What is sustainability in the mining industry?

However, extraction of metals and mining of industrial minerals must be done sustainably. This means giving consideration to people, the environment and the economy. Human aspects include health, social and cultural elements.

What is the full definition of sustainability?

Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In addition to natural resources, we also need social and economic resources. Sustainability is not just environmental- ism.

How is mining sustainable?

There is a theory that although itself unsustainable, mining growth can contribute to sustainability by providing raw materials for cleaner, more efficient and more prosperous human societies and generating wealth and employment that can serve as a ‘bridge to sustainability.

Why is sustainability important in mining?

Mining sustainably within a community should provide relief from poverty, hunger and servitude for local communities. This is not considered to be charity – it is about being a part of a community’s good health and educational aspirations.

What is the Towards sustainable mining initiative?

The Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) initiative allows mining companies to turn high-level environmental and social commitments into action on the ground.

Is the mining industry ethical?

In our view, mining can be ethical if it produces raw materials that are really needed as long as the mines are operated in a socially responsible way. We will invest in companies only if they meet both criteria.

How can mining become more sustainable?

– Using cleaner production techniques – Environmental control technologies – Using waste as raw material, and – Reducing the amount of waste produced through process re-engineering.

Can mining ever be sustainable?

Rajaram offers a definition of sustainable mining, proposing that “mining is sustainable when it is conducted in a manner that balances economic, environmental and social considerations, often referred to as the ‘triple bottom line.’ Practices that promote this balance, he asserts, are “sustainable mining practices.”

What are sustainable mining practices?

sustainable mining practices, a common one in many developing country mines being extracting only the highest-grade material in a deposit, ignoring the lower grades, for short-term gains. Scientific mining is essential for the conservation of a non-renewable resource and its optimum and efficient utilization and

How sustainable is ‘socially responsible’ mining?

Mining companies should do things that don’t always make business sense.