ABSTRACT
Environmental pollution, predatory use of resources, forced labour or non-renewability – these are just some areas for which mining is very often criticised when it comes to sustainability. This chapter looks at the sustainability issues related to mining, including the non-renewability of mineral raw materials, and puts key issues such as CO2 emissions and land and water use into a global perspective.
A roadmap, based on the European Union research project SUMEX, of the transformation needed in the industry is described in order for its processes to become sustainable – based on a “strong” sustainability view and in order to stay within planetary boundaries. Whilst the non-renewability of mineral raw materials features prominently in sustainability discussions, this process transformation should be considered the priority for now. Educators and especially their students have a strong role to play in this transformation by holding relevant players accountable and by driving the changes required.
