).

Innovative forms of communication include several tools and strategies that provide for different forms of active participation that go beyond internal research and traditional communication of scientific results and are thus intended to build trust (Figure 5) (19):

1.) local conference concepts, workshops, roadshows, pop-up shows;

2.) graphic recording, hidden object pictures, science comics;

3.) elevator pitching;

4.) citizen lab;

5.) fishbowl rounds;

6.) use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR);

7.) serious gaming;

8.) science photo/video walk;

9.) science tweetups, science instastories, video stories;

10.) citizen science/scientific crowdsourcing.

The scientific and technical content developed in this way has a significantly higher authenticity due to the participation of selected target groups and is more widely accepted due to the concepts being orientated towards the target group. This horizontal communication also achieves a greater reach.

For local conference concepts, workshops, roadshows and pop-up shows, the technical content is prepared for mobile presentation. The realisation is scalable in terms of size and scope. This concept is designed to bring content to the public in the same way as exhibitions and trade fairs. For the Epe research co-operation (www.monitoring-epe.de), e. g., the use of radar satellite remote sensing to detect ground movements in a cavern field was prepared and processed with interested parties by means of information events and inspections.

Graphic recording is the dynamic visual realisation of (process) content. In cooperation with scientists, communication experts and graphic artists/draughtsmen, scientific and technical content can be realised in this way. This graphic realisation activates further perception channels in the audience and thus creates a broad understanding and transparency (26). Graphics can also provide visual support and explain scientific and technical aspects in the static realisation as so-called hidden object pictures (29). Science comics are another form of visual realisation. Here, scientific and technical aspects are broken down to a simple level in short picture stories and address children, young people and adults alike (28). Another method is to simplify the scientific and technical content to such an extent that it can be translated into children’s books (Figure 6).

The advantage is that the graphic presentation of scientific content can both arouse the interest of a broader group and be generally understandable. The reduction of complexity to a supposedly simple (visual) language also makes it possible to overcome mental distance. It also offers scientists the opportunity to look at their own research from a different perspective and thus generate alternative questions or supplement fields of research.

Elevator pitching is a classic tool for presenting an idea in a short space of time. The tool is often used in connection with the presentation of a business idea and the associated acquisition of investment funds. In the area of change management, it offers the modified possibility of interacting with the participants in order to collect ideas, suggestions for change, restrictions, etc., which could possibly become relevant for the further course of the project.

A citizen lab represents the direct interface between science and technology and the participants. Here, depending on the target group, project-related issues can be realised in a playful, independent, practical and application-oriented manner using a scientific and technical approach. The analysis of post-mining water/soil samples, e. g., can be carried out/experimented by the participants themselves. This builds up a scientific and technical understanding.

The tool of fishbowl discussions as part of conferences or as a separate event offers the opportunity to directly involve the public and participants in the discussion. This is a very active and open plenary discussion. A small group of participants discuss a topic in an inner circle, while the rest of the participants observe the discussion from an outer circle. Interaction and participation in the discussion now takes place through the exchange/change of discussion participants from the outside to the inside. This can take place, e. g., via a free chair that can be occupied alternately. The discussion and the rotation is accompanied and controlled by a moderator. The use of fishbowl rounds offers the opportunity for the participants/stakeholders to be directly involved in the discussion and not just ask questions from the outside. This creates the obligatory character of participation and mutual appreciation.

The projects in the mining life cycle often have a very large three-dimensional and spatial character. A purely visual or, e. g., map-based presentation is not sufficient for public perception. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) can be used to create visibility and a tangible experience for the public. Virtual, mobile position tables, including hologram tables, are a form of direct participation (Figure 7, A). With hologram tables, objects/areas are projected three-dimensionally and interactively and can be visually captured by the viewer, e. g. using glasses that depend on the direction of gaze (Figure 7, B).

In further steps, the presentations on the hologram table can be expanded with correctly scaled, real-time animations and explanations in order to achieve better visualisation (29). This is particularly interesting when projects move from the planning stage to active realisation. It is possible to show, e. g., how machines carry out mining, how a deep borehole is backfilled or how a cavern is finalised. A very comprehensive example of VR, even linked to educational material, is the 360° VR video of the Prosper-Haniel mine from the WDR (30). Another advantage is that hologram or position tables are mobile.

The serious game approach uses elements and technologies from computer games and utilises the entertainment component to implement scientific and technical content. The main objective here is to achieve a learning effect. Good examples are the TH Köln’s serious game “World of Materials” for building up knowledge in the field of materials science and the Fraunhofer IOSB’s “Lost Earth 2307” for analysing aerial and satellite images (31, 32).

The science photo/video walk offers a further increase in the direct involvement of participants. Through the possibility of using photography and film technology once or several times, participants can engage with a site/production facility and/or (site) change, e. g. from an active production site to a mining-historical landmark, and depict it with images/videos, in some cases artistically/personally. This provides indirect scientific and technical support. Through the personal, direct use of the images in the various social media, a broader public is also reached. Thematic cycle tours offer the opportunity to “experience” science. The Epe research cooperation (www.monitoring-epe.de) offered a cycle tour, as well as one on post-mining in Bochum (https://www.thga.de/hochschule/kalender/veranstaltung/nachbergbau-radtour).

Science tweetups, science instastories and YouTube/TikTok/Twitch stories then build on this. Due to the change in social perception, especially among teenagers and young adults, it is important to communicate in a way that is appropriate for the target group. Representatives of teenagers and young adults, e. g., called for information to be made directly available via YouTube, Instragram and Tiktok at the second consultation meeting of the specialist conference “Sub-areas of the search for a repository” (33). Therefore, the tools and methods mentioned offer the opportunity to provide scientific and technical information to specific target groups through the direct and repeated participation of the operators of the social media channels at events, but also during visits to mining facilities. Here too, reporting is primarily carried out directly by the interested parties and not by the company or journalists. By using scientific and technical moderators, it is not only possible to provide purely visual documentation, but also to communicate content (34).

The greatest involvement of the public is achieved through the concepts of citizen science and/or crowdsourcing. In the citizen science approach, scientific and technical issues are dealt with in whole or in part by interested laypersons/the general public. Depending on the target group and/or the difficulty and scope of the issue, a scientific-technical support group can be set up by neutral organisations, e. g. research institutions, universities, colleges. The Umweltkumpel concept was introduced for the aforementioned Epe research co-operation (https://umweltkumpel.thga.de/). This is a participatory website for geo and environmental data tracking (Figure 8).

With the scientific crowdsourcing concept, a further step is now being taken. Here, the focus is not on the singular implementation and answering of a scientific and technical question, but on the scientific and technical support of a project by the interested, general public (35). In addition to the possibility of receiving a wide range of feedback, the decentralised nature of the feedback is also important. For example, in the case of mining life cycle projects that have an impact on the environment, e.g. through ground movements, special sensor technology linked to web portals/mobile apps can be used to report changes to the surface during the day, e.g. by local residents, in a decentralised manner, thus increasing the data basis (35). A good example in the field of environmental monitoring is the Philippine Groundwater Outlook (PhiGO), which shows the impact of climate change on groundwater with the direct participation of the local population (36). This type of implementation cannot be carried out to this extent by one operator alone. Once the feedback has been reported, processed and analysed, the information can be placed in the scientific and technical context of the raw material extraction and monitoring project and the results can be made transparently available again.

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Valorisation in change management

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In the change management of the mining life cycle, it is absolutely essential to act on the basis of a transparent relationship of trust, especially when the general public enters into decisive project phases. Modern knowledge/science transfer and communication with the valorisation of integrated environmental and geomonitoring methods can help to create this broad relationship of trust.

In the mining life cycle, a large number of project phases are reached over the course of a project, which make interaction with the public necessary. For example, the transition from the exploration phase to the development phase, as well as the transition from the production phase to the post-mining phase, is associated with a significant change in public perception. The reason for this is either the increase in visibility due to the construction of facilities or, conversely, the dismantling of facilities. These changes in public visibility must be taken into account in the change management of projects.

Mining processes will continue to have an impact on nature and the landscape in the future and often lead to only partially reversible changes. These interventions cannot be avoided even if circular value creation is increased and expanded, as raw materials are consumed. The interventions therefore always remain visible and are not sustainable in the strict sense. Due to the social change towards climate and earth system protection, there is therefore a conflict of objectives in terms of social acceptance. However, in order to achieve social acceptance and to satisfy the aspect of risk minimisation, it is important that integrated and continuous environmental and geomonitoring is established and implemented in mining (Figure 9). The complete, digital integration of methods from the air, e. g. satellite, aerial survey, drone, on the surface, e. g. inspection, in-situ sensors, and underground, e. g. mine surveying, borehole geophysics, can create a transparent process understanding of interventions in nature and the landscape over space and time. The 4D process understanding (space-time sensor) forms the basis for knowledge/science transfer and communication and fulfils the social responsibility of the operator.

In order to build trust and communicate scientific and technical content, various paths with short, medium and long-term goals in knowledge/science transfer and communication must be activated. The modern tools of knowledge/science transfer and communication introduced in the previous chapter offer the possibility of being tailored more or less simultaneously and with varying degrees of intensity to a wide variety of target groups in order to achieve broad penetration and comprehensive lay transfer.

A citizen lab, e. g., offers increased participation by the general public, but is limited in time. A serious game for the mining life cycle is available for an unlimited period of time, but may offer limited penetration as it is only used by certain age groups. This measure would need to be accompanied by further communication measures in order to achieve a similar level of penetration as the citizens’ lab. A fishbowl round can only be carried out with the direct participation of the target groups if a basic transfer of information and the formation of a basis of understanding has taken place in advance, e. g. by means of local conference concepts, workshops, roadshows, pop-up shows.

Only very select tools of knowledge/science transfer and communication have a multilateral effect with immediate and direct participation. These include the tools of citizen science and crowdsourcing. Both tools can be used directly in the environmental and geomonitoring of mining sites. On the one hand, the direct involvement of the general public serves the public discourse by creating transparency. On the other hand, active engagement with scientific and technical topics generates understanding and an educational basis. The tools of environmental and geomonitoring generate data sets that cannot be generated by operational, corporate geomonitoring. This also results in better valorisation on the scientific and technical side (37) and a better answer to the question of “why” (generation purpose) (16). By involving external stakeholders, there is now an indirect transfer of data, information and possibly also knowledge, and it serves to achieve trust and authenticity. This also serves the influencing factors for reaching target groups (Figure 2).

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Summary

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Current projects in the mining life cycle are subject to strong external influence from the public. This means that the different phases of the projects are always accompanied by a change in visibility and must therefore be accompanied by integrated, spatiotemporal environmental and geomonitoring as part of change management. In combination with the tools of knowledge/science transfer and communication, a transfer of knowledge is thus generated.

Change management in the mining life cycle requires two main components in order to be successful. The first is trust and the second is technological and technical expertise in scientific and technical innovation. Building trust among those involved/affected by the process requires a high level of social competence in interaction on the part of the requester. This is the only way to create the basis for an exchange. Only in a further step is technological and technical expertise required to convey the scientific and technical content.

A variety of innovative tools are available for the transfer in order to achieve the change in visibility in the necessary direction of improved perception. These tools differ in the extent of active participation and the provision of data, information and knowledge. This level must be adapted to the target group of those involved. Depending on the individual and social structure of the target group of participants, it is advisable to initiate several methods at the same time. It is important to bear in mind that the more transparent the measures are, the greater the increase in trust. It is recommended that the tools of citizen science and crowdsourcing be used to directly involve the participants in the processes of (corporate) environmental and geomonitoring, to achieve a scientific-technical discourse and to achieve transparency at the same time.

To summarise, it can be seen on the one hand that when weighing up the points relating to the relationship of trust, the educational basis as the level of communication of scientific and technical information, the intensity and scope of direct participation and the availability of data, information and knowledge, there are very different tools for knowledge/science transfer and communication in the change management of the mining life cycle. On the other hand, it is clear that the question of “why” can only be answered sustainably and innovatively and complete transparency and trust can only be created with the very extensive participation of those affected. A perspective is created.

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Declaration of interests

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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