Over the past few years mining has received a bad press from environmental and human rights activists. This is in part due to the damaging effect that mines can have on the local area, workers and the communities that live nearby and also because materials are mined from non renewable sources.

However the mining and minerals industry has taken note of concerns over the effect that mining has on the world and many companies are taking steps to make their practices more ethical and environmentally friendly.

Eco Friendly Housing

In South Africa, one of the world’s largest mining companies, AngloAmerican, has begun building eco friendly housing using waste materials from mining. AngloAmerican have been purifying the water which is contaminated through their coal mining practices for many years. Now they are using the waste product this process creates, gypsum, to manufacture energy efficient bricks for housing.

Tree Planting

Indian mining company BSGM, which carries out mineral extraction from quarries, has adopted the eco friendly practice of filling in disused quarries and planting them with trees. So far the company has planted over 30 000 trees around quarries, roadsides, offices and waste land. They have pledged to continue to plant at least 2000 new trees every year.

Ethical Awareness

Companies that use mined materials to make products such as jewellery are also becoming more aware of ecological and ethical issues. US based jeweller Brilliant Earth were one of the first companies to take environmental impact and ethical issues into account when sourcing materials. The company only uses recycled metal and precious stones that have been mined from facilities with the highest environmental standards and conditions for workers.

Decommissioned Mines

UK Environmental Consultancy Company SLR have been working closely with mining companies in less developed countries for several years. They help mining communities to plan activity carefully in order to have the least possible impact on the environment. SLR work with mine owners on projects from start to finish and have helped to create nature reserves, recreation facilities and housing schemes on and around decommissioned mines.

Small Scale Mining

Many smaller companies are returning to older mining methods such as small scale gold mining. This mining method works by flushing dense gold fragments from sand and gravel. This ancient method does not use any harmful chemical processes and does not require deep digging.

This method can be carried out on a larger scale with hydraulic mining, where jets of water are directed at sand and gravel to loosen it, the materials are washed directly into sluice boxes where the gold can be separated from the other materials. This method is considered to be one of the most low impact forms of mining.

Mining resources has become an essential part of human existence and it is highly unlikely that mining practices in one form or another will ever stop. However most companies are now taking the effect they have on the environment and how they treat those who work for them into account which means that the harmful effects of mining are being reduced year on year.