Executive summary: This report describes events that took place in collaboration with other research projects during the second year of the PACIFIC project, from June 2019 to June 2020. Clustering activities are central to Work Package 7 “Collaboration and clustering with other research initiatives”. To that end, the PACIFIC project has initiated and completed a number of activities with multiple research initiatives. In the second year of the project, clustering activities significantly accelerated, and the earlier links made with other European projects started to yield concrete results and concrete plans for further activities. This report is an update to D7.2 (M12)—Report on joint events with other research projects in the first year.

During this year PACIFIC has established a very strong collaboration with the H2020 project INFACT and this is reflected throughout this report. 

Executive summary: To create synergies and optimise project results and impact, the PACIFIC project dedicates the Work Package 7 to collaboration and clustering with other research projects under the same call topic, and other relevant projects in the field funded by Horizon 2020 (H2020). PACIFIC partners thus collaborate with ongoing research initiatives in the mineral exploration area.

During the first year of the project, the collaboration took several forms, that are developed in this deliverable according to the following axes:

1. Joint activities organised with other projects in the cluster;
2. Participation in international events and conferences with other H2020 related projects;
3. Ongoing and future collaborations.

This report must be understood as the first of three reports on joint events with other research projects, that will be produced through the duration of the project: D7.2 (M12), D7.3 (M24) and D7.4 (M36). Thus, the information provided, especially in the “Ongoing and future collaborations” section, will be reviewed or updated in next reports. 

Executive summary: One of the PACIFIC’s goals is to support the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials with its aim to translate its mission into concrete actions. To do so, PACIFIC will collaborate closely with the existing, recently finished or future H2020 projects funded under the same or similar topics.
This document includes a concrete plan for clustering with these projects, aiming to facilitate planning of joint online and physical events, sharing results and exchanging on the difficulties encountered.

The clustering plan is divided in three main sections:

• Inventory of relevant H2020 projects:
  • List of the on-going, recently finished and future projects
  • Analysis of the identified projects’ objectives and planned results
  • Assessment of the potential similarities and/or synergies with PACIFIC
  • List of all the projects’ planned events and plan for possible joint events
  • Identification of the potential entry points and established contacts
• Presentation of the common online space facilitating discussions and clustering
• Action list

This clustering plan will be considered as a living document to be reviewed in each General Assembly meeting to monitor the progress made in its implementation and allow for regular updates to take into account the evolving European context and prioritisation.

Executive summary: This report summarises recommendations for improved communications surrounding mining-related activities, based on an overview of existing communications through a behavioural science lens (Deliverable 6.1), and a computer-based behavioural experiment run in 2019 (Deliverable 6.2).
The work was undertaken by the Behavioural Research Unit of the Economic and Social Research Institute, a research group specialising in understanding how people process complex information and use it to make decisions. This is pertinent in the context of the PACIFIC project as people’s comprehension of mining-relating activities (and attitudes towards the same) relies on individuals processing complex information about risks and benefits from a range of sources.
The goal of this research is not to design communication tools that will best ensure that a company can secure a ‘social license to operate’. Rather, it is to inform best practice for communication strategies that promote understanding and empower stakeholders to make well-informed decisions, whatever the outcome may be. This is particularly important at a time where misinformation is becoming more widespread.
Herein we have made a suite of recommendations for improved communication about mining-related activities that may be utilised by a range of end-users (agencies, geological surveys, companies, etc.). For this project the research has primarily considered the general public as the target audience. That said, many of the findings presented have relevance to communications with otherstakeholders, such as shareholders, policy makers, and regulators.
As mentioned above, the recommendations are based off an overview of existing communication materials, as well as the results of a first behavioural experiment. This experiment had some unexpected findings, which will be investigated further in follow-up experiments in early 2021. The results of these may provide further insights that will be communicated in due course.

Executive summary: 

This report details the design and result of a computer-based behavioural experiment to gauge how the format of information provided to the public affects their understanding and perception of mining[1]related activities. The experiment was undertaken by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI – third party to GSI) in fulfilment of Deliverable 6.2, as part of WP6 of PACIFIC (Social acceptance & perception of risk for mining activities).

The design of the experiment was informed by a previous evaluation of currently used mining-related communication materials (Deliverable 6.1), as well as the broader social science and psychology literature. Insights gained from the results will be used to inform the design of follow-on experiments and will be used to generate recommendations for future communications (Deliverable 6.3).

Executive summary: As part of WP6 “Social acceptance & perception of risk for mining activities” the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) will be conducting computer-based behavioural experiments designed to gauge how the format of information provided to the public affects their understanding and perception of mining-related activities (D6.2). The results will be used to generate recommendations for future communications (D6.3). The focus of this report concerns the evaluation of currently-used mining-related communication materials, and forms a part of the preparation process for these future deliverables.
The primary aim of this deliverable is to gain insights regarding written communications in order to inform the design of experiments, and the information content included. A number of other EU funded projects are undertaking a more thorough assessment of interactions with stakeholders and evaluating best practice on a more general level.
As the behavioural experiment will be conducted in Ireland, information was collected from companies operating in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland (UK). Although companies in Northern Ireland adhere to UK licensing and regulation, their interaction with local communities is largely comparable to that in the Republic. Their information materials are therefore useful to include. 

Executive summary: This document reports on the risks identified during field operations carried out in the second year of the PACIFIC project, from June 2019 to June 2020. During this period, two surveys were carried out at the Kallak iron ore project in Sweden and another was conducted at the Kaiserstuhl site in Germany.
The document builds on D5.2 - Environmental and Safety Risk Database adopted in 2018, and D5.3 Annual Risk Management Report 1. The procedures outlined in these documents were implemented during the surveys. No injuries were reported in either survey and impact on the local environment was found to be minimal.

Executive summary: This document reports on the risks identified during field operations carried out in the first year of the PACIFIC project, from June 2018 to June 2019. During this period, two surveys were carried out, one at Stillwater Canada Inc. (SCI)’ s Marathon PGU-Cu Project (“Marathon”), and another one at the Las Cruces site in Spain, an operating mine run by Cobre Las Cruces. The document builds on D5.2 – Environmental and Safety Risk Database adopted in 2018.
The procedures outlined in these documents were implemented during the surveys. No injuries were reported in either survey and impact on the local environment was found to be minimal.

Executive summary: This deliverable gathers risks related to safety or environmental issues relevant for PACIFIC activities. For each type of issue, the risks/hazards are listed with their score before and after mitigation and the corresponding control measures. A safe working procedure is also described. This database will serve as reference for the ESMC – Environmental and Safety Risk Management Committee – for follow-up during the course of the project.

An ultimate Charter governing the roles, responsibilities, composition and membership of the Committee will be outlined and implemented prior to the activation of PACIFIC programs.