The path to securing a mining permit is fraught with unpredictable risks, which threaten to throw off schedules, budgets and project valuations. Though commonplace, this sentiment is only partially true. The fact is that risks are not as unpredictable as they might seem. They follow familiar patterns.
SWCA’s white paper, De-Risking U.S. Mine Permitting for Investors, reframes permitting risk as something that can be anticipated, structured, and actively managed from the earliest stages of the project. Drawing on analysis of public comments, agency responses, and Tribal engagement from Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) across a range of mining projects, the paper identifies recurring pressure points that drive delays, controversy and defensibility challenges.
Key takeaways include:
- Support signals are not uniform. SWCA’s mining trends data shows that the concerns and “posture” of distinct kinds of supportive, EIS comments—“support” within public comments, agency “support,” and Tribal engagement—are marked by different levels of commitment and turn on different issues. Investment in mining will never be risk-free but better understanding how to interpret “support signals” enables you to anticipate potential risks.
- Early risk closure reduces late-stage rework. SWCA’s Mining Derisking Services Framework identifies the three most frequent concerns that drive delays as water…
