© 2019 Elsevier LtdMining Co-operatives wield significant influence over the mining sector. These organizations have been getting increasing importance to support diggers through initiatives and policies to improve small-scale mining activities. In spite of the importance of cooperatives to the local communities, studies on their role and contribution towards sustainable business practices in the sector are still scarce. This paper investigates the scenario of mining Co-operatives in Brazil through a set of interviews to the managers of these Co-operatives, which allowed to conclude on the relevance of the sector to establish a sustainable network into the mining sector in the country. The results indicated some key concerns related to lack of awareness towards cooperative principles and environmental impacts and the reduced engagement with local community. The need to improve knowledge and academic background of both diggers and managers emerged as a major challenge to be overcome to ensure that cooperative principles are effectively put in place and guide the cooperatives towards sustainable development

© 2018, Springer Science+Business Media B.V., part of Springer Nature.Mining and minerals industries are fast-growing, but at the same time, they have gained more attention due to their impacts over the environment and society. This research aims to provide new insights into the topic of perception and awareness toward sustainability in industrial mining in Brazil. The work included in-depth interviews with a set of companies’ managers/directors focusing in particular on aspects related to the social and environmental dimensions, including communication and relationship with the community, impact assessment and mitigation strategies. The knowledge and use of for formal indicators was also evaluated and analyzed through the proposed Model for Sustainability Assessment of Mining (SAoM model), which was applied to all participating companies. The results put in evidence the existing gap between large and small companies, with these last ones showing lower awareness for the impacts of their activities. The lack of community engagement and of local stakeholders’ involvement, as well as the disregard for actions to mitigate their environmental and social impacts, is the main challenges to be overcome by this sector. The sector has then a long path to go toward sustainability and an active involvement of public institutions is required to allow for its development without compromising locals welfare.

© 2017 The Author(s)In the current literature, cooperatives are commonly linked to a network of contracts or coalition. This is particularly the case of producer owned cooperatives that operate in small business scale such as farmers or diggers which are members of the cooperative. Mining cooperatives wield significant influence over the mining sector. These organizations have been getting increasing importance as powerful actors to support diggers through initiatives and policies to improve small-scale mining activities. In spite of the importance of cooperatives to the local communities and small companies, scientific literature concerning their organization, benefits and barriers are still scarce. The objective of this research was to examine the actual scenario of mining cooperatives in Brazil analyzing how mining cooperatives could be used as a sustainable strategic network into the mining sector in Brazil.

© 2020 Elsevier LtdBrazil is one of the world key players in the mining industry. This sector has also a remarkable role on the Brazilian economic and social development. Nonetheless, the economic, social and environmental impacts of the sector have not yet been fully documented, debated or understood in reports presented by companies and public organizations in the country. In this context, this research aims to contribute to this debate by analysing sustainability in the Brazilian mining sector. For this research, the approach has used mostly a qualitative method, interviews, coupled with content analysis of reports of public mining agencies. Results showed that sustainability assessment and communication is still an emergent process in Brazilian mining, since only a few large companies have been reporting their sustainability initiatives. The results provide also evidence of the existing gap between large and small companies, with the latter showing lower levels of awareness of the impact of their activities. Based on these findings, this research has concluded on the need for closer cooperation between government, public mining agencies and companies to raise levels of knowledge and awareness within companies, towards sustainability practices and communication initiatives.