Doris Hiam-Galvez has spent over 15 years developing Designing Sustainable Prosperity (DSP), a method that mining companies can use to prevent potential environmental damage from mining operations—and also address economic losses that result from the closure of a mine—in remote regions. Her new book, Designing Sustainable Prosperity: Natural Resource Management for Resilient Regions, explores how this method can enable the creation of resilience in regions around the globe where the economy relies heavily on the extractive industry.  

Hiam-Galvez, who is a senior advisor at Hatch Consulting and a board director for the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada, told CIM Magazine in an interview that the book offers a step-by-step plan on how regions can shift from linear economies where finite resources are extracted and mining operations close without a plan for post-mining land use to long-term prosperity, by implementing DSP.  

Hiam-Galvez considers DSP to be crucial in addressing the risks concerned with climate change, reliance on commodity economies and shortages of skilled labour. “We are bombarded with [these issues] and we often don’t know which way to go,” she said. “We know what we want to do, but we might not know how to. DSP tackles this challenge with a holistic approach to unlock solutions to these issues.” 

The book outlines key steps to follow to implement DSP in a region and features six high-level studies to illustrate DSP in practice.  

Addressing water scarcity  

One case study featured in the book explored a region of southern Peru that is rich in copper but is experiencing water scarcity. 

The case study demonstrates how to leverage the region’s highest potential for using solar and geothermal energy. “The existing skills in complex thermal processing for copper production enable the development of advanced direct desalination technology by concentrated solar power combined with geothermal energy,” Hiam-Galvez wrote in a follow-up statement to CIM Magazine. “This solution enables the region to transform from being technology purchasers to becoming a centre of excellence in complex thermal process technologies. This approach not only addresses water scarcity but also promotes precision agriculture and value-added food products, creating long-term jobs [that] benefit the local communities.”  

Hiam-Galvez emphasized that DSP requires a collaborative approach between local communities, investors, industry experts, governments and academics, noting that “no matter how many brilliant ideas you have, nothing is going to happen if people are not willing and open to collaborate.”  

Ring of Fire peatlands  

Another case study focuses on the Ring of Fire region in northern Ontario, home to significant peatlands. These peatlands are crucial for managing water and sequestering around 60 per cent of Canada’s organic carbon in soil, storing three times more carbon than boreal or tropical forests. “They mitigate floods, prevent fires, purify water and provide biodiversity,” said Hiam-Galvez. Peat soil can hold around 30 times its weight in water and can serve as carbon sinks.  

Hiam-Galvez explained that conserving these peatlands can enable mining companies to operate as a force for good in this region. “By prioritizing the health of these peatlands, the region can become a leading hub for peatland regeneration and carbon capture, catalyzed by responsible mining and guided by Indigenous knowledge,” she wrote. “Collaboration among key parties could transform this area into a centre of excellence in peatland hydrology, essential for stabilizing and regenerating this vital ecosystem. This would bring long-term prosperity and job creation to the region.”  

With this particular case study, she highlighted that DSP can balance ecological conservation with responsible resource extraction, leading to the creation of a resilient and thriving region.  

Bringing together the book 

Hiam-Galvez always harboured an immense appreciation for the natural world. She had plans to study mining engineering, but eventually became a chemical engineer, later completing a PhD in metallurgy. She began her career in management, leading research for global corporations. She quickly advanced to the C-suite. Half of her career was spent in companies manufacturing steel and aluminum. The second part was at Hatch, where she led regional operations and developed DSP. 

Prior to commencing the research for her book, she asked herself if there was a better way for mining companies to engage in sustainability. Bringing together the skills she had gained from previous work, she began to design DSP as a new sustainable system for the future.  

“The idea was there, but I had to develop all the details and figure out how to implement it,” she said. Over the last 10 years, Hiam-Galvez has travelled around the world delivering lectures, keynotes and presentations to organizations, conferences and students. 

Seeing how enthusiastic some young professionals and students were about the future of sustainability, she decided to invite five of them to contribute to the book, along with a team of seasoned industry experts to help review the chapters.  

She recounted how difficult it was to find a publisher for her book since her work did not fit neatly into a specific subject, because DSP integrates all disciplines; she said it is an ecosystem approach. She was grateful that Wiley was interested in publishing her work since it was considered to be a timely topic. 

“My ultimate objective is to make significant contributions to reduce global warming and DSP is one way to get there,” she said.  

Designing Sustainable Prosperity: Natural Resource Management for Resilient Regions was released on July 31st and can be ordered through wiley.com.