Mining companies who want to drill Scotland for rare earth minerals are “keeping locals in the dark” about their plans, a new report has found
Friends of the Earth Scotland said firms were failing to engage communities as they explore areas for mining precious metals vital to the green transition. Metals like lithium, cobalt and nickel have become some of the most in-demand materials on Earth as they are required to build renewable technologies.
But the eco group warned mining firms are not consulting residents as they should be in places like Aberdeenshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Highlands – and raised fears over future environmental damage. The charity’s new research highlights one example in Arthrath, near Ellon in Aberdeenshire, where a local company, Aberdeen Minerals, has been conducting mining surveys for nickel, copper and cobalt.
Aberdeen Minerals’ largest shareholder is Central Asia Metals PLC, which owns a lead and zinc mine in Macedonia where a dam failure in 2020 resulted in toxic river pollution. New planning rules in Scotland require community engagement from companies planning projects “should be early, collaborative, meaningful and proportionate”.
But a local resident from Ellon, who wished to stay anonymous, told researchers: “[The community] don’t know what’s going on, and I think the council has a responsibility. I think the Scottish Government has a responsibility. I think the UK Government has a responsibility.”
Separately in Blackcraig, near Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway, British mining firm JDH – owned by Australian multinational Walkabout Resources – is exploring for lead, zinc, copper, nickel, gold and silver within a UN-recognised conservation area. A Dumfries and Galloway resident said: “Residents were kept in the dark until late 2021…
“To suddenly see a drilling rig outside your window is a nasty experience. We felt strongly about protecting our area.”
Another local said: “People felt let down that something as major as that [could happen without consultation]… Why weren’t people informed? It was such a dereliction of duty.”
In Gairloch near Loch Maree in the Highlands, where Canadian firm Galantas Gold is exploring an area of 84 square miles for zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold, residents also said communication from the company had been scant. The study found people experienced a lack of support from policymakers at all levels over mineral mining concerns, including from MPs, MSPs and councillors.
Tamsin Wake, lead researcher, said: “We know that the energy transition needs to happen as quickly as possible, but this can’t be done at the expense of people and planet. Mining companies must not be allowed to take shortcuts, sidestepping ethical practices for the sake of their own interests and undercutting affected local communities.
“Any mining companies wishing to carry out extraction beyond this must be fully transparent and have the full, prior consent of locals.”
Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, added: “The pattern of harm seen in other countries which are further down the road than Scotland in their transition mining journey is being repeated here with companies failing to engage local people and politicians ignoring the concerns of those they claim to represent. The solution is to put people and communities at the heart of energy transition plans now and to create safeguards to limit the demand and damage created by extraction of these materials.”
In a statement, Aberdeen Minerals said it was “committed to engagement with our host communities in a way that is meaningful and proportionate to our current and planned activities”. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We note Friends of the Earth Scotland ‘s report and will consider the findings.”
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