Diversity of livelihoods and social sustainability in established mining communities

•Knowledge gap in bridging community and company level in established mining communities.•Diversity of livelihoods useful for analyzing certain aspects of social sustainability.•Construction of a distinct mining masculinity contributes to reproducing patterns of behavior that make the social environment less inclusive.•Social cohesion is an ambiguous aspect of social sustainability, as it enforces constructing indigenous groups and FIFOs as the other.•The lack of knowledge on the impact that mining industry has on communities is underdeveloped if compared to its economical or ecological impact.