General theme:
The transition to a climate-neutral society depends critically on securing substantial volumes of energy-transition metals and minerals, such as rare-earth elements, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and others. While demand-side management and recycling are essential to minimise virgin extraction, they cannot fully resolve the challenge of resource availability for the cleantech revolution. Meeting future needs will also require primary extraction and subsequent refining.
Historically, mining operations, particularly in the Global South, have often led to significant environmental, social, and cultural disruptions. In response to the urgent demand for these critical resources, SIM² advocates for a new paradigm of responsible metal and mineral production. This model prioritises community-centric, benefit-sharing approaches, empowering local populations (including Indigenous Peoples such as First Nations) as active stakeholders – or even shareholders – rather than passive observers or victims.
SIM² emphasises the importance of proactive public engagement over traditional, top-down acceptance strategies. Within this Research Line, SIM² fosters collaboration between geologists, engineers, and scholars from the Social Sciences and Humanities to develop inclusive practices for stakeholder participation. The stakeholders include NGOs, policymakers, educational institutions, and local communities in regions affected by (potential) mining activities. The methodology is equally applicable to metallurgical refining areas, such as Flanders Metals Valley, which hosts a dense network of metallurgical companies engaged in recycling and refining energy-transition metals.
As part of this Research Line, SIM² investigates case studies through the lens of land use, socio-cultural dynamics, sensitive issues, and existing community relationships. Rather than crafting corporate strategies aimed at securing public approval, the initiative seeks to co-create authentic social contracts. The practices we co-develop honour community agency, integrate local knowledge systems, and establish mechanisms for continuous dialogue and equitable benefit-sharing. This approach allows communities to shape resource governance decisions that impact their lands and futures.
