Mining in the Newspapers: Local and Regional Media Representations of Mineral Exploration and Mining in Finland, Germany, and Spain

• DOI: 10.1007/s42461-021-00453-4
• Publication Date: 2021-07-06T14:04:17Z
• Authors: Jari Lyytimäki; Ludger Benighaus; Javier Gómez; Christina Benighaus; Sari Kauppi; Juha M. Kotilainen; Tuija Mononen; Virginia del Rio
• Keywords: Prosperity

The understanding of public debates over mineral exploration and mining largely originates from exceptional situations such as accidents conflicts. Less is known about how portrayed understood under more conventional settings. What storylines dominate the local day-to-day debate? This article presents results a comparative case study focusing on newspaper coverage in three European countries representing different geological socio-economic contexts. Newspaper articles Geyer-Erzgebirge region Germany, Andalusia Spain, Northern Finland are studied. sample looks into period between September 2018 February 2020 shows that regional newspapers report issues relatively intensively even absence major or other media events causing peaks attention. tone generally neutral to positive towards activities, reflecting specific settings, historical experiences, future expectations. Despite contexts countries, there were considerable similarities topics highlighted, including common themes revival, social interaction, history mining, damages related mining. Past, present, employment opportunities directly indirectly sector key storylines. Another recurrent underlying theme need balance environment safety risks prosperity, typically covered through ordinary disputes among sector, authorities, non-governmental organizations, initiatives.