Innovation in mine development will lead to safer working environment
Long-term economic prosperity will be achieved on the back of mining, but will not be entirely reliant on mining
Mining has always been an industry that enables human progress. Whether it is through the precious metals and minerals that make modern life possible, or mining’s direct economic contribution through royalties, taxes and employment, mining plays a part in all our lives. Like every economic sector, mining is evolving. Technological innovation is fundamentally changing the nature of the industry. With technologies that are available today and others that we are developing, we can now imagine mines with smaller physical footprints, using more precise extraction techniques that enable us to mine only the most valuable ore, thereby reducing waste, using a fraction of the energy and drawing almost no fresh water. These will be mines where people will be out of harm’s way, so everyone goes home safely at the end of each day. In a world of diminishing ore grades, constraints on water and energy, and the resulting increasing costs, the changes are not just an opportunity, they are a necessit...
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