WINNING support from the local community is one of the keys to a profitable outcome for small and medium sized exploration companies in the mining industry.

While there are many exploration companies searching for success in South Australia, they often forget that once they hit paydirt, getting the community behind their project is a critical step before any actual mining can proceed, says Rural Solutions SA Business Manager, Michy Kris.

“An understanding of community needs is crucial to businesses seeking to enhance their success in exploration leases. Helping to harmonise and explain a mining company’s plans to the local community always pays dividends and saves costs in the longer term,” he says.

When it comes to providing know-how to the mining sector, Rural Solutions SA has strength in the critical areas of community engagement as well as navigating through approval processes, environmental planning and landscape rehabilitation.

Rural Solutions SA will be highlighting its value to mining industry representatives at the South Australian Resources and Energy Investment Conference at the Hilton International Hotel, Adelaide, on April 30-May 1.

“South Australia’s re-emergence as a prospective mineral destination has led to a significant increase in exploration activity and, while all is not successful, when a company does want to proceed to production, it needs to bring local communities on side,” Mr Kris says.

“We can help exploration companies to build strong and positive relations with communities as well as offering excellent environmental support, technical know-how and guidance through approval processes.”

“Many hopeful miners have found themselves hit with big on-costs because they failed to engage the community that would be affected by their plans – but that’s a problem that can be tackled early and cost-effectively through Rural Solutions SA,” he says.

Rural Solutions SA is a South Australian Government-owned rural consultancy business with more than 260 staff living within regional communities, being able to interpret local issues and, as practical experts, being able to apply resources to deliver government policy and programs to achieve sustainable, cost-effective solutions.

Media Contact: Michy Kris, Rural Solutions SA  Telephone 1300 364 322, Click here for more information.