Dynamics of community-company interactions in quarrying regions

Quarrying is often perceived as less damaging than large-scale mining, as it typically involves smaller-scale operations and poses fewer environmental risks. Consequently, many regions apply less stringent regulations to quarrying, resulting in reduced data collection and fewer incentives for companies to invest in related research. This regulatory leniency often neglects the social dimensions of quarrying, including its effects on local communities, land use, and cultural landscapes. Our study aims to gain deeper insights into the dynamics of community-company relationships surrounding quarries and the contextual environment influencing these relationships. We do so by exploring four communities in two quarrying locations in the Czech Republic. Our research is based on qualitative interviews with 20 participants from eight different stakeholder groups, complemented by document analyses and field observations. The analysis focuses on exploring the context and the dynamics of community-company relationships and future visions and concerns. We identify four major groups of factors that are influential on community-company relationships: a) Communication and engagement; b) Community, trust, and NIMBYism; c) Context complexity; and d) Mine size and remoteness. Our results highlight the local governing body as a key player in communication and engagement. Misinformation, often arising from knowledge gaps, misunderstandings, errors, and transparency issues, emerged as a major factor undermining effective three-party communication. We demonstrate that effective, transparent communication is essential for building strong community-company relationships and addressing future concerns surrounding quarries. This study underscores the need for proactive, transparent, and context-sensitive approaches to foster sustainable relationships in quarrying areas.