Title: Top-down/bottom-up approach for developing sustainable development indicators for mining: application to the Arlit uranium mines (Niger)

Authors: Aurelie Chamaret, Martin O'Connor, Gilles Recoche

Addresses: Universite de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, Centre d'Economie et d'Ethique pour l'Environnement et le Developpement, 47, bld Vauban, 78047 Guyancourt Cedex, France and BRGM, Services Ressources Minerales, 3, av. C. Guillemin, BP 6009, 45060 Orleans, France. ' Universite de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, Centre d'Economie et d'Ethique pour l'Environnement et le Developpement, 47, bld Vauban, 78047 Guyancourt Cedex, France. ' BRGM, Services Ressources Minerales, 3, av. C. Guillemin, BP 6009, 45060 Orleans, France

Abstract: Mineral extraction is related to complex sustainable-development issues that are subject to international and local controversies. Debates and decisions need to be based on objective and comparative elements. Defining strong indicators for assessing impacts and performances of mining sites thus appears necessary to inform and support the decision-making process for stakeholders. In recent years, many indicator sets have been developed on an international level based on top-down approaches, but they commonly lack legitimacy for stakeholders and adequacy to specific site issues. They need to be complemented by the consultation of local actors concerned by such mining activity, in order to define indicators that are closer to the needs and contexts of the specific sites. This is the goal of the work reported in this paper, undertaken at the Arlit uranium mines in Niger.

Keywords: mineral extraction; evaluation; indicators; mining; multicriteria decision making; MDCM; Niger; stakeholders; stewardship; sustainable development; top-down; bottom-up; uranium mines; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2007.014420

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2007 Vol.10 No.1/2, pp.161 - 174

Published online: 05 Jul 2007 *

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