Mining, Society, and a Sustainable World


Book Description

This is the first book of peer-reviewed, edited papers that examines the minerals industry in relation to sustainable development. The book takes a proactive, positivist, and solution-oriented approach, while not shying away from the fundamental problems.




Mining and its Impact on the Environment


Book Description

Winner of the 2007 E.B. Burwell, Jr. Award of the Geological Society of America Mining activity has left a legacy of hazards to the environment, such as waste, unstable ground and contamination, which can be problematic when redeveloping land. This book highlights the effects of past mining and provides information on the types of problems it may cause in both urban and rural areas. By way of example, the book also demonstrates how such problems may be anticipated, investigated, predicted, prevented and controlled. Furthermore, it shows how sites already affected by mining problems and hazards can be remediated and rehabilitated. Covering subsidence, surface mining, disposal of waste, problems resulting from mine closure and mineral processing, Mining and its Impact on the Environment is an excellent reference for practising mining and geotechnical engineers, as well as students in this field.




Mining and the Environment


Book Description

The history of mining is replete with controversy of which much is related to environmental damage and consequent community outrage. Over recent decades, this has led to increased pressure to improve the environmental and social performance of mining operations, particularly in developing countries. The industry has responded by embracing the ideals of sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Mining and the Environment identifies and discusses the wide range of social and environmental issues pertaining to mining, with particular reference to mining in developing countries, from where many of the project examples and case studies have been selected. Following an introductory overview of pressing issues, the book illustrates how environmental and social impact assessment, such as defined in "The Equator Principles", integrates with the mining lifecycle and how environmental and social management aims to eliminate the negative and accentuate the positive mining impacts. Practical approaches are provided for managing issues ranging from land acquisition and resettlement of Indigenous peoples, to the technical aspects of acid rock drainage and mine waste management. Moreover, thorough analyses of ways and means of sharing non-transitory mining benefits with host communities are presented to allow mining to provide sustainable benefits for the affected communities. This second edition of Mining and the Environment includes new chapters on Health Impact Assessment, Biodiversity and Gender Issues, all of which have become more important since the first edition appeared a decade ago. The wide coverage of issues and the many real-life case studies make this practice-oriented book a reference and key reading. It is intended for environmental consultants, engineers, regulators and operators in the field and for students to use as a course textbook. As much of the matter applies to the extractive industries as a whole, it will also serve environmental professionals in the oil and gas industries. Karlheinz Spitz and John Trudinger both have multiple years of experience in the assessment of mining projects around the world. The combination of their expertise and knowledge about social, economic, and environmental performance of mining and mine waste management has resulted in this in-depth coverage of the requirements for responsible and sustainable mining.




Mining Environment Management Manual


Book Description

This Mining Environment Management Manual is developed for the benefit of the entire mining industry in the Country. The Manual has been designed in such a manner that it can be easily used by the engineers and environmentalists in the mining complexes in their efforts for the management of mining environment. The Manual presents the existing status and comprehensive overview of all the aspects of mining environment. Since environment is a developing subject the user of the Manual is suggested to, wherever necessary, consult the web-sites of MOEF and other concerned organizations for the latest status. The manual in nineteen chapters outlines the following for the benefit of the users. 1. Broad details of the mineral mining industry in the country. 2. Policies, legislation, standards and procedures for establishing and operating the mines covering an environmental overview of the national policies and the policies of the mining companies, mining and environmental legislations and standards, site selection, environmental clearance, forestry clearance, and the various formats to be filled or establishing and operating the mines. 3. Preparation of the environmental management plans (EMPs) of the mining projects. 4. Environmental monitoring. 5. Mining methods commonly used in the Indian coal and non-coal mineral industry. 6. Environmental impacts of mining on society, ecology, land, water regime and atmosphere. 7. Environmental impact assessment (EIA). 8. Environmental management measures required in mineral mining including the assessment of quality of life, development of R&R packages, development of surface and underground water bodies, replantation of trees, formation and management of soil and overburden dumps, environmental aspects of blasting, land reclamation and rehabilitation planning, mine fires, acid mine drainage, inundation, noise modeling, etc. 9. Mine closure comprising of legislative and social necessity of mine closure in the Indian context, mine closure planning for underground and opencast mines, and format for mine closure planning in project report. 10. Procedure for environmental performance auditing and evaluation. 11. Land acquisition and optimization of land requirement for mining and associated activities, and rehabilitation and resettlement. 12. Land use planning in mining areas. 13. Risk assessment and disaster management. 14. Environmental aspects of tailing storage. 15. Use of geographical information system in environmental management in mining areas. 16. Utilization of fly ash in mines. 17. Environmental economics. 18. Roles of executives in environmental management in mining areas. 19. Do's and don'ts in environmental management planning and implementation. The manual in simple English aims at to attract attention of one and all concerned with the management of mining environment. The manual will be useful to the following categories of the people in the mining complexes in the Country and Abroad. · Mine planners in planning and designing of the mining activities and integration of environmental management measures in the mining methods. · Mine operators in implementing the environmental management measures, monitoring and compliance of legislation. · Regulatory agencies and their executives in developing a better understanding of the mining environment related aspects and implementing the legislation. · Research workers in planning, designing, and undertaking research and development activities. · Educationists in imparting the knowledge and know-how to the participants in various academic and human resource development programs. · The Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in developing a better understanding of the mining environment and assisting the mineral industry in effective implementation of the environmental management efforts. · The people in the mining complexes in developing the understanding of various aspects of the management of mining environment. In addition the Manual will be an important addition to the knowledge base in the libraries of all the institutions and organizations associated with mining and environmental management. The user is advised to read the Manual carefully and understand the various topics discussed and then use their own wisdom and the suggestions made in the Manual in design, planning, implementation and monitoring of the mining activities. The legislative aspect of mining environmental management is dynamic and time to time changes are made in the Acts. Rules and Regulations by the Central and State Governments. The user is therefore advised to get abreast with the latest developments through the web-sites of the MOEF and the Central and State Pollution Control Boards and other regulatory agencies, e.g., DGMS, IBM, etc.




Mining, Society, and the Environment


Book Description




Mining, Society, and a Sustainable World


Book Description

This is the first book of peer-reviewed, edited papers that examines the minerals industry in relation to sustainable development. The book takes a proactive, positivist, and solution-oriented approach, while not shying away from the fundamental problems.




Responsible Mining


Book Description

Mining Can Be Environmentally and Socially Responsible—and Still Profitable Even in this regulated, environmentally aware world, running a mine can be done safely, with combined goals of maximizing both the return on investment from extraction and the positive environmental and social impact that a well-run, responsible mine can offer. Responsible Mining is your comprehensive guide to addressing social and environmental risks at mines in the developed world. This book gathers case studies of best practices across the full range of issues. With examples from four continents, you can learn from both your home territory and around the world. Seventy-two leading mine engineers, forestry scientists, conservationists, environmental consultants, sustainability professionals, and geologists from prominent universities, extraction businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and governments have come together within these pages to lead you safely and profitably toward socially, environmentally, and economically beneficial mining practices. Organized around ten sustainability principles required of International Council on Mining and Metals members (including some of the largest extraction businesses in the world), the book addresses nearly every environmental and social consequence of mining in developed countries, including: · Protecting biodiversity · Minimizing negative impacts on climate change · Interacting appropriately with indigenous peoples · Enhancing the local community and reducing poverty · Reusing and recycling materials · Recovering energy · Recapturing and reusing water · Managing proper storage, reclamation, and disposal of tailings · Restoring the land after ceasing mining operations You will want to make this book required reading for all members of your team who are responsible for environmental compliance, resource recovery, sustainability, energy management, and marketing/public relations to facilitate cross-departmental discussions about how to incorporate best practices into your business plans.




Mining North America


Book Description

"Over the past five hundred years, North Americans have increasingly turned to mining to produce many of their basic social and cultural objects. From cell phones to cars and roadways, metal pots to wall tile and even talcum powder, minerals products have become central to modern North American life. As this process has unfolded, mining has also indelibly shaped the natural world and North Americans' relationship with it. Mountains have been honeycombed, rivers poisoned, and forests leveled. The effects of these environmental transformations have fallen unevenly across North American societies. Mining North America examines these developments. Drawing on the work of scholars from Mexico, the United States, and Canada, this book explores how mining has shaped North America over the last half millennium. It covers an array of minerals and geographies while seeking to draw mining into the core debates that animate North American environmental history generally. Taken together, the authors' contributions make a powerful case for the centrality of mining in forging North American environments and societies"--Provided by publisher.




Mining and Sustainable Development


Book Description

Mining is a transformative activity which has numerous economic, social and environmental impacts. These impacts can be both positive and adverse, enhancing as well as disrupting economies, ecosystems and communities. The extractive industries have been criticised heavily for their adverse impacts and involvement in significant social and environmental scandals. More recently, these industries have sought to respond to negative perceptions and have embraced the core principles of sustainability. This sector could be regarded as a leader in sustainability initiatives, evident from the various developments and frameworks in mining and sustainability that have emerged over time. This book reviews current topical issues in mining and sustainable development. It addresses the changing role of minerals in society, the social acceptance of mining, due diligence in the mining industry, critical and contemporary debates such as mining and indigenous peoples and transit worker accommodation, corporate sustainability matters such as sustainability reporting and taxation, and sustainability solutions through an emphasis on renewable energy and shared-used infrastructure. Written by experts from Australia, Europe and North America, but including examples from both developed and developing countries, the chapters provide a contemporary understanding of sustainability opportunities and challenges in the mining industry. The book will be of interest to practitioners, government and civil society as well as scholars and students with interests in mining and sustainable development.




Mining, the Environment, and Indigenous Development Conflicts


Book Description

From sun-baked Black Mesa to the icy coast of Labrador, native lands for decades have endured mining ventures that have only lately been subject to environmental laws and a recognition of treaty rights. Yet conflicts surrounding mining development and indigenous peoples continue to challenge policy-makers. This book gets to the heart of resource conflicts and environmental impact assessment by asking why indigenous communities support environmental causes in some cases of mining development but not in others. Saleem Ali examines environmental conflicts between mining companies and indigenous communities and with rare objectivity offers a comparative study of the factors leading to those conflicts. Mining, the Environment, and Indigenous Development Conflicts presents four cases from the United States and Canada: the Navajos and Hopis with Peabody Coal in Arizona; the Chippewas with the Crandon Mine proposal in Wisconsin; the Chipewyan Inuits, Déné and Cree with Cameco in Saskatchewan; and the Innu and Inuits with Inco in Labrador. These cases exemplify different historical relationships with government and industry and provide an instance of high and low levels of Native resistance in each country. Through these cases, Ali analyzes why and under what circumstances tribes agree to negotiated mining agreements on their lands, and why some negotiations are successful and others not. Ali challenges conventional theories of conflict based on economic or environmental cost-benefit analysis, which do not fully capture the dynamics of resistance. He proposes that the underlying issue has less to do with environmental concerns than with sovereignty, which often complicates relationships between tribes and environmental organizations. Activist groups, he observes, fail to understand such tribal concerns and often have problems working with tribes on issues where they may presume a common environmental interest. This book goes beyond popular perceptions of environmentalism to provide a detailed picture of how and when the concerns of industry, society, and tribal governments may converge and when they conflict. As demands for domestic energy exploration increase, it offers clear guidance for such endeavors when native lands are involved.