Edmund Nickless reports that the last 50 years saw a dramatic increase in living standards and improvement in the quality of life for many of the world poorest. Mortality rates fell, life expectancy rose, and per capita incomes swelled. That improvement has been underpinned by technological development and the ubiquitous use of metal and mineral resources. To maintain this trajectory while addressing climate change and rising world population, sustainable sources of raw materials are required, in both developed and developing countries.
Of the 200 or so countries in the world, 60 are open to large-scale mining but 140 are not. International agreement and a new form of Social Contract are needed to more fairly share the wealth generated by mining. Working with others such as the International Resources Panel of the UN Environment Program and the International Council for Metals and Mining could develop and promote such arrangements.
With few exceptions, what we do not grow, farm or fish comes out of the Earth .. the clay to make bricks, the aggregate to mix with cement to make concrete, the limestone dust which acts as a mild abrasive in toothpaste, etc.
The improvement in the standard of living of many of the world poorest has depended on the use of an increasingly wide range of metallic elements to the extent that up to 75 elements are used in mobile phones, albeit in small quantities.
Demand for all metals and raw materials is rising, consumption is increasing, surface mines are going deeper, consuming more energy, and lower grades are being worked using more energy and water.
Discovery of new deposits is failing to keep pace with the rate of exhaustion and costs of exploration and development are rising and there is opposition at local, regional and national level to opening new mines. NIMBY prevails through ignorance of the serious needs.
Off-world resources are now being seriously considered for development on the Moon, asteroids, and other planets.
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Managed & Built by I2M Consulting, LLC | © 2010-