Purpose - The coal mining industry makes a key contribution to the Queensland economy, and is the underlying driver of employment and economic conditions in many local and regional communities. This article aims to focus on how the social and economic impacts of mining should be assessed and negotiated with local and regional communities. Design/methodology/approach – The following assessment tools were trialed to ascertain the impacts on communities of changes in the mining industry: extended stakeholder analysis of key community representatives; economic modeling of changes in the level of mining activity; a random survey of householders involving choice experiments to assess tradeoffs; and experimental workshops to assess how residents were prepared to prioritise different community development options. Findings – The results showed that impact assessment should be addressed using different economic and social science tools to ensure regulatory approval as well as community acceptance. Originality/value – This article suggests alternative social and economic impact assessment mechanisms that can be applied to any industry and any situation (e.g. growth, decline, new development, simultaneous changes).