Mining is intensely disruptive on local communities and their pre-existing land uses, which has often given rise to ongoing conflicts between mining companies and local communities, pressurising them to become more ethical in their business operations. This paper aims to investigate the current community engagement and corporate social responsibility (CSR) standards influencing sustainable resource development in the Hunter Valley region. The study finds that the current community engagement mechanism is inadequate and that mining companies often ignores the role of proactive community participation and corporate social responsibility standards. Based on the case study, which supports those facts, both the policy-makers and the mining industry could adopt a more participatory and community focused approach to ensure sustainable resource development.