Be Brave

I took part in a workshop as a part of PEAGUS earlier this year, the acronym standing for Peace, Global Health and Sustainability (https://www.pegasusconference.ca/) . When I was invited to speak I was excited but felt extremely under qualified. I am not an expert in sustainability, or even in mining; I am an exploration + Quaternary geologist in the first decade of my career.

I decided to take part despite these obvious concerns, because sustainability and/or responsible mining, are topics that I am passionate about. I have spun this blog post from the talk I delivered at the workshop, which focused on various factors that may be considered during the mining process, and how those considerations are often intended to ensure responsible or sustainable mining.

Generally speaking, the people who took part of the workshop were highly skeptical and critical of the industry. My co-presenter was from MiningWatch Canada and spoke passionately on the atrocities the organization attributes to Canadian mining. Another woman had a poster on how her research relates Canadian Mining companies to disease in Latin America. It was an enlightening experience speaking with people who have dramatically different world views. This difference in world views was one of the reasons I was there; so the audience could meet a human being who worked in the industry they felt so strongly against.

When discussing whether or not I should take part in the conference, my bosses at the time discouraged me because they didn't want me to be ostracized or made an example of. A lot of people in the mining industry who I discussed this with were just as wary of the 'anti-mining' folk as the 'anti-mining' folk were of them. This was the primary reason I wanted to take part; fear breeds fear and when opposing views are not willing to talk to each other, said opposing extreme views inflate with nothing to ground them to reality.

The experience went as expected. Hearing people speak with passionate abhorrence against an entire industry was challenging. On the other hand, speaking and listening with an open mind was difficult. In part I felt like my words fell onto deaf ears. Regardless, I think this was a brave thing to do on all sides.

I invite any criticism of my talk. As mentioned previously, I am not a sustainability expert (yet), and I am interested in learning whatever I can. And now, without further adieu:

The Beginning

Mining has shaped human history. From the prehistoric timeline, comprised of the Stone Age, the Bronze age and the Iron age; to recent eras such as the Industrial Revolution to the present Information Age, natural resource extraction and human development have been intimately linked. And since mining and human existence are so closely linked, the conversation about sustainability and mining is vital.

Timeline : http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/tag/timeline/

At the end of a Petroleum Geology class during my undergraduate degree, the professor drew a venn diagram as part of a class discussion. He said that for a resource exploration project to be successful three criteria need to be met. First it needs to have the proper geological setting; second, the project must be economically viable; and third, it must be in a politically stable jurisdiction. This venn diagram has stuck with me since my third year of university, and though it has its merit, I would like to expand it.

For an extractive project to be successful it is paramount that the environment is considered. This takes an equal (perhaps larger) part in the Venn Diagram. And though political jurisdiction is important, all stakeholder relationships are of utmost importance, especially of those between the local communities and the company or organization operating the exploration project or mine. I would also like to discuss sustainability and the relationship between all these topics, which requires a balance for a project to be successful, and it must be responsible to be successful.

The Five Stages of Mining

A mine project typically has five stages:

1. Exploration
2. Feasibility
3. Construction and Mine Development
4. Mine Operations and Extraction Stages
5. Mine Decommissioning, closure and Remediation

As an exploration geologist, my work focuses on the initial step of mining; the discovery.

Grass roots diamond exploration on Baffin Island, Canada (2010)

Geological Environment

Mineral deposits are rare with only one out of every 1000 exploration projects becoming mines. Exploration companies go to areas that are geologically fit for the deposit that they are seeking, such as Archean age cratons in South Africa for diamond-bearing kimberlites, or areas of continental plate convergence such as the Andes in Chile for copper. Throughout my career I have focused on multiple commodities, exploring for precious metals and diamonds. I have also focused on Quaternary geology (surficial, glacial). Exploration and mining companies go to where the geology is suitable for the commodity they are seeking. The commodities, depending on whether they are base metal such as iron, or precious metals such as silver, or fossil fuels such as natural gas, vary drastically not only geologically, but also economically.

Economics

There are many factors to consider when discussing the economics of a project. Project economics vary drastically on geology, location, and available resources. Higher grade deposits in remote locations have economic challenges, as well as low grade deposits in logistically favourable locations.

The revenues from the extractive industry are often important for a country’s GDP, but resource revenues are often very difficult to manage. Transparency is vital to avoid corruption, and the development of legal frameworks for resources extraction. The Resource Curse and Dutch Disease are infamously linked with the extractive industry. The Resource Curse finding that long term many countries are adversely affected economically by their resource wealth, and Dutch Disease being that other industries within a country are damaged by natural resource extraction. Economics pose challenges and opportunities, as do relationships.

Relationships

Relationships have not always been centrefold to the extractive industry, but over the past few decades have become crucial. There are keystone relationships that are essential to the extractive industry, which are those between the company, communities, and governments. The relationship and communication between a company and the local communities is paramount to the success of a project. Without a social licence, the project cannot go forward. Being an exploration geologist means that I am one of the first from a company to work in a project area. Though I am not yet a major decision maker, my actions and presence make a difference. My field teams have always consisted of myself, maybe a colleague, and one or two local people who are familiar with the land. It is not only good practice to hire local people to build relationships with local communities, but simply smart exploration as local people intimately know their land and customs.

Geologists reviewing stratigraphy as a farmer rides his donkey down the mountain in the Dominican Republic (2016)

I have worked with people from communities in remote northern Saskatchewan and Nunavut who have had next to no opportunities for economic advancement. I have worked in remote villages in the Dominican Republic, who again had very little opportunities in their home communities.

Exploration projects can bring new opportunities to remote areas but must also take care to do their due diligence, work with transparency, and go through steady consultation. Communities have often been negatively impacted by resource extraction. The health of a community is imperative to how sustainable an exploration project, and the potential future mine.

Environment

The environment is another area where mining and oil and gas have an adverse legacy. But with increased scientific research and knowledge, as well as changing social values, it continues to improve.

Quaternary Geological Mapping on Baffin Island (2012)

Many of the geologists I have worked with entered the field because of their love for nature. I realize that exploration and mining companies have not acted with responsibly in the past, but as someone who has worked in exploration, I know that there are many who are responsible today. The companies that I have gained my professional experience with have been ran by good people, who have showed me through their actions and business practice that they are responsible. I have worked with companies that investigated buying abandoned coffee farms nearby their concessions to reduce their carbon footprint. I have worked with companies that protect hardwood trees when making their exploration drill pads and hire arborists to clean up trails to recycle felled trees into firewood. I have taken part in the preparation of feasibility studies that go above and beyond environmental requirements set by law. And that being said, I understand catastrophes have happened and continue to do so.

My first job in geosciences was for the Government of Saskatchewan doing brownfield mapping near Flin Flon, Manitoba. I was 19 years old with two geology classes under my belt. Flin Flon still had its infamous stack that billowed smoke from its smelter, which was broadly accepted part of living in the industrial town. I remember walking over barren stretches of rock that were stripped from their vegetation from acid rain, caused by smoke stack that was significantly shorter until the 1970s. The stack was built to government and industry standards at the time.

Sometimes industry moves faster than science can understand or that the government can regulate. Mine closure and remediation are the final steps in mining. Governments need to ensure that laws protect the environment and hold mining companies liable for ensuring proper closure. But, what happened when a company goes bankrupt? Who is responsible for abandoned mines and wells?

Is Mining Inevitable?

Discussing these four points and some of the challenges with each brings on questions of sustainability. Is it possible to make mining sustainable? And is mining inevitable?

Mining is a response to meet the difference between recycling and demand, and it is predicted that mining will need to increase with population and resources intensity growth. That being said, mining and demand is extremely hard to predict. With resources like coal slowly being phased out, and metals such as cobalt and lithium gaining importance, the demand for various commodities continues to change. It is roughly predicted that the world will not need to rely so heavily on mining in 2080, and until then, discussions such as these, ensuring that the extractive industry continues down the road of sustainability, need to be had.

Circular Economies

Increased scrap metal collection, recycling rates and urban mining continue to gain importance. But it is currently not possible for recycling to replace mining; first because of population growth and need for metals such as copper for permanent infrastructure, such as copper pipes for ground water, second, we simply need to get better at recycling.

Renewable Energy

It is the hope that higher demand for ‘green energy’ and cheaper batteries will lessen our dependence on fossil fuels. This puts further pressure on mining, to produce more battery metals, and materials such as silica.

International Development

The potential that mining has in international and national development is vast. With artisanal and small-scale mining (ASGM) rising as an important socio-economic sector, it provides significant mineral supplies to the world’s stocks, including upwards of 20% of the world’s gold supply (Villegas, 2018). ASGM workers can earn up to 10% more than what they would in the agriculture sector, which has the potential to benefit societies at an immediate local level (Villegas, 2018). Large corporations also foster development nationally and internationally, investing millions of dollars into national and international economies. Corporations have specialized knowledge and techniques that can find and extract deposits that would otherwise be unattainable. The economic and social development potential of mining are large, and if operated sustainably, can build large opportunities.

Cooperate silver mine in Potosi, Bolivia (2015)

To Be Concluded

Mining and human development have gone hand in hand throughout human existence. With mining predicted to play a major role in providing resources for future generations, it is critical to continuously develop the extractive industry to mitigate social and environmental issues, and to promote sustainability. I am looking forward to being part of these discussions, which can often be polarizing. As a person who works in the mineral industry, these conversations are important within the industry, with NGOS, government and society at large. We must have the courage and talk openly about these issues with transparency and open minds to truly affect change.

References

The Business of Mining, 2012. Recycling and the Future of Mining. https://thebusinessofmining.com/2012/04/15/recycling-the-future-of-mining/

Sacks, J. , February 2018. Short History of Oil, Gas, and Mining. Retrieved from Natural Resources for Sustainable Development, Module 1

Villegas, C February 2018. An Introduction to Artisanal and Small Scale Mining. Retrieved from Natural Resources for Sustainable Development, Module 8.