Grounded Engagement: Community experiences, storytelling and mineral exploration

This project brings together civil society organisations, industry representatives, geologists, academics, educators, creative practitioners and other stakeholders to create a space to build a shared understanding of experiences, challenges and aspirations related to mineral exploration.  

The project builds on two research projects at the University of Leeds: Unlocking the UK’s Critical Mineral Potential and Stories from the Subsurface. Together, the interdisciplinary team is exploring the potential of creative storytelling methods to facilitate dialogue between stakeholders and develop new approaches to engagement in the minerals sector that focus on lived experience, amplify diverse voices and facilitate mutual learning. 

Mineral exploration is often viewed as a technical process, yet in practice it is deeply social. In the UK, exploration companies and geologists must engage directly with landowners, mineral rights holders and local communities. Successfully gaining access to land and maintaining positive working relationships depends on trust, communication and mutual understanding. If relationships become strained or positions become entrenched, rebuilding trust can be extremely difficult. Engagement throughout the project cycle is essential to reduce the environmental and social impacts of extraction and ensure that any benefits are shared more equitably.  

There is limited research on community engagement in the mineral exploration stages of projects. Still, there’s an overall agreement that engagement should be early and ‘meaningful ’, with little understanding of how to create meaningful engagement.  

This project proposes to use creative storytelling methods to create more meaningful engagement. Storytelling methods, such as participatory video, have been shown to authentically express people’s lived experiences while also contributing to policy dialogue processes. 

The first series of workshops is taking place over summer and autumn 2026 in Cornwall. This region is experiencing a resurgence in mineral exploration driven in part by interest in critical minerals for the energy transition. Focusing on Cornwall offers an opportunity to reflect on current experiences of mineral exploration and also consider wider questions of participation, communication and trust in extractive industry projects.