...This study examines the different types of legal regimes governing mining projects in 18 countries around the world with a particular emphasis on the key provisions in mining contracts as well as in law where countries have adopted a licensing regime. In so doing, it discusses some of the reasons for which some countries have adopted a licensing regime to fully or partially regulate the rights and obligations of the parties in a mining project, whereas other countries have opted to use mining contracts to do so...the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) compared the provisions of 30 mining contracts from 13 countries, analyzed a selection of legislative texts related to mining from 18 countries, and surveyed the experiences of negotiating mining contracts through 44 interviews with 39 experts, government officials, company representatives, and civil society organization (CSO) members... [Refers to provisions on access to water, community development, access to information, economic and social rights]