Coal mining and the resource community cycle: A longitudinal assessment of the social impacts of the Coppabella coal mine Stewart Lockie a, ⁎, Maree Franettovich b , Vanessa Petkova-Timmer b , John Rolfe c , Galina Ivanova d a Institute for Health and Social Science Research, CQUniversity Australia, Rockhampton QLD 4702, Australia b Institute for Health and Social Science Research, CQUniversity Australia, Mackay QLD 4741, Australia c Centre for Environmental Management, CQUniversity Australia, Rockhampton QLD 4702, Australia d Faculty of Business and Informatics, CQUniversity Australia, Rockhampton QLD 4702, Australia abstract article info Article history: Received 12 March 2008 Received in revised form 29 January 2009 Accepted 29 January 2009 Available online 9 March 2009 Keywords: Coal mining Central Queensland Resource community cycle Social impact assessment SIA Two social impact assessment (SIA) studies of Central Queensland's Coppabella coal mine were undertaken in 2002–2003 and 2006–2007. As ex post studies of actual change, these provide a reference point for predictive assessments of proposed resource extraction projects at other sites, while the longitudinal element added by the second study illustrates how impacts associated with one mine may vary over time due to changing economic and social conditions. It was found that the traditional coupling of local economic vitality and community development to the life cycle of resource projects—the resource community cycle—was mediated by labour recruitment and social infrastructure policies that reduced the emphasis on localised employment and investment strategies, and by the cumulative impacts of multiple mining projects within relative proximity to each other. The resource community cycle was accelerated and local communities forced to consider ways of attracting secondary investment and/or alternative industries early in the operational life of the Coppabella mine in order to secure significant economic benefits and to guard against the erosion of social capital and the ability to cope with future downturns in the mining sector. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction This paper reports the results of two social impact assessment (SIA) studies of Central Queensland's Coppabella coal mine. These studies were conducted both prior, and subsequent to, a major boom in coal prices and production. Additionally, both studies were undertaken outside Queensland's legislative framework for environ- mental impact assessment and project approval. This framework has been criticised for limiting impact assessment to major new projects, requiring assessment only at the beginning of those projects, and ignoring the influence of exogenous factors that may interact with the proposed project to affect economic and social outcomes (Rolfe et al., 2005; see also Vanclay, 2003). As a consequence, smaller projects, changes to or expansions of existing projects, cumulative impacts from multiple projects across a region, and impacts associated with project closure, are generally exempt from mandatory impact assessment, and few impact assessment studies are followed up post-development to test their accuracy, adjust mitigation strategies, or inform the assessment of other proposals. In light of the project delays, reputational damage, and other costs that may arise from unmitigated social impacts, it is becoming increasingly common for mining companies to undertake a variety of voluntary SIA and/or community consultation activities (Esteves, 2008; Esteves and Vanclay, 2009; Lockie et al., 2008). In the case of Coppabella, the first SIA was conducted in 2002– 2003, some 5 years after the commencement of mining operations, and the follow-up study was performed in 2006–2007. The long- itudinal element that has been added to the Coppabella study provides additional insight into how impacts associated with one mine may vary over time due to changing economic and social conditions. Before proceeding to an analysis of Coppabella this paper will contextualise this analysis in a review of other ex-post SIA studies and the role they play in SIA methodology and theory building. 2. Social impact assessment, extractive industry and the resource community cycle Ex-post studies of actual processes of change following the implementation of projects and policies were identified in the US Guidelines and Principles for Social Impact Assessment as the foundation on which social impact assessors should base predictions regarding the likely consequences of proposed change in other communities Environmental Impact Assessment Review 29 (2009) 330–339 ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 7 49306539; fax: +61 7 49306402. E-mail addresses: s.lockie@cqu.edu.au (S. Lockie), m.franettovich@cqu.edu.au (M. Franettovich), v.petkova@cqu.edu.au (V. Petkova-Timmer), j.rolfe@cqu.edu.au (J. Rolfe), g.ivanova@cqu.edu.au (G. Ivanova). 0195-9255/$ – see front matter © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.eiar.2009.01.008 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Environmental Impact Assessment Review journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/eiar