The discovery of vast untapped mineral resources in a developing country used to be a cause for celebration, promising inward investment, job creation and a significant boost to the local economy and government revenues. But too often realising the full benefits from extractive industries was much harder than anticipated, with countries often experiencing economic turmoil as a result of the mining or petroleum sectors.
 

 Since we were first engaged by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) to act as lead consultant for its Resource Endowment initiative (REi), OPM’s work has focused on moving away from well-trodden debates about the ‘resource curse’, and instead identifying and documenting ways in which mining’s economic and social contribution could be improved.
 

 As well as continuing to support ICMM, we now provide advice to corporate and government clients, as well as to multilateral agencies, on how the benefits from extracting natural resources can be enhanced for social advantage and for sustainable development outcomes.