MINERAL RESOURCES
Chamber seeks to learn from the past and build a more equal future
Mining is shrugging off its bad reputation — but real transformation needs a solid government and growth
A feature of the Chamber of Mines’ annual general meeting this week was a short documentary that told the stories of three people whose lives had been touched by mining. One was about the eldest daughter of a deceased mine worker and the five younger siblings she was able to bring up because they had found a way to access his retirement fund assets. Another was about a former mine worker suffering from silicosis who, also belatedly, received compensation because the compensation office had tracked him down. And the third told the story of a mine worker who fell into unmanageable debt but who was assisted by his company to reduce his obligations. In some cases, the mining industry has been a direct cause of illness and hardship. In others, it has been complicit in allowing a situation to continue unchecked. And in still others, its absence has simply been due to a lack of knowledge, engagement or even care. But does that mean there is no good in mining? Absolutely not. We see its goo...
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