The mining industry in the European Union: Analysis of inter-industry linkages using input–output analysis

Input–output modelling is a useful tool in policy analysis and economic planning. This methodology is used to detect the inter-industry linkages known as forward and backward linkages. Examination of these measures provides one mechanism for identifying “key” or “leading” sectors. The main objective of this paper is to measure the linkages of the mining and quarrying industry in the European Union (EU) and to determine if any of the industry subsectors can be considered key sectors. The paper shows that three subsectors can be considered key sectors: the mining of coal and lignite and extraction of peat in Germany; mining of metal ores in Sweden; and other mining and quarrying in Austria, Denmark and Spain. These sectors are more stimulated by overall industry growth than other sectors and have greater impacts in terms of investment expenditures on the national economy than other sectors. The values of the forward and backward linkages show that the mining and quarrying is an industry that would be stimulated by an increase in a regional economy's production more than other sectors, while an increase in the mining and quarrying industry's output would not stimulate this regional economy more than an increase in other sectors.     

Is mining a high-tech industry?: Investigations into innovation and productivity advance

The fundamental nature of the mining industry with respect to innovation is often questioned. Is it the conservative, stodgy industry commonly depicted by its critics or is it instead a sophisticated, high-tech industry as championed by many of proponents? Using productivity statistics, it can be shown that the innovation rate of metal mining companies directly compares with the rates associated with general manufacturing. This relationship has held true for the last 50 years. A significant difference lies in the high-tech manufacturing sector, which for the last approximately dozen years has held productivity increases of 9.5% per year, in contrast to general manufacturing and metal mining rates of 2.5% and 2.3% per year, respectively.     

磷酸氢二钠-柠檬酸缓冲溶液调控下白菜对钼矿区重金属污染土壤的修复

采用ICP-AES分析土壤及植物体中各种重金属元素的含量,研究了在磷酸氢二钠-柠檬酸缓冲溶液在其不同浓度梯度下投加,白菜地上部分对钼矿区重金属污染土壤的修复潜力。结果表明:投加磷酸氢二钠-柠檬酸缓冲溶液的条件下均能显著提高白菜的地上部分富集土壤中重金属元素的能力(Cd除外),但缓冲溶液对白菜积累重金属能力的促进作用也存在重金属元素种类及浓度梯度之间的差异;投加磷酸氢二钠-柠檬酸缓冲溶液可以提高白菜对土壤中重金属的富集系数(Hg、Mo、Zn最为显著)。     

邯郸矿区水资源承载力评价研究

水资源是人类社会发展的基础性自然资源,开展水资源承载力研究,并将其引入规划环评中,对于完善规划环评技术方法,更好的发挥其战略指导作用,协调水资源开发与经济发展和环境保护之间的关系具有重要的意义。本文以邯郸矿区为研究对象,从宏观、微观两个层次开展了矿区水资源承载力评价研究。     

The cumulative dimensions of impact in resource regions

The development of mineral and energy resources worldwide has placed pressure on regional environments, economies and communities. The cumulative impacts, or cumulative effects, arising from overlapping development have stretched political systems that have traditionally been geared toward the regulation and management of individual resource developments, presenting challenges for policy makers, resource developers and civil society actors. An equally challenging task has been realisation of the potential development dividends of mineral and energy resources in the areas of business development, infrastructure, human development or the management of resource revenues. This paper introduces a special issue on ‘Understanding and Managing Cumulative Impacts in Resource Regions’. The special issue interrogates the effectiveness of new and traditional policy responses, explores methods and strategies to better respond to cumulative impacts, and details practical examples of collaborative and coordinated approaches. Papers cover a range of environmental, economic and social issues, geographical regions, commodities, and conceptual approaches. This introductory paper introduces the cumulative impact issues that have manifest in resource regions, critically appraises current conceptions of cumulative impacts, and details management and policy responses to address the cumulative dimensions of impact.     

Community relations and mining: Core to business but not “core business”

Over the past two decades the global mining industry has witnessed the necessity and emergence of community relations and development (CRD) functions, essentially under the rubric of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility (CSR). These functions provide companies with mechanisms through which to engage and manage their relationships with key stakeholder groups, share development benefits and protect business interests. Despite widespread claims by the industry that companies have adopted CSR as a ‘core competence’, we argue that the industry has yet to incorporate the CRD function as part of ‘core business’ at the level of practice. This article characterises a CRD function and related processes within the context of a large-scale mining operation in West Africa. Findings reflect a more universal trend relating to the function and organisational positioning of CRD practice in the resources sector. The authors argue that functional equity needs to be established if the sustainable development agenda is to have a genuine future within the mining industry.     

Modelling future copper ore grade decline based on a detailed assessment of copper resources and mining

The concept of “peak oil” has been explored and debated extensively within the literature. However there has been comparatively little research examining the concept of “peak minerals”, particularly in-depth analyses for individual metals. This paper presents scenarios for mined copper production based upon a detailed assessment of global copper resources and historic mine production. Scenarios for production from major copper deposit types and from individual countries or regions were developed using the Geologic Resources Supply-Demand Model (GeRS-DeMo). These scenarios were extended using cumulative grade-tonnage data, derived from our resource database, to produce estimates of potential rates of copper ore grade decline.The scenarios indicate that there are sufficient identified copper resources to grow mined copper production for at least the next twenty years. The future rate of ore grade decline may be less than has historically been the case, as mined grades are approaching the average resource grade and there is still significant copper endowment in high grade ore bodies. Despite increasing demand for copper as the developing world experiences economic growth, the economic and environmental impacts associated with increased production rates and declining ore grades (particularly those relating to energy consumption, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions) will present barriers to the continued expansion of the industry. For these reasons peak mined copper production may well be realised during this century.     

On modelling the global copper mining rates,market supply,copper price and the end of copper reserves

The world supply and turnover of copper was modelled using simple empirical estimates and a COPPER systems dynamics model developed for this study. The model combines mining, trade markets, price mechanisms, population dynamics, use in society and waste as well as recycling, into a whole world system. The degree of sustainability and resource time horizon was estimated using four different methods including (1) burn-off rates, (2) peak discovery early warning, (3) Hubbert's production model, and (4) COPPER, a system dynamics model. The ultimately recoverable reserves (URR) have been estimated using different sources that converge around 2800 million tonne, where about 800 million tonne have already been mined, and 2000 million tonne remain. The different methods independently suggest peak copper mine production in the near future. The model was run for a longer period to cover all systems dynamics and delays. The peak production estimates are in a narrow window in time, from 2031 to 2042, with the best model estimate in 2034, or 21 years from the date of writing. In a longer perspective, taking into account price and recycling, the supply of copper to society is estimated to run out sometime after 2400. The outputs from all models put focus on the importance of copper recycling so that society can become more sustainable with respect to copper supply.