In Australia, community concerns strongly influence the way the minerals industry operates and how governments regulate it. The industry is required to fulfill its formal regulatory conditions (its licence to mine) as well as taking into consideration these community concerns (its social licence to operate).

This research explores what it means to hold a social licence in the Australian minerals industry. This work aims to assist industry, communities and government to understand what constitutes a social licence in Australia and support relationships between these stakeholders built on mutual trust.