It’s very much possible to make mining more environmentally sustainable. All we have to do is to develop and integrate practices that reduce environmental effects resulting from mining operations. Think about using underground mining technology that has a low energy consumption rate instead of working with machines that are not fuel efficient. Sustainable mining is basically mining that meets the present demand without compromising the future generation’s needs. To make mining environmentally friendly, we can:
Use reusable waste to build
Mining doesn’t just present a danger to the environment. If we can’t mitigate the effects and make sure the process is safe or efficiently, will compromise the general public health. Private mines and corporations need to start using reusable materials to build new construction and infrastructure. We already know that this is possible because we’ve heard of success stories from case studies all over the world. So instead of using something like bauxite ore which is rare, we can use a more reusable item like aluminum.
Come up with better regulations and legislation
The standard legislation that we have today is a long way off from being effective or productive. Mining continues to affect the environment because corporations keep on taking advantage of countries that are less advanced in terms of legislation. The Canadian government had to close down the Island Copper Mine in 1995 when it realized the resources in that area was depleted. Other governments should also take initiative. Without the Canadian government’s intervention, the few resources that are still available to this date would have been depleted years ago.
Do away with mining
Every mining corporation around the world is well aware of the devastating effects mining has on the environment. That is the reason why today they are trying so hard to safeguard the environment by providing the same goods and services to consumers using less metal, wood, plastic, stone and other materials. The goal is to reduce the mining impact on an international scale by encouraging the production of durable products that can be recycled, reused, or re-manufactured.
Improving environmental performance
Mining has always disrupted the natural decaying process. Quite frankly, the damage caused by this process is far worse than any erosion processes. We have to adopt new measures useful in mitigating these environmental impacts. Let’s push for a systematic framework that will help us monitor the environmental performance.
Close illegal and unregulated mines
We also have to set an environmental precedent within the mining industry by right away closing all the illegal and unregulated mines. This will help to enforce the laws or regulations put in place and at the same time maintain a steadfast legislation. A couple of years ago, most of the mines in China were unregulated and they greatly affected the environment. There was an outcry from the public and this compelled the government to take action and respond by setting new policy measures for greener mining.
Accurate tallying of toxic mining waste
Mining corporations always try to save face at the expense of the environment. Various news outlets have on a number of occasions alluded to the fact that these corporations usually keep the public in the dark by not giving an accurate report of what’s being dumped into the environment. Without a doubt, this industry has a long way to go before it’s even considered remotely green.
