Establishing a sustainable mining operation: an overview

In a review of the literature on sustainability in mining, it was found that there is limited guidance for mine operators to put sustainability frameworks and theory into action on the ground. This paper argues that operators can improve the sustainability of their mine sites by ensuring that leading practices are implemented in five areas. In addition to the widely-accepted dimensions of Environment, Economic and Community, Safety and Resource Efficiency must be addressed. The need for highlighting these additional elements is demonstrated in an analysis of over one thousand unplanned or prematurely closed mines over the past 30 years.     

An overview of environmental valuation methods for the mining industry

During recent decades, public concern about the protection, preservation and restoration of the environment has increased. Towards this direction, legislative action on environmental issues that affect the mining industry has been taken worldwide. Within this new framework, two issues are of critical importance to the sector – namely, project appraisal by means of social cost–benefit analysis (SCBA), and natural resource damage assessments. In a vast majority of cases, both issues require analysis to be carried out in a way that the loss of natural resources and the effects of environmental degradation on human health and well-being are assessed in monetary terms. This paper focuses on the application of environmental valuation methods in mining. Principal legislative requirements are briefly described, some critical points of the most important valuation methods are outlined, and demonstrative examples are presented.     

重庆地区锶盐产业可持续发展对策研究

描述了锶的特性;介绍了锶盐在现代工业、化工及军事工程中不可替代的作用;分析了重庆地区锶矿开采、锶盐加工中存在的问题;提出了解决制约锶盐产业可持续发展瓶颈问题的措施。     

Sustainable development indicators of the European aluminium industry

The European aluminium industry, through its member organisation the European Aluminium Association (EAA), initiated a program on sustainable development for the aluminium industry in 2001. The first step involved the development of a set of sustainable development (SD) indicators for the industry which was developed during 2001 and 2002 with both internal and external stakeholder groups. A list of 34 indicators was used in the first survey exercise. The survey attempted to cover all European plants producing alumina, primary aluminium, rolling ingots, extrusion ingots, foil and recycled aluminium; this covered approximately 800 plants. The survey used two points in time, 1997 and 2002, in order to start developing a trend for the individual indicators and to measure progress over time. The industry response to the survey was very positive, with a total industry coverage based on tonnage reported of over 80% for 2002 data and 70% for 1997 data. The EAA is committed to conducting this as a regular exercise and is engaged in a number of stakeholder workshops in order to present the survey results, to review the indicators used and to also consider adjustments of these based on feedback from stakeholders and experiences from the first data collection.     

循环经济与西北工矿型城市的可持续发展

针对西北工矿型城市发展中面临的可持续发展问题,阐述了循环经济在西北工矿型城市发展的迫切性;结合西北工矿型城市的实际情况,提出了适合西北工矿型城市可持续发展的三个循环经济模式,进而探讨了西北工矿型城市发展循环经济的可行对策。     

Pollution prevention and cleaner production in the mining industry: an analysis of current issues

This paper examines the major pollution prevention and Cleaner production (CP) issues in the mining industry. Past problems with pollution has made waste minimization an issue of enormous importance for many mining companies. Since the advent of the first major environmental legislation circa-1970, there has been substantial improvement in environmental performance at the mine sites of these firms, including a reduction in noxious air emissions, a decrease in levels of toxic contaminants in effluent discharges, and a major upgrading in land management. All of these improvements are directly attributed to a corporate abandonment of conventional, end-of-pipe apparatuses, and subsequent integration of cleaner technologies and strategies, including highly efficient environmental equipment, heavily retrofitted control systems, and comprehensive environmental management plans. Although hundreds of mining districts have already benefited from installing systems that foster pollution prevention and CP, in select instances, these have not proven to be realistic waste management remedies. Major barriers, particularly economic, technologic, and legislative ones, have both individually and collectively impeded the implementation of pollution prevention and CP strategies in such cases. Many of these barriers appear insurmountable but improved planning, employee education, and increased government intervention would spell continued success in an industry that has already made enormous strides in the arena of environmental management.     

Chile's environmental momentum: ISO 14001 and the large-scale mining industry – Case studies from the state and private sector

Since Chile's return to democratic government in 1990, the environment has taken on a greater significance in policy making activities. This article examines the progress Chile has made in this area with particular reference to the large-scale mining sector and the overall environmental performance of its environmental management systems (EMSs). Many large-scale mines operating in Chile have already attained ISO 14001 certification, and those that have not, are either working towards this or have an alternative system in place. Evidence of improving environmental performance is presented, and many of the challenges which lie ahead for the country and its mining industry are highlighted.     

Sustainable development as a framework for developing country participation in international climate change policies

The paper presents a number of ideas on how climate change policy implementation in developing countries can be supported by alternative international cooperation mechanisms that are based on stakeholder interests and policy priorities including broader economic and social development issues. It includes a brief review of current development policies, technological research and promotion efforts, and climate change that demonstrates that mutual policy initiatives undertaken by governments and the private sector actually have major positive impacts on climate change without being initiated by this global policy concern. Furthermore a number of examples are given on how future development objectives in Brazil, China, and India jointly can support economic and social goals and global climate change concerns if these goals are taken into consideration and supported by international cooperative mechanisms. The paper proposes international cooperative mechanisms that can support the implementation of integrated development and climate change policies. The mechanisms include an international sustainable development (SD) and Climate Finance Mechanism (SDCFM), technology development and transition programmes, technology standards, and other measures.

Degradation and re-emergence of the commons: The impacts of government policies on traditional resource management institutions in China

In the vast majority of cases studied to date, rapid changes in indigenous resource management institutions and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) have been reported with profound implications for indigenous livelihoods, biodiversity, and system resilience worldwide. In this case study, we examined how policy changes in China over the past 60 years have influenced indigenous resource management institutions designed to manage common pool pastoral systems in eastern Inner Mongolia. Based on semi-structured interviews (n = 91), focus group discussions (64 participants involved), and participant observation, we found that for over half a century rescaling efforts by the Chinese government shifted the focus to national level development planning, which led to the degradation of indigenous institutions that managed common pool pastoral systems in the region. However, we also highlight how local actors have used recent changes in government policies to revitalize traditional herding institutions. This provides a rare glimpse at the re-emergence of the commons from the bottom up.     

冶金矿业环境隐患因子识别

本文分析了环境隐患与安全隐患的异同,定义了冶金矿业行业环境隐患的含义,分析了环境隐患与环境事故的关系,提出环境隐患因子识别的原则、范围和方法。根据冶金矿业行业实际生产情况,用LEC法和危险物质辨识方法对冶金矿业环境隐患进行识别,最终指出常见的冶金矿业环境隐患因子。     

Acid deposition and its effects in China: an overview

Acid rain is an increasing environmental problem in China. At present SO₂ emission is about 20–22 million tons. However with a growing number of large power plants the long-range transport of air pollutants is expected to increase. The highest acid deposition is near the emission sources. Wind-blown, alkaline soil dust is important in neutralizing the acidity of the emissions, especially in large parts of northern China. In the south, where alkaline soil dust contributes less to acid neutralization, the annual pH in precipitation was below 4.5 at monitoring stations in several provinces and as low as 4.1 in some urban areas. Total sulfur deposition has been estimated to be about 10 g S m−² year⁻¹ in heavily exposed areas. Negative effects on forests, including die-back, have been reported for relatively small areas near large cities. Since large, regional surveys have not been carried out, there are large uncertainties about effects on a regional level. The high concentrations of gaseous pollutants, especially within and near the cities, are likely to have severe effects on human health as well as on materials and vegetation. Several field and laboratory studies, as well as computer simulations, indicate that acidification of soil and soil water has occurred in the past few decades. This has probably caused elevated concentrations of toxic aluminum in soil water. At present, the toxic effect of Al is likely to be counteracted by high concentrations of calcium at many places. The Chinese authorities have recognized air pollution and acid rain as serious environmental problems, however, there are difficulties in implementing effective measures to reduce the problems. With respect to ecological effects we lack a comprehensive regional overview of the extent of the acid deposition problem in China. Such information is necessary before effective countermeasures can be developed.     

Environmental regulatory and policy framework in China: an overview

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Corporate social responsibility in the mining industry: Exploring trends in social and environmental disclosure

In recent years, concerns about the sustainability and social responsibility (CSR) of businesses have become an increasingly high profile issue in many countries and industries, none more so than the mining industry. For mining, one outcome of the CSR agenda is the increasing need for individual companies to justify their existence and document their performance through the disclosure of social and environmental information. This paper explores recent trends in the reporting of such impacts and issues in the global mining industry. It offers a detailed review of the development of the media of social and environmental disclosure in the mining industry, and of the factors that drive the development of such disclosure. A temporal analysis of the recent trends in disclosure using a case study of the world's 10 largest mining companies is presented. Whilst there is evidence of increasing sophistication in the development of social and environmental disclosure, there is considerable variation in the maturity of reporting content and styles of these companies. The paper offers a simple classification of reporting companies, from ‘leaders’ to ‘laggards’. Stronger leadership and co-operation from the top reporting companies is necessary to support the laggards of the industry.