Research Fellow/Senior Research off
Overview
Sandy is a social researcher and communication management specialist. Her research interests are centred on subnational governance of industrial development – mining, oil and gas extraction, power generation (including renewables) and ancillary infrastructure such as pipelines and transmission lines. She is interested in the interface between governance actors (Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, proponents and governments) at local, regional and state/provincial levels and how they seek to enhance the benefits from industrial development and avoid or mitigate its adverse impacts.
Much of her research has been focused on the social risks associated with mine project development, mine closure and the transition of mining regions to post-mining alternatives.
Sandy has extensive experience working across the mineral resources sector – on site, in a corporate environment, in government, consulting, not-for-profit and research. She brings practical industry knowledge to her applied research projects and enjoys working in interdisciplinary teams.
Sandy joined CSRM in 2019 after completing her PhD at the centre. Her doctoral research examined how coal mining project teams in Australia construct and assess social risk.
Research Interests
- Subnational governance of industrial development
- Indigenous governance of industrial development
- The social risks and social impacts of mining
- Social aspects of mine closure and post-mining transition
Qualifications
- Member, International Sociological Association, International Sociological Association
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
- Masters (Research), Queensland University of Technology
- Bachelor, University of New England Australia
Publications
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Other Outputs: Rosebery’s post-mining future: Perspectives from the visioning workshop
Worden, S. and Bourke, P. (2024). Rosebery’s post-mining future: Perspectives from the visioning workshop. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
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Journal Article: Regional post-mining land use assessment: An interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach
Worden, Sandy, Svobodova, Kamila, Côte, Claire and Bolz, Pascal (2024). Regional post-mining land use assessment: An interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach. Resources Policy, 89 104680, 104680. doi: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2024.104680
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Conference Publication: Shifting post-mining land use planning from mine site to regional scale
Worden, Sandy, Svobodova, Kamila and Cote, Claire (2023). Shifting post-mining land use planning from mine site to regional scale. AusIMM Life of Mine Conference 2023, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 2-4 August 2023.
Grants
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Renewable Energy as Post Mining Land Use
(2023–2024) Australian Coal Association Research Program
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(2023) UQ Knowledge Exchange & Translation Fund
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Collaborative regional development - regeneration and just transition in the Isaac Region
(2023) Ergo Strategy Group Ltd
Supervision
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Environmental, social and governance water-related risks for lithium mining in South America for the next decades
Doctor Philosophy
Publications
Journal Article
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Regional post-mining land use assessment: An interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach
Worden, Sandy, Svobodova, Kamila, Côte, Claire and Bolz, Pascal (2024). Regional post-mining land use assessment: An interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach. Resources Policy, 89 104680, 104680. doi: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2024.104680
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Social stability risk assessment and economic competitiveness in China
Zhang, Ruilian, Worden, Sandy, Xu, Junzhuo, Owen, John R. and Shi, Guoqing (2022). Social stability risk assessment and economic competitiveness in China. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 9 (1) 309, 1-7. doi: 10.1057/s41599-022-01329-8
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Comparative capacity of global mining regions to transition to a post-mining future
Everingham, Jo-Anne, Svobodova, Kamila, Lèbre, Éléonore, Owen, John R. and Worden, Sandy (2022). Comparative capacity of global mining regions to transition to a post-mining future. Extractive Industries and Society, 11 101136, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.exis.2022.101136
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Public participation in environmental governance initiatives of chemical industrial parks
Wang, Yuanni, Zhang, Ruilian, Worden, Sandy, Cao, Hailin and Li, Chunhua (2021). Public participation in environmental governance initiatives of chemical industrial parks. Journal of Cleaner Production, 305 127092, 127092. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127092
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Svobodova, K., Owen, J. R., Harris, J. and Worden, S. (2020). Complexities and contradictions in the global energy transition: a re-evaluation of country-level factors and dependencies. Applied Energy, 265 114778, 114778. doi: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.114778
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Differentiated social risk: rebound dynamics and sustainability performance in mining
Kemp, Deanna, Worden, Sandy and Owen, John R. (2016). Differentiated social risk: rebound dynamics and sustainability performance in mining. Resources Policy, 50, 19-26. doi: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2016.08.004
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Managing risks in the Australian coal industry.
Kirsch, Philipp and Worden, Sandy (2014). Managing risks in the Australian coal industry.. Australian Resources and Investment, 8 (2), 68-70.
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Risk management competence in Australia gets a boost from new software
Worden, Sandy, Sprott, Darren and Whittaker, Barbara (2013). Risk management competence in Australia gets a boost from new software. Mining Engineering, 65 (7), 22-33.
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Coal industry takes innovative approach to risk management.
Worden, S. and Kirsch, P. (2013). Coal industry takes innovative approach to risk management.. Safety solutions, 11 (5), 4-6.
Conference Publication
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Shifting post-mining land use planning from mine site to regional scale
Worden, Sandy, Svobodova, Kamila and Cote, Claire (2023). Shifting post-mining land use planning from mine site to regional scale. AusIMM Life of Mine Conference 2023, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 2-4 August 2023.
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Understanding local readiness for closure – initiating a multi-stakeholder participatory approach
Worden, Sandy, Mackenzie, Sarah, Bourke, Pam, Crosbie, Jonathon and Osgerby, Benjamin (2022). Understanding local readiness for closure – initiating a multi-stakeholder participatory approach . Planning for Closure 2022, Online, 10-13 May 2022. Chile: Gecamin.
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The governance of mineral resources: A shift in perspective
Worden, Sandy (2022). The governance of mineral resources: A shift in perspective. Mining the Connections, Quebec, Canada, 25-27 April 2022.
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Is the mining industry misdiagnosing social risk?
Worden, Sandy (2016). Is the mining industry misdiagnosing social risk?. Risk and Resilience Mining Solutions 2016 , Vancouver, Canada, 14-16 November 2016.
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Assessing the social risk of coal mining projects
Worden, Sandy (2016). Assessing the social risk of coal mining projects. 3rd ISA Forum of Sociology, The Futures We Want, Vienna, Austria, 10-14 May 2016.
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Moving beyond economic framing of the Australian coal industry
Worden, S., Kirsch, A. and Kirsch, P. A. (2014). Moving beyond economic framing of the Australian coal industry. Life-of-Mine 2014, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 16-18 July 2014. Carlton, VIC, Australia: AUSIMM.
Other Outputs
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Rosebery’s post-mining future: Perspectives from the visioning workshop
Worden, S. and Bourke, P. (2024). Rosebery’s post-mining future: Perspectives from the visioning workshop. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
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Rosebery visioning workshop - a summary for workshop participants
Worden, Sandy (2023). Rosebery visioning workshop - a summary for workshop participants. Brisbane, Australia: CSRM.
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Design of Activities for the Investigation of Ngadju Salt Lake Systems
Chrystal, Robynne, McIntyre, Neil, Bolz, Pascal, Edraki, Mansour, Worden, Sandy, Holcombe, Sarah, Barnes, Rodger and Hernandez Santin, Lorna (2023). Design of Activities for the Investigation of Ngadju Salt Lake Systems. Brisbane, Australia: Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland.
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Worden, Sandy, Dalaibuyan, Byambajav and Bainton , Nick (senior oversight) (2023). Peer review of "Technical guidance for assessing and managing the social impacts of projects under the Coordinator-General Social Impact Assessment Guideline". Brisbane, QLD, Australia: CSRM.
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Sturman, Kathryn, Loginova, Julia, Worden, Sandy, Matanzima, Joshua and Arratia-Solar, Andrea (2022). Mission critique: renforcement de la gouvernance des chaînes de valeur des minéraux pour la transition énergétique. Oslo, Norway: Transparence dans les Industries Extractives.
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Mission critical: strengthening governance of mineral value chains for the energy transition
Sturman, Kathryn , Loginova, Julia , Worden, Sandy , Matanzima, Joshua and Arratia-Solar, Andrea (2022). Mission critical: strengthening governance of mineral value chains for the energy transition. Oslo, Norway: Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
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Mine Closure Hub - resources for communities
Sandy Worden, Lucia Neme Gaviola, Patricia Munguia Llort and Rosemarie Tapia Rivera (2022). Mine Closure Hub - resources for communities. https://smi.uq.edu.au/csrm-knowledgehub/mine-closure-hub: CSRM.
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Sandy Worden, Sarah Mackenzie and Bourke, Pam (2022). Initiating a multi-stakeholder participatory approach to mine closure planning: The Rosebery case study. Brisbane, Australia: CRC TiME.
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GEMCO mine closure readiness: Internal workshop outcomes
Worden, Sandy, Parmenter, Joni, Bourke, Pam, Barnes, Rodger and Reyes Sierra, Maite (2022). GEMCO mine closure readiness: Internal workshop outcomes. Brisbane, Australia: CSRM.
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Rio Tinto CSP initiatives: Significant and successful cases
Worden, Sandy (2022). Rio Tinto CSP initiatives: Significant and successful cases. Brisbane, Australia: CSRM.
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Mineral resources governance: The case of Canadian First Nations’ mining policies
Sandy Worden (2021). Mineral resources governance: The case of Canadian First Nations’ mining policies. Brisbane: Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining.
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Understanding local readiness for closure – initiating a multi-stakeholder participatory approach
Worden, Sandy , Mackenzie, Sarah and Bourke, Pam (2021). Understanding local readiness for closure – initiating a multi-stakeholder participatory approach . Brisbane: CRC TiME Limited.
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Baseline works for mine rehabilitation and closure collaboration project
Worden, Sandy, Côte, Claire, Svobodova, Kamila, Arratia-Solar, Andrea, Everingham, Jo-Anne, Asmussen, Pascal, Edraki, Mansour and Erskine, Peter (2021). Baseline works for mine rehabilitation and closure collaboration project. Brisbane, Australia: Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/6c92886
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Moranbah post-mining land use collaborative project - Baseline Works
Côte, Claire Madeleine, Everingham, Jo-Anne, Svobodova, Kamila, Worden, Sandy, Asmussen, Pascal, Shaygan, Mandana, Paz, Anat, Pagliero, Liliana, Edraki, Mansour and Erskine, Peter (2020). Moranbah post-mining land use collaborative project - Baseline Works. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Sustainable Minerals Institute.
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Mining regions in transition - a global scan
Everingham, Jo-Anne, Svobodova, Kamila, Lebre, Eleonore, Worden, Sandy and Owen, John (2020). Mining regions in transition - a global scan. Brisbane, Australia: Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining.
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Integrated mine closure planning: a rapid scan of innovations in corporate practice
Worden, Sandy (2020). Integrated mine closure planning: a rapid scan of innovations in corporate practice. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining.
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West Musgrave Project SIOA: literature review
Holcombe, Sarah, Worden, Sandy and Kung, Anthony (2020). West Musgrave Project SIOA: literature review. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
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Worden, Sandra (2019). The construction and assessment of social risk: perspectives from Australian coal mining project teams. PhD Thesis, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2019.354
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Social Aspects of Mine Closure website and eLibrary
Worden, Sandy (2019). Social Aspects of Mine Closure website and eLibrary. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: CSRM.
Grants (Administered at UQ)
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Renewable Energy as Post Mining Land Use
(2023–2024) Australian Coal Association Research Program
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(2023) UQ Knowledge Exchange & Translation Fund
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Collaborative regional development - regeneration and just transition in the Isaac Region
(2023) Ergo Strategy Group Ltd
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Rosebery participatory closure planning process - facilitation, training and research (Stage 2)
(2021–2023) MMG Australia Limited
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Understanding local readiness for closure: Initiating a multi-stakeholder participatory approach
(2021–2022) CRC TIME Limited
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Indigenous groups and land rehabilitation: Argyle Rangers opportunity analysis (001RTPARGYLE)
(2020–2022) Rio Tinto Services Limited
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Mine rehabilitation and closure collaboration project: Baseline Works
(2020–2021) Queensland Resources Council Ltd
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Mineral resources governance: The case of Canadian First Nations¿ mining policies
(2020–2021) UQ Early Career Researcher
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Baseline works for Moranbah post-mining land use collaborative project
(2020) Anglo American Metallurgical Coal Pty Ltd
PhD and MPhil Supervision
Current Supervision
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Environmental, social and governance water-related risks for lithium mining in South America for the next decades
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
