What are the three types of community engagement?

The three main types of community engagement in mining typically include:

1. Informing: Providing communities with timely, accessible, and culturally appropriate information about the mining project, its potential impacts, risks, and benefits. This aims to build awareness and transparency, often through newsletters, public meetings, digital dashboards, or communication channels(The Importance of Community Engagement in Mining Projects – Future Bridge Mining, n.d.).
2. Consulting: Actively seeking community input and feedback on project plans, potential impacts, and proposed mitigation measures. This involves dialogue through focus groups, town halls, interviews, surveys, or participatory forums to understand community concerns and preferences.
3. Collaborating: Involving communities as partners in decision-making and shaping mining operations. This can include joint advisory committees, benefit-sharing agreements, co-management, or including local knowledge and priorities in project design and ongoing management.

These levels reflect a progression from one-way communication to two-way dialogue and finally to shared decision-making roles, all critical for building trust, addressing concerns effectively, and enabling sustainable mining development that respects community rights and interests.

Reference:

The Importance of Community Engagement in Mining Projects—Future Bridge Mining. (n.d.). Retrieved August 14, 2025, from https://mining-events.com/the-importance-of-community-engagement-in-mining-projects/