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he mining industry has invested heavily in governance, environmental performance, community engagement and international standards. At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how organizations identify risks, process information and support decision-making. Yet projects around the world continue to face delays, protests, suspensions and, in some cases, cancellation. If the industry has better frameworks—and now better technology—why do these challenges persist?

In my view, the next competitive advantage in mining will not come from another framework or technological breakthrough. It will come from developing leadership capacity to use technology wisely. AI may help us understand faster, but it cannot balance competing interests, exercise judgment or earn trust; those responsibilities remain profoundly human. The industry needs to invest as much in the people implementing responsible mining as it does in the systems designed to support them.

Mining is no longer judged only by how impacts are managed but also by whether it creates value that lasts and protects people and the environment. Society wants to believe the industry is a trustworthy partner. For many years, success meant obtaining permits, meeting regulatory requirements and delivering on agreed commitments. Those responsibilities remain fundamental. But today, society is asking broader questions. Does this project contribute positively to the region? Are decisions transparent? Are communities genuinely involved? Can this company be trusted when difficult decisions need to be made?

Legitimacy is rarely determined by one stakeholder alone. Governments issue permits. Communities experience both the impacts and the opportunities created by mining. Investors evaluate risk. Employees shape organizational culture. Civil society influences public opinion, often amplified through social media and, in some places, faith-based organizations. These perspectives constantly interact.

Panama offers a reminder that success at the project level does not necessarily translate into national legitimacy. In 2023, pending metallic mining concessions and contracts were halted and existing ones annulled. Years later, the country continues to debate whether—and under what conditions—metallic mining should return. Panama is not an isolated case: Costa Rica prohibited new open-pit metallic mining in 2010, while El Salvador introduced a nationwide ban on metallic mining in 2017 before restoring it in 2024. Although each country followed a different path, these cases show how conflict surrounding mining can expand beyond individual projects and reshape national policy towards an entire industry.

These cases also raise a governance question: how are emerging social and political concerns being identified and brought into strategic decisions? A materiality assessment, for example, is about identifying the issues that can affect organizations—not just today, but in the future. If a company’s materiality assessment ends up in a report and never comes back to the boardroom, then how useful is it really? A good materiality assessment should evolve as the world changes and influence strategy, risk discussions and investment decisions.

Many operational and financial risks begin as people issues. A misunderstanding, a perception of unfairness or a breakdown in communication may appear insignificant at first. Left un­addressed, these soft risks can evolve into permitting delays, operational disruptions, litigation, reputational damage or loss of investor confidence. Understanding people has become a core part of effective risk management.

This reinforces an important point: legitimacy is not something an organization obtains once. It evolves and must be maintained through transparency, consistency and engagement. It also requires organizations to rethink how they respond to opposition. Too often, opposition is treated as something to overcome, when it may actually contain valuable information. Not every concern can be resolved and disagreement will sometimes remain; however, organizations that listen before responding are generally better positioned to make sound decisions.

This is where AI becomes particularly interesting. It can process enormous amounts of information, identify patterns, detect emerging risks and help organizations to understand stakeholder concerns much faster than before. Feedback systems that once depended on spreadsheets and periodic reviews can now identify trends almost in real time. That creates an extraordinary opportunity to recognize concerns earlier and respond before they escalate into operational or reputational problems.

But who is responsible when AI gets it wrong? AI gives organizations access to more information than ever before, and now agentic AI can recommend actions and automate responses. However, more information does not remove the need for judgment. It makes capable leadership, meaningful engagement and clear accountability even more important. If anything, AI makes the human element even more valuable.

Perhaps that is where mining’s next competitive advantage will emerge. As technology becomes more powerful, the capabilities that distinguish successful organizations may be human: listening, communication, conflict resolution, relationship building, ethical judgment and the ability to bring people together around a shared purpose. These are no longer simply interpersonal skills. They are strategic leadership skills that can reduce risk, strengthen resilience and help organizations to identify opportunities others may overlook.

AI will continue to create new opportunities, but it will also raise important governance questions. Who is accountable? What decisions should always remain human? In the end, the future of mining will be defined not only by the technologies adopted, but by the quality of the leaders who implement them—and by the relationships that allow their decisions to be trusted.

Chafika Eddine is a board director and former chief sustainability officer with more than 25 years of international experience helping organizations strengthen governance, manage risk and build resilient relationships.