Measure of the mining image

• Published in: Resources policy 2014-09, Vol.41, p.23-30
• Main Authors: Martin, Antonio Ruiz, Diaz, Manuel Rodriguez, Roman, Jose Antonio Ruiz San
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Communication; Data mining; Economic development; Economics; Image transmission; M31; Mass media; Media; Mining; Mining image; Mining industry; News; Perception; Population; Public opinion; Q50; Social development; Social impact; Surveys
• ISSN: 0301-4207; 1873-7641
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2014.01.004

Mining is a very important activity for economic and social development, but traditionally research has centered on its technical and operative aspects, instead of studying the image transmitted to the rest of society. This has originated diverse problems, fundamentally due to the information which the population receives via the mass media and which sometimes creates a current of opinion contrary to the development of this extraction activity. In order to resolve the mining communication problems it is necessary to develop a measure of the mining image based on a reliable and valid scale. This is a useful tool in developing a procedure to connect the society with other mining stakeholders and to analyze whether the real image of mining activity is similar to the image transmitted and perceived by society, since the news about the mining industry usually are focused on extreme situations or catastrophes that monopolize the information in the media. In this study a field research based on an attributes scale is developed, with the aim of measuring the mining image. The surveys were carried out in a mining area, where people have direct and real information about the mining industry and its consequences on society, environment and economy. •The image transmitted by the mining activity has a great impact over the environment and, consequently, over all the society.•The social acceptation depends on the public opinion. We proposed a definition of the mining image oriented to connect society to other mining stakeholders.•The mining activity has impacts in different areas of society, environment, employment and housing, infrastructures and Government and mass communication treatment.•The contrast the reliability and validity of the mining image scale is the first step to develop a new research line, where the news can produce negative reactions.•Not all the mining activity and the procedures applied have the same impact. Therefore, the mining image is essential to know this impact.