Mining

Mining

1. Environment

   • Pros: Some opportunity for rehabilitation (quarries -> swimming hole)
   • Cons: ecological impact of habitat & species loss, aethetic loss, pollution, changing land surface and form
   • Solution: Full impact assessment; effective safety, waste management and rehabilitation

2. Economic

   • Pros: employment within and outside mine; local economic growth, raw materials for local industry, funds for infrastructure assets, Tax revenue
   • Cons: profits flow out of country, rural exodus, loss of jobs in other industries (crowding out), loss of agricultural land, benefits are only short term
   • Solution: pay full costs, remove subsidies, efficient material use, finance cleaner tech

3. Social

   • Pros: Increased jobs and income, skills training, better education and access to services
   • Cons: communities displaced, loss of access to nature "sostalgia", worker exploitation, loss of livelihoods, food security, boom / bust cycle, health impacts, loss of power in decision making
   • Solution: Involve community: IK consultation, support community services, compensation, employment & reskilling, social responsibility