
Dispatch 4: The SEO* Starts Digging: Exploring the “Cracks” Within the Company and Beyond
December 6, 2024Glenn Sigurdson and Luke Danielson have spent over five decades deeply immersed in the world of mining, but their roles have always been from a distinct outsider/insider perspective. They haven’t simply worked within the structures of mining companies or regulatory bodies; instead, they’ve spent their careers navigating the “cracks” between the various players in the industry, including mining corporations, environmentalists, indigenous communities, governments, and NGOs. It is in these cracks—where interests collide, overlap, and often conflict—that Glenn and Luke have played pivotal roles.Both began their careers as lawyers, which initially grounded their work in legal frameworks and policy discussions. But they quickly found themselves acting as mediators and facilitators, helping to bridge divides between industry and community, government and corporations, environmentalists and resource developers. This positioning between competing interests has given them a profound understanding of the complex power dynamics and evolving relationships that define the mining world today.
Their unique roles have allowed them to understand the industry’s evolution in a way that few others can. They’ve witnessed first-hand the trajectory of change within the mining industry—from its roots in unchecked extraction to today’s more nuanced and responsible approaches to sustainability and community engagement. They’ve been part of the most difficult conversations, helping to navigate conflict resolution between stakeholders who often have opposing and overlapping objectives. Glenn and Luke’s experiences have afforded them a rare, high-level view of the industry and its relationship to the world at large, particularly the communities and countries in which it operates.
MORE INFORMATION: The Mining Dialogues: Podcast