Sustainable Minerals Operations in the Developing World: introduction

Abstract

excerptSustainable development requires an appropriate abalance between social, economic and environme ntal well-being, now and for the future. Since most minerals are non-renewalble resources, sustainability of supply can only be addressed by extracting, processing and distributing raw in the least environmentally damaging ways, using minerals wisely, and recycling as much as possible. However, there also is significant scope for inproved sustainability in terms of economic and social aspects.Minerals are essential raw materials but high-quality deposits havem become depleted in many developed countries. These countries have increasingly turned to developing countries for supplies and it is in these that modt high-quality untapped futre prospect remain. for countries with limited export opportunities, minerals are often a mainstay of the domestic economy. However, low selling prices may reflect limited environmental regulation and low wages. This can lead to charges that the rich countries are exporting their environmental damage to, andexploiting, poorer countries. As more countries develop, the global demand for supplies of essential raw materials increases, and resources will be depleted more quickly. Therefore, sustainable minerals supply from the developing countries is an important global issue.In this Special Report, general aspects of sustainable minerals operations in the developing world are reviewed by Petterson et al., Hobbs, and Richards while the remaining papers consider specific issues in more detail. Hobbs, in particular, emphasizes the need to give proper weight each to human capital, financial capital, manufactured capital, and environmental capital in any full analysis as a context for sustainable development and effective.

State of the World's Nonfuel Mineral Resources: Supply, Demand, and Socio-Institutional Fundamentals

“…But mineral consumption is not linear across the population. The per capita lifetime consumption in North America (assuming 77 years) is 600 tonnes of aggregate (sand and gravel) and 550 tonnes of fuel (46). A person with a similar life span in Bangladesh will consume less than 5 tonnes of the same commodities (46).…”

“…The per capita lifetime consumption in North America (assuming 77 years) is 600 tonnes of aggregate (sand and gravel) and 550 tonnes of fuel (46). A person with a similar life span in Bangladesh will consume less than 5 tonnes of the same commodities (46). Using a population estimate of 9 billion in 2050, mineral demand is estimated to increase 25% in the first half of this century because the population growth will be in developing countries that have lower per capita mineral consumption, and we will be more efficient in our use of minerals over time (47).…”

Safety Risk Assessment and Management of Panzhihua Open Pit (OP)-Underground (UG) Iron Mine Based on AHP-FCE, Sichuan Province, China

“…Generally, the existence of risks in a mine may result in a reduction in production as well as leading to major production hazards, damage to the natural environment (e.g., soil, air, and soil pollution, subsidence, noise, etc. ), and various social disputes [6,7], which seriously affect the smooth operation of mining enterprises. In the current era, the systematic implementation of a risk management approach has contributed to a significant decrease in the frequency of fatalities and injuries in China mines.…”

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“…Regardless of all these benefits, mining activities lead to the production of many hazards for the health and safety of mineworkers, damage to the natural environment (e.g. water, air, and soil pollution, land disruption, subsidence), and various social problems (Marker et al, 2005;Owen and Kemp, 2017). In this regard, if the increase in the production rate is not monitored, future generations will have problems.…”