Public Acceptance for Mine Expansion

Members of our team helped Stillwater Mining Company develop and manage a stakeholder communications process throughout southwest Montana to build stakeholder and regulatory support for an expansion of its platinum and palladium mines.

The Challenge: Stillwater mining operates one of the largest platinum and palladium mines in North America. As prices for these metals began to rise in the late 1990s, the company had the market incentive to expand operations at its sites in Southwest Montana. However, dozens of celebrities and wealthy residents had moved into the area over the previous decade for the quality of life in this pristine area. The company had a solid reputation with regulators, but nearby residents didn't know much about the company or its record. In order for Stillwater Mining to secure approval for expansion, it had to gain public acceptance.

The Solution: Members of our team developed a communication plan to position Stillwater Mining as an environmentally responsible company and a respectable member of the community. The strategy consisted of a series of public meetings and a newspaper advertising campaign that ran throughout Southwest Montana and in the state capital. We also conducted a media relations campaign that included a series of media releases and letters to editors to raise the profile and overall reputation of the company.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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