Responsible mining is the future. Aligning extractive industries into the fast-developing modern world of renewables, climate change concerns, and positive overall contribution is the key to unlocking it. Crucial to responsible mining is understanding stakeholders and other impacted or interested parties, and how they want to participate and benefit from the industry. One size does not fit all. Imposing convenient solutions to garner social license is an out-dated and counter-productive practice. Mining is now more than ever about people with differing expectations – communities, clients, governments, employees and shareholders. It is a social world where actors are not fully aware of the powerful economic, political, environmental, and cultural forces shaping their decisions. Understanding why mining conflicts happen and how they can be avoided, can be facilitated by International Relations Theories, which offer a wide range of explanations based on empirical evidence. International Relations Theories have developed into a holistic method of examining complex, systemic issues. Mining Footprint has combined mining and international relations expertise to create a powerful lens capable of providing new insights into extractive industries. A different pluralistic approach enriching strategy in the fast-changing world.