Introduction This report summarises the key findings from a survey of 1,598 Chilean citizens about their attitudes toward the mining industry. This project was funded by Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and is part of a larger program of work to understand and articulate the views of citizens in mining jurisdictions around the world. To date, national scale surveys have also been conducted in Australia and China, and a pilot survey completed in Zambia. Following an environmental scan, literature review and discussion with local CSIRO personnel, a quantitative survey of 1,598 citizens was conducted in late 2013 using a household survey methodology. Data was collected from four geographic zones within Chile: Northern Zone (including Regions I, II, III, IV and XV); Central Zone (including Regions V, VI and VII); Southern Zone (including Regions VIII, IX, X, XI and XIV), and; Metropolitan Zone (Santiago). These zones were chosen as they allowed for a comparison of perspectives from citizens living in mining regions, non-mining regions and urban or metropolitan contexts. details the number of participants in each zone sampled and how many participants in each zone lived in mining and non-mining areas. Participants were recruited face to face by Feedback Communications, a specialist data collection company in Chile, and the survey was completed by participants in their home by interviewers. This data was collated, cleaned and provided by Feedback Communications to CSIRO for analysis. We used a broad definition of mining in this study, which included: coal mining, oil and gas extraction, metal ore mining, non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying, exploration and other mining support services (i.e. mineral exploration). Table 1 Participants categorised by zone and whether they were located in a mining area or not. ZONE MINING VS NON-MINING AREAS TOTAL MINING NON-MINING METROPOLITAN OVERALL Northern 398 0 0 398 Central 310 90 0 400 Southern 0 400 0 400 Metropolitan 0 0 400 400 Total 708 490 400 1,598
5 4 3 2 1 0 Figure 5 Mean ratings of governance capacity We asked participants to rate their level of trust in a range of important actors in the mining industry in Chile: the mining industry, regional government, national government, and NGOs. We averaged responses to three items assessing trust in each of these actors: the extent each was trusted to act in the best interests of society, act responsibly, and do what is right. Looking at trust in key sector actors indicates that trust is low across all of the actors examined, with little difference in responses from those living in mining regions and those living in non-mining regions. Almost identical patterns were observed for responses to items regarding trust in industry actors to ‘act responsibly’, ‘act in the best interest of society’, and ‘do what is right’. The metropolitan region was significantly less trusting of the mining industry and regional governments than those from mining and regions, but all regions held similar levels of trust in NGOs. 5 4 Mining industry Regional government National government NGOs 3 2 1 MINING NON-MINING METROPOLITAN Figure 6 The level of reported trust in the mining industry, national and regional governments and NGOs overall and mining and non-mining regions (1 = not at all, 5 = very much so).
CONTACT US t 1300 363 400 +61 3 9545 2176 e w AT CSIRO WE SHAPE THE FUTURE. We do this by using science to solve real issues. Our research makes a difference to industry, people and the planet. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CSIRO Chile Kathleen Uribe t +562 2 2797 6301 e @kathyuribe w CSIRO Minerals Resources Flagship Dr Kieren Moffat t +61 7 3327 4724 e @kierenmoffat w 14-00604