1 Introduction
Science communication, also known as SciCom, is of major importance in the dissemination of complex scientific findings to a variety of target groups (1 – 7). In the mining context, where technological, environmental and social factors are closely interlinked, effective communication is crucial for promoting public understanding and acceptance of measures related to active mining operations and mine rehabilitation (8 – 12). At the same time, ensuring the independence of scientific studies is essential (13) and the independence must be maintained in an authentic manner, without external influence. In instances where objective and subjective risk perceptions diverge considerably, clear and accessible communication as well as understandable semantics play a crucial role (1, 14, 15). Leßmöllmann et al. (16) highlight, that with increasing digitalisation, social media is becoming more and more important and relevant in science communication.
Established in 2017, the independent German foundation “Forum Mining and Water”, hereinafter referred to as the foundation, has since been engaged in intensive research on opportunities and risks associated with mine flooding. This was done in view of the German hard coal mining industry being phased out in the Ruhr, Ibbenbüren and Saarland mining areas. A primary objective of the foundation is to comprehend and disseminate the effects of mine flooding on the environment and society. In order to achieve this objective, a panel of experts has been constituted, comprising national and international scientists. In their function as members of the Board of Trustees, they work together with scientific staff on various topics. In addition, the foundation has commissioned both internal projects and external experts to carry out research (17). Until the expected end of the project in 2025, the Deutsches Stiftungszentrum will act as trustee for the foundation’s funds (18).
A variety of communication formats were employed to disseminate the findings of the internal and external research. These were intended to convey knowledge as well as to facilitate dialogue between the scientific community, politicians, business leaders and the general public. With this in mind, this paper analyses the communication formats implemented by the foundation. Furthermore, the paper presents the potential implications of understanding the topic of “mine water”. All activities are exemplary for potential communication formats in the field of mining and post-mining and demonstrate possibilities as well as optimisation strategies.
2 Methodology
A comprehensive compilation and categorisation of the various communication formats (Figure 1) was undertaken. Additionally, an analysis was conducted to determine the target groups and reach of each format. Based on FactoryWisskomm (13), the formats were categorised within the models of science communication, namely the knowledge deficit, dialogue or participation model (Figure 4). It should be noted that the foundation’s website is not included as a type of communication format, as it is considered a “knowledge hub” (1) that aggregates information but does not provide information tailored to specific target groups.
Fig. 1. Categories and associated formats in science communication (13). // Bild 1. Kategorien mit dazugehörigen Formaten in der Wissenschaftkommunikation (13).
3 Communication activities
3.1 Written formats
Between 2017 and 2020, the foundation published annual reports about internal and external research projects. These reports provide a comprehensive overview of all projects and are accessible on the foundation’s website (www.forum-bergbau-wasser.de). Furthermore, a final report was published in 2022 (17).
As part of the foundation’s activities, approximately 100 scientific articles have been published in German and English academic journals. These articles facilitate the knowledge dissemination regarding mine water and mine flooding and were authored by members of the Board of Trustees, scientific staff and external collaborators. Most of the scientific publications are accessible on the foundation’s website or via the respective publishers’ websites. However, not all articles clearly indicate “Forum Mining and Water” as the projects’ sponsor in the acknowledgements.
Additionally, the foundation members published a 27-page informational brochure, titled “Eye-catcher – What you should have in mind about mine water”. A print edition of this publication was distributed to representatives from industry, business and political institutions, as well as during expert meetings. Furthermore, the document is accessible on the foundation’s website. This brochure has been developed with the intention of providing a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the complex mine water topic to a broad public audience.
An additional informative brochure provides general information about mine water, the foundation’s work and related research topics. The document is available for download on the foundation’s website and has been distributed in printed form at various events.
3.2 Oral formats
Members of the Board of Trustees and the foundation’s scientific staff participated in a number of national and international conferences, at which they presented their research findings and expanded their professional networks. Papers presented at these conferences were also published in the respective conference proceedings.
Fig. 2. Handwritten notes of questions and answers during a dialogue event. // Bild 2. Handschriftliche Notizen von Fragen und Antworten während einer Dialogveranstaltung. Source/Quelle: Mugova
Furthermore, the foundation facilitated a series of dialogue events, comprising three in-person gatherings and two virtual ones. In 2017, the inaugural face-to-face event, titled “Mine Water: Developing Sustainable Solutions”, was held. Those attending included representatives from academic institutions and research organisations, the Arnsberg district government (former mining authority Landesoberbergamt Dortmund), the NRW (state of North Rhine-Westphalia) Geological Survey, the mining authorities in the state of Saarland, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), the NRW Nature Conservation Association, the Association of Mining influenced Homeowners, members of the state parliament and engineering and consulting companies. Interactive participation was encouraged, with discussions focusing on potential research projects. Additionally, attendees were invited to submit suggestions for future research on the topic of mine flooding via a suggestion box. In 2019, the second face-to-face event within the series “Mine Water: Developing Sustainable Solutions” took place in Saarbrücken, also attended by representatives from the local Ministry of the Environment. This event focused particular on flooding of former coal mines in the state of Saarland. It included five workshops conducted in a world café format, with each workshop addressing a different topic. Results of these workshops were presented in a plenary session at the end of the event (Figure 2). Overall, this structure facilitated active participation from a diverse range of stakeholders, including representatives from political, administrative, scientific, business and other interest groups. A comprehensive written report was thereafter made available on the foundation’s website. In 2021, the foundation organised an online dialogue on the subject of “Mine Water: Developing Sustainable Solutions”, which provided the opportunity for discussion in small groups and workshops in a participatory format. A further event was held in 2022, focusing on the topic of “Mine Water Flooding: Opportunities and Risks”. Participants were informed about the status and results of the research work. This event was less participatory in nature, bearing resemblance to an online symposium, with proceedings providing a summary of the results. In summary, all dialogue events included representatives from the following sectors: politics, authorities, science, business, the public as well as interest groups that express scepticism about mine flooding.
Another event took place in 2024, again in Saarbrücken, under the motto “Mine flooding: insights, experiences, unanswered questions”. The participatory element was a suspense arc at the beginning of the event, which got the 80 participants talking to each other. Participants from different interest groups then listened to presentations on mine flooding, mine water treatment and mine water use, including one from a French colleague. Finally, the event concluded with an excursion to the active mine water treatment plant in Camphausen/Germany, and the passive treatment plant in Forbach/France, where the topics of mine flooding and mine water treatment were discussed in more detail.
To disseminate the research findings to a wider audience, the foundation has initiated a podcast series focusing on various research topics of the foundation. These podcasts are accessible on the foundation’s website and are designed to be readily understandable by the general public.
3.2.1 Visual formats
Poster presentations were conducted exclusively at scientific conferences with the objective of disseminating the foundation’s research findings to an expert audience.
3.2.2 Interactive formats
All dialogue events may be classified as interactive formats, given that they included workshops and discussion rounds.
3.2.3 Public relations and events
It should be noted that the foundation did not organise events such as exhibitions. However, the “Forum Mining and Water” did issue press releases up until 2019.
3.3 Formats for science communication in teaching
To increase awareness and knowledge about mine flooding and coal mining, two different education and information initiatives have been set up. One such initiative is an information and internet portal about mine flooding in Germany and Europe, which has been announced on the website but is not yet publicly available. It is intended to serve as a foundation for further research projects about mine water.
Another key format is the interactive online educational game “Coal Mining”, which is designed for pupils aged 15 and above. The game comprises three chapters, addressing the subjects of mine water, coal mining and post-mining activities. It can be accessed via a web browser and is available on the foundation’s website. It is intended to be used as teaching material, particularly in schools in former German hard coal mining areas.
3.4 Unused communication strategies
Public communication via social media was not part of the foundation’s science communication. Therefore, well-known social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok were not used. As evidenced by the survey “Views on the topic of mine water and mine flooding – an example from disused West German coalfields” (9), individuals being interest in mine water in the Saarland, Ruhr and Ibbenbüren mining areas are predominantly not active on these platforms.
3.5 Results and discussion
As this compilation shows, the Forum “Forum Mining and Water” used a range of communication formats to disseminate its scientific findings and engage with different audiences. Despite certain limitations, the used communication formats were designed to reach a wide range of audiences, often with varying degrees of overlap (Figure 3).
Fig. 3. Sankey diagram of the foundation’s communication formats (left) and target groups (right). // Bild 3. Sankey-Diagramm Kommunikationsformate der Stiftung (links) und Zielgruppen (rechts). Source/Quelle: Mugova
For the most part, the foundation’s scientific publications and reports were directed towards the scientific community and representatives from industry and business. These formats played an important role in the dissemination of research results. By participating in national and international conferences, the foundation was able to extend its network and present research findings to an audience of experts. Dialogue events, both in person and online, facilitated exchange between these interest groups, including representatives from politics, authorities, science, business and civil society, thereby encompassing various target groups. These events allowed for active participation and a dialogue-oriented exchange of knowledge. However, shortcomings in the communication strategy, particularly the lack of dissemination in social media, resulted in a reduced reach, particularly among younger demographic groups. Furthermore, press releases were not published on a continuous basis, which led to a constrained media presence for the foundation.
Throughout its operations, the foundation has employed a range of scientific communication models (Figure 4) to guarantee the comprehensive dissemination of research findings.
Fig. 4. Models of science communication, modified after FactoryWisskomm (13), supplemented after Bertemes, Haan (1), and the formats used by the foundation (lower part of the figure). // Bild 4. Modelle der Wissenschaftskommunikation, verändert nach FactoryWisskomm (13), ergänzt nach Bertemes, Haan (1), und die von der Stiftung verwendeten Formate mit der Zuordnung (unterer Teil der Abbildung).
A majority of formats addressed the knowledge deficit and dialogue models. Conversely, only the dialogue events conducted in person, in which the contributions from the suggestion box had a direct influence on the research projects, can be attributed to the participation model. FactoryWisskomm (13) and Bertemes et al. (1) advise that in all communication formats, one should always consider the perspective of the target audience. Despite the foundation’s primary emphasis on dialogue and comparatively limited engagement with participation, the various interest groups involved in mine flooding were frequently integrated.
4 Conclusions and outlook
This case study on science communication, conducted by the German foundation “Forum Mining and Water”, points out challenges inherent in the communication of complex scientific topics, illustrated through the example of abandoned mine flooding. It exemplifies the necessity for a multiplicity of communication formats in order to reach disparate target groups and fulfil their respective needs. Documentation of case studies such as this is vital to demonstrate that science communication and dissemination in research projects must occur via a multitude of channels. Furthermore, such studies offer valuable insights for further development and improvement of future activities in the field of science communication in research projects within the geosciences.
In regard to the foundation’s activities, an increased social media activity is advised in order to reach an extensive audience and to provide more information to younger target groups about mine flooding and mine water. Furthermore, it is essential to incorporate perspectives from critical voices and facilitate open dialogue in order to ensure a comprehensive and multifaceted understanding of the subject matter. Only through transparent and inclusive communication with all stakeholders it is possible to establish and maintain trust in the foundation’s work. This necessitates a clear understanding of the various needs and expectations of all parties involved. It is recommended that feedback mechanisms be implemented and participatory approaches intensified in order to improve communication with stakeholders. At the same time, this could increase the acceptance of mine flooding among people who have been largely indifferent to the issue.
This study demonstrates the communication formats and strategies employed by the foundation to date, as well as the areas for improvement in its communication approach. Authenticity must be maintained in all communication formats. Furthermore, ongoing assessment and modification of the employed formats is vital to ensure alignment with societal expectations and advancements in scientific discourse. These findings have the potential to benefit mining companies and political decision-makers in the mining sector alike, should they choose to integrate the approaches and models described here into their own communication strategies.
Acknowledgements
We thank the members of the Board of Trustees and the scientific staff of the foundation “Forum Mining and Water” for their contributions. Special thanks are extended to the RAG-Stiftung and RAG AG colleagues, as well as the NRF SARChI Chair for Mine Water Management, Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences at the Tshwane University of Technology, for their support through Grant No. 86948. We express our gratitude to Cinja Bösel, Wilhelm Struckmeier and Rainer Lüdtke for their input on the article and to all participants in the dialogue events for their insightful contributions to the discussions.
References / Quellenverzeichnis
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