Sustainable mining for a growing world

摘要

We are certainly living in interesting times! One of the strong current trends is the new traction for sustainability, thanks in some measure to Al Gore and his push for awareness on climate change, the better understanding of society's impact on the global environment, and the new focus of mainstream politicians on the topic. The good news is that this new emphasis makes imminent sense. It is not about doing good or tree hugging, but about improved economics with lower costs and reduced risks, with the added bonus of leaving a more sustainable future to our grandchildren. After 30 plus years in non-ferrous operations (copper and zinc), I was given the opportunity to lead my corporation in its sustainability activites, something that I frankly didn't think, at the time, would lead to anything. But with understanding comes commitment and excitement. I have spent the last nine years learning about sustainable development, measuring our impacts, and lending a hand to its promotion internally at my original employer (Noranda Inc.), externally in our industry through the Global Mining Initiative, the International Council for Mining and Metals (ICMM), and the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), and currently with Hatch engineering consultants. At Hatch, the sustainable development activity breaks into two groupings; inter-gated risk management and design for sustainability.