ABSTRACT
In terms of volume extracted, aggregates or construction minerals such as sand and gravel are by far the largest product of the world’s mining industry. ey are found and extracted in every country and world production is estimated to exceed 15 billion tonnes per year (IIED and WBC, 2002). About 125,000 tonnes of crushed rock, for example, is used to build 1 km of motorway. Metallic minerals are mined in smaller quantities. World production of iron ore in 2010 was 2.6 billion tonnes, bauxite 219 million tonnes, and phosphate 182 million tonnes (British Geological Survey, 2010).
