responsible mining 497
Responsible Mining
Mining companies, the World Bank, and other
international agencies now promote what
they call “sustainable mining.”
But large-scale mining is always
destructive and the amount of
minerals that can be mined safely
is limited. Mining is a “boom and
bust” industry, meaning there
Our land
has been
destroyed
forever too!
may be great wealth when a new
mineral deposit is discovered,
but this is followed by great
poverty when the minerals are
gone. As yet, there has been
no such thing as “sustainable
mining” and since minerals
are not a renewable resource,
truly “sustainable mining” is an
impossibility.
However, mining can be done
in ways that are less destructive to workers and communities.
Develop environmental and social plans
All mine operations should include a plan to protect the environment and
support community needs. Mining companies want to take out as much
wealth as possible with as little cost, so community pressure will be necessary
to force mining operations to develop these kinds of plans. For any plan
to be effective, people from nearby communities must be involved in all
decision‑making. A responsible plan will include:
• an environmental impact assessment (EIA) carried out with the
participation of the communities that will be affected (see Apendix B).
• social services such as health clinics and schools, and providing safe
drinking water, sanitation, and other necessary services.
• long-term, comprehensive health care for miners, their families, and
affected communities.
• a plan for closing mines, restoring land, and providing job training and
safe, sustainable work for those who worked in the mines.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012