Social Acceptability of Critical and Strategic Minerals (CSMs) Development: A Systematic Review with a Particular Focus on Quebec, Canada

The social acceptability (SA) of mining projects is a crucial issue for the sustainable development of territories and local communities. This article aims to identify the issues and examine the factors influencing the SA of exploration, exploitation and processing projects of critical and strategic minerals (CSMs) in Quebec. A systematic review guided by the PRISMA approach was conducted, selecting 57 relevant documents after excluding several others. The results reveal that between 2000 and 2024, the publication of studies on SA in the mining sector has increased significantly, particularly since 2013. Research is mainly concentrated in North America, with a predominance of case studies. Their critical analysis indicates that the SA of mining projects is based on various issues, including the need for greater consideration of the perspectives of local communities, as well as open and inclusive communication between all stakeholders. However, SA is affected by various factors, including demographic, economic, environmental and governance, which can have positive or negative effects depending on the context. Following this analysis, future research should explore the complex interactions between these factors, determining how some may act as mediators or moderators in various contexts through real case studies.