Description:
This study examines the drivers of reputation formation for mining companies and the mining industry’s perception of the drivers of reputation formation for its stakeholders’. Building on past research in stakeholder theory, corporate reputation and corporate citizenship, I argue that companies need to manage the reputations of each of their stakeholder groups. I further argue that for companies to successfully manage their reputations an understanding of the interrelationships between the various reputations held by stakeholders is required. Moreover, I argue that industry reputations, especially in the case of the mining industry, are important in the formation of corporate reputations. This paper reports on an ongoing exploratory research program which aims to develop an understanding of the relationships between mining companies and their stakeholders, and the importance of corporate citizenship polices to reputation and hence to corporate sustainability. The findings of the first stage of this research, the results of a Delphi study into the drivers of reputation for mining companies are reported. This study was undertaken to provide an understanding of the drivers of reputation for a number of stakeholder groups and the perceptions held by mining companies of these drivers for their stakeholder groups. Results indicate that drivers vary between stakeholder groups, that in the case of drivers common to a number of stakeholder groups they may vary in their importance across groups, and that there may exist a divergence between industry’s perception and stakeholder priorities. These results further the understanding of the relationship between corporate citizenship and reputation in the mining industry, thus assisting companies to strategically manage their corporate citizenship investments and to understand the process of innovation to meet the changing expectations of stakeholders.
Description:
This study examines the drivers of reputation formation for mining companies and the mining industry’s perception of the drivers of reputation formation for its stakeholders’. Building on past research in stakeholder theory, corporate reputation and corporate citizenship, I argue that companies need to manage the reputations of each of their stakeholder groups. I further argue that for companies to successfully manage their reputations an understanding of the interrelationships between the various reputations held by stakeholders is required. Moreover, I argue that industry reputations, especially in the case of the mining industry, are important in the formation of corporate reputations. This paper reports on an ongoing exploratory research program which aims to develop an understanding of the relationships between mining companies and their stakeholders, and the importance of corporate citizenship polices to reputation and hence to corporate sustainability. The findings of the first stage of this research, the results of a Delphi study into the drivers of reputation for mining companies are reported. This study was undertaken to provide an understanding of the drivers of reputation for a number of stakeholder groups and the perceptions held by mining companies of these drivers for their stakeholder groups. Results indicate that drivers vary between stakeholder groups, that in the case of drivers common to a number of stakeholder groups they may vary in their importance across groups, and that there may exist a divergence between industry’s perception and stakeholder priorities. These results further the understanding of the relationship between corporate citizenship and reputation in the mining industry, thus assisting companies to strategically manage their corporate citizenship investments and to understand the process of innovation to meet the changing expectations of stakeholders.
Description:
This paper reports on an ongoing research program to evaluate the impact a mining company's reputation(s), with its various stakeholder groups, has on a company's ability to sustain competitive advantage. Integral to this study is to develop an understanding of the relationships between mining companies and their stakeholders, and the importance of corporate citizenship policies to reputation and hence to corporate sustainability.
Description:
The history of gold has traditionally excluded a whole quadrant from its landscape. This chapter aims to reconstruct the close association between Aboriginal people and Victoria's gold mining that undoubtedly existed during the nineteenth century. It is especially appropriate to do so in a book that reconsiders the Eureka story from unexpected angles in order to reflect generally upon the historical inheritance of the goldrushes upon Australian society.
Description:
The history of gold has traditionally excluded a whole quadrant from its landscape. This chapter aims to reconstruct the close association between Aboriginal people and Victoria's gold mining that undoubtedly existed during the nineteenth century. It is especially appropriate to do so in a book that reconsiders the Eureka story from unexpected angles in order to reflect generally upon the historical inheritance of the goldrushes upon Australian society.
Description:
Some European women exercised autonomous power on the early Victorian goldfields demonstrating their gendered relations in the patriarchal colonial society that was operating. This chapter examines two marginal groups of women through the themes of marriage, family and the law arguing that some challenged orthodoxies, negotiated terms, faced adversities, and exercised agency in a goldfields landscape which was orientated to males.
Description:
A 10-month study of surface waters in Canadian Creek (Ballarat, Victoria, Australia) showed the significant influence of historic gold mining waste material. The investigation focussed on the hydrogeochemistry of the surface waters and soils in order to: (1) document the levels and seasonal trends in major, minor and trace elements in the creek, (2) identify the process by which As is released from the soil/waste mining material to surface waters. For most dissolved major and trace elements (Na, Ca, Mg, K, and As) in surface waters, the concentrations decreased with the increasing rainfall and flow conditions except for Al and Fe. Two sites selected along the creek (<1 km apart) allowed evaluation of the possibility that mining waste material is contributing to the elevated As concentrations (up to 145
Description:
Underground mines in Australia and worldwide are extending to greater depths. The effect of depth brings a number of challenges to mining engineers including geotechnical, ventilation, haulage and selection of mining method. The main effects of depth from a ventilation perspective are increased heat and humidity leading to reductions in productivity, occupational safety and health issues and the potential for fatalities. Numerous approaches have been undertaken over the years to mitigate against these effects. In this paper a review of various approaches to improving climatic conditions at a number of mine sites worldwide is undertaken. From these case studies it is argued that for mines at depth with the potential for a climate problem perhaps an alternative design philosophy to the established design philosophy should be utilised. In conclusion, the paper proposes some simple rules of thumb for use in mines with climate problems or the potential for climate problems.
Description:
Chinese immigrants and especially the Chinese on the goldfields of Victoria, now figure centrally in history curricula and in heritage and tourist promotions most prominently of course, through Bendigo’s Chinese Heritage Precinct and the Gum San Heritage Centre in Ararat. These public representations of nineteenth-century diversity draw equally from a reflexive, culturally-informed historiography and a radically transformed popular culture in Australia, Victoria in particular (Waterhouse 2009: 11–14). No doubt, when heritage analysis of the central goldfields was first systematised, following the Victorian Historic Buildings Act (1974) and a subsequent sequence of municipal conservation studies, the Chinese appeared as something of a curiosity, on the margins of the enterprise of mining and peripheral to the heritage of goldfields towns (Davison 1991). Only after decades of research and widening perceptions of what could be properly classed as heritage, has Chinese settlement emerged as critical to assessment and interpretation, and of course heritage tourism, within townships as well as in state forests and national parks. Perhaps coincidentally this interest in Chinese heritage parallels a revival of Chinese immigration to Australia, in a broad view, comparable to the peaks of the nineteenth-century gold era. And yet, in part because so many remnants of the work of Chinese settlers have been erased, and their intricate mining systems fragmented, these sites unintentionally revert to the status occupied years ago by their creators – as eccentric curiosities.
Description:
The 2002 Professor Blainey donated a collection of his own academic research material to the University of Ballarat. Included in this collection are historical books, papers and other material related to the early history of mining and the central Victorian Goldfields. A second generous donation of material was received in 2005, Some rare, older items in the collection are considered fragile and require special handling. Titles from the Geoffrey Blainey Mining Collection can be searched online via the UB Library catalogue.
Description:
In the century preceding World War I, the world experienced a series of gold rushes. The wealth derived from these was distributed widely because of reduced migration costs and low barriers to entry. While gold mining itself was generally unprofitable for diggers and mine owners, the increase in the world's gold supply stimulated global trade and investment. In this introductory article we integrate the histories of migration, trade, colonisation, and environmental history to identify endogenous factors that increased the world's gold supply and generated sustained economic growth in the regions that were affected by gold rushes.
Description:
An important issue currently facing the mining industry in Australia is the management and cost to the industry and other stakeholders of entry into and exit from towns and their communities. These costs can be environmental, social, economic, political or reputational. The ability of companies to engage the trust of communities, governments and investors is critical, and corporate reputation plays a significant role in this. For the industry to secure a long-term and sustainable future, it must have the technical, business and reputation assets to proceed in a cost-effective, environmentally acceptable and socially supportive way. The paper introduces the concepts of sustainability both at the corporate level and the regional town and community level. For the companies, there are important impacts on costs and efficiencies, an organisations ‘license to operate’, shareholder value and the trade off between dealing with environmental and social issues through prevention or retrofit and corrective measures. However, for the mining industry, possibly the most important aspect of this study is the ability of companies to get access to new sites at competitive cost. For mining companies sustainability has moved from mineral and environmental resources, to a greater emphasis on economic sustainability and community capacity building.
Description:
An important issue currently facing the mining industry in Australia is the management and cost to the industry and other stakeholders of entry into and exit from towns and their communities. These costs can be environmental, social, economic, political or reputational. The ability of companies to engage the trust of communities, governments and investors is critical, and corporate reputation plays a significant role in this. For the industry to secure a long-term and sustainable future, it must have the technical, business and reputation assets to proceed in a cost-effective, environmentally acceptable and socially supportive way. The paper introduces the concepts of sustainability both at the corporate level and the regional town and community level. For the companies, there are important impacts on costs and efficiencies, an organisations ‘license to operate’, shareholder value and the trade off between dealing with environmental and social issues through prevention or retrofit and corrective measures. However, for the mining industry, possibly the most important aspect of this study is the ability of companies to get access to new sites at competitive cost. For mining companies sustainability has moved from mineral and environmental resources, to a greater emphasis on economic sustainability and community capacity building.
Description:
Mining education in Ballarat has a long and proud history dating back to the 1870s. Today the School of Engineering continues this tradition at the University of Ballarat. The recent review of Tertiary Minerals Education by the Minerals Council of Australia has questioned the current situation regarding Minerals tertiary education in Australia and recommendations have been made regarding the future of minerals tertiary education. This paper initially examines the original recommendations made by the Minerals Council of Australia and assesses subsequent changes made to these recommendations. Secondly the paper outlines the future shape of mining education in the light of these recommendations given that they are implemented. Finally the future delivery of mining education is discussed, particularly with respect to the impact of modern technologies.
Description:
Contemporary approaches to safety management appear to be failing short of meeting its mark in improving mine safety. This is evidenced by the high workers compensation, high incidence rates and fatalties. Evidence from high-risk and complex organisations points towards safety culture as being important in improving site safety. In more recent years resilience engineering has been touted as a new and innovative way of managing safety. This paper reviews and synthesises previous literature on safety culture and resilience engineering. It then highlights methods that can be used to measure safety culture and resilience engineering, and explores similarities and differences between complex organisation and gold mining to identify opportunities for more innovative approaches to improving safety in gold mining operations through safety culture and reslience engineering.
Description:
Contemporary approaches to safety management appear to be failing short of meeting its mark in improving mine safety. This is evidenced by the high workers compensation, high incidence rates and fatalties. Evidence from high-risk and complex organisations points towards safety culture as being important in improving site safety. In more recent years resilience engineering has been touted as a new and innovative way of managing safety. This paper reviews and synthesises previous literature on safety culture and resilience engineering. It then highlights methods that can be used to measure safety culture and resilience engineering, and explores similarities and differences between complex organisation and gold mining to identify opportunities for more innovative approaches to improving safety in gold mining operations through safety culture and reslience engineering.
Description:
The Geoffrey Blainey Research Centre (GBRC) is located on the top floor of the E.J. Barker Library (Mt Helen Campus) and includes a supervised reading room where collections can be accessed and read. The GBRC includes the Geoffrey Blainey Mining Collection and the Federation University Australia Special Collection, both of which can be searched online via the FedUni Library catalogue. The Federation University Australia Historical Collection is also located at the GBRC. This extensive collection of historical material dates from 1851 onwards. The collection covers material from the Federation University Australia's predecessors including the Ballarat School of Mines, Ballarat Teachers' College, State College of Victoria, Ballarat; the Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education, Ballarat College of Advanced Education, Ballarat University College, University of Ballarat and Wimmera Institute of TAFE. GBRC contributes records to the Victorian Collections website. The centre also has created digital information including the UB Honour Roll, Ballarat & District Industrial Heritage Project and the Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) Entrance book.
Description:
The Geoffrey Blainey Research Centre (GBRC) is located on the top floor of the E.J. Barker Library (Mt Helen Campus) and includes a supervised reading room where collections can be accessed and read. The GBRC includes the Geoffrey Blainey Mining Collection and the University of Ballarat Special Collection, both of which can be searched online via the UB Library catalogue. The University of Ballarat Historical Collection is also located at the GBRC. This extensive collection of historical material dates from 1851 onwards. The collection covers material from the University of Ballarat's predecessors including the Ballarat School of Mines, Ballarat Teachers' College, State College of Victoria, Ballarat; the Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education, Ballarat College of Advanced Education, Ballarat University College and Wimmera Institute of TAFE. GBRC contributes records to the Victorian Collections website. The centre also has created digital information including the UB Honour Roll, Ballarat & District Industrial Heritage Project and the Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) Entrance book.