Sustainability and the Future of Mining

In this module, we think about issues of sustainability, and how these might affect mining practices in the future. We focus on: (i) the increased quantities of metals required for the energy transition, and the need for discovery of new, high quality ore deposits to meet this demand in a sustainable way; (ii) the factors which influence the quality of deposits, including their concentration and accessibility, and the social, political and environmental impacts of their extraction; (iii) the concept of “resource frontiers” - new areas like the Arctic which are being explored for exploitation as available resources are depleted; (iv) controversies around the environmental impacts of mining in these frontiers; (v) how new technologies and innovations are making mining more sustainable, for example through more efficient ore processing and mine site restoration; (vi) some potential future frontiers for mining, most importantly the seafloor, and the environmental concerns associated with this.

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This lecture is part of a larger course exploring different aspects of mineral resources and mining: massolit.io/courses/mineral-resources?source=yt

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MASSOLIT works with university academics to produce short video lectures in the arts, sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is available to schools and colleges on an institutional license as well as via private subscription: https://www.massolit.io/?source=yt