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Openpit mining
Landscape
Planning,
2 (1975,
0 Elsevier
Scientific
Publishing
published 1976) 303-309 Company, Amsterdam - Printed
in The Netherlands
Book Reviews OPENPIT
MINING
Openpit
Mining.
8 tables,
A.B. Lovins. Friends of the Earth, London, 60 p. net in Great Britain only.
1973,119
PP.,
This pocket-sized booklet is part of the so-called Red Alert series which, as the publisher states: “deals with specific issues on an evergrowing front of environmental concerns”. In 100 pages a great deal of concise information is given on the subject of openpit mining, and not only that: the risks and downright dangers involved in the continued search for ever more minerals on and underneath the earth’s surface are also stressed. This is done by giving a description of the activities connected with mining operations and the impact of such activities on the environment. The book starts with an analysis of developments that lead to an everincreasing demand for minerals, especially metal ores. An ordinary typewriter serves as an example of a utensil in common use in which a dozen or so different metals are used either in pure form or in alloys. A survey follows of which minerals are wanted most, and why there is such a tremendous growth in consumption. Where minerals come from, where they are found, and what they are used for: all this is illustrated by means of statistics and this in itself is a valuable source of information. The reason to give the alert is expounded: the rise in consumption of metals is so fast that we may expect severe shortages within the next decade, and then what? The author is careful to point out that future shortages are not to be measured in a geophysical sense: there are still plenty of minerals in the earth’s crust. But they are going to be extremely hard to get as mining has to be shifted to increasingly lower-grade ores. The cost of moving whole mountains in order to find minor quantities of ore will be staggering and the resulting impact on the human and the natural environment disastrous. What are the alternatives? The substitution of certain minerals and the recycling of scrap metal are briefly investigated, judged to be of importance, but deemed as inadequate. It is here that one misses tables and figures that would give a more precise picture of what the results might be or have been SO far of an improved system of re-cycling, and what developments there are in the way of alternatives. Once the solutions mentioned have been discarded the inevitable and rather unsatisfactory conclusicn of the author is that there should be fewer people on earth and that those who are allowed to stay should accept a lower living standard. The staggering problems associated with these two “solutions” are ignored. The second part of the book goes into a rather detailed description of the
304
activities associated with openpit mining: surveying, drilling, blasting, digging, transportation etc. and all these activities are judged to be damaging to the human as well as the natural environment. One gains the impression that mining is a negative activity by definition; even the economic effect at the local and regional level is denounced as being harmful in the long run. Planning controls in Britain appear to be sadly lacking in effectivity, and mining companies do as they think fit. Well the warning is there. The analysis is illuminating in as far as the reader gains an understanding of the what, how and why in relation to the extraction of minerals and some of its consequences. But the recommendations are unsatisfactory: there are conclusions of such a general, global level that they frighten us but do not really point to a way out. Measures such as population control and steady state economics cannot be effectively controlled by national governments and certainly not by individual citizens. The drastic growth of population in many developing countries may promote the need for further economic growth all over the world. Can we expect much pressure on the part of the United Nations? The only practical suggestion to individual readers who may want to do something themselves is in the form of advice on how to keep the mining prospector off your private land. As a reaction to a global problem this seems a somewhat futile suggestion. Why not give more information on the state of knowledge in the field of advanced technology, and what is being done or should be done to reverse the tendency towards an increasing dependence on rare metals? What can be expected of improved planning controls? Does not the author underestimate the results of measures such as recycling? As presented here the picture is almost desperately negative, it gives the reader a sense of helplessness, hopelessness, and he might as well sit back and have another drink for there is nothing he can do about the problem and doomsday is near.
M.J.
VROOM
(Wageningen, Some
information
about
The Netherlands)
the publishers:
Friends of the Earth is an organisation which was founded in the U.S.A. in 1969 and established in Great Britain one year later. Today, there are Friends of the Earth groups in ten countries, and the association is recognised by the United Nations as an international, non-governmental environmental force. The main objectives of the organisation are: -to generate among all people a sense of personal responsibility for the environment in which we live, -to make the many important environmental issues, which now receive scant attention, the subject of an informed public debate, - to campaign against specific projects which damage the environment or squander our resources and fight for their correction with every legal means at their disposal.
Planning,
2 (1975,
0 Elsevier
Scientific
Publishing
published 1976) 303-309 Company, Amsterdam - Printed
in The Netherlands
Book Reviews OPENPIT
MINING
Openpit
Mining.
8 tables,
A.B. Lovins. Friends of the Earth, London, 60 p. net in Great Britain only.
1973,119
PP.,
This pocket-sized booklet is part of the so-called Red Alert series which, as the publisher states: “deals with specific issues on an evergrowing front of environmental concerns”. In 100 pages a great deal of concise information is given on the subject of openpit mining, and not only that: the risks and downright dangers involved in the continued search for ever more minerals on and underneath the earth’s surface are also stressed. This is done by giving a description of the activities connected with mining operations and the impact of such activities on the environment. The book starts with an analysis of developments that lead to an everincreasing demand for minerals, especially metal ores. An ordinary typewriter serves as an example of a utensil in common use in which a dozen or so different metals are used either in pure form or in alloys. A survey follows of which minerals are wanted most, and why there is such a tremendous growth in consumption. Where minerals come from, where they are found, and what they are used for: all this is illustrated by means of statistics and this in itself is a valuable source of information. The reason to give the alert is expounded: the rise in consumption of metals is so fast that we may expect severe shortages within the next decade, and then what? The author is careful to point out that future shortages are not to be measured in a geophysical sense: there are still plenty of minerals in the earth’s crust. But they are going to be extremely hard to get as mining has to be shifted to increasingly lower-grade ores. The cost of moving whole mountains in order to find minor quantities of ore will be staggering and the resulting impact on the human and the natural environment disastrous. What are the alternatives? The substitution of certain minerals and the recycling of scrap metal are briefly investigated, judged to be of importance, but deemed as inadequate. It is here that one misses tables and figures that would give a more precise picture of what the results might be or have been SO far of an improved system of re-cycling, and what developments there are in the way of alternatives. Once the solutions mentioned have been discarded the inevitable and rather unsatisfactory conclusicn of the author is that there should be fewer people on earth and that those who are allowed to stay should accept a lower living standard. The staggering problems associated with these two “solutions” are ignored. The second part of the book goes into a rather detailed description of the
304
activities associated with openpit mining: surveying, drilling, blasting, digging, transportation etc. and all these activities are judged to be damaging to the human as well as the natural environment. One gains the impression that mining is a negative activity by definition; even the economic effect at the local and regional level is denounced as being harmful in the long run. Planning controls in Britain appear to be sadly lacking in effectivity, and mining companies do as they think fit. Well the warning is there. The analysis is illuminating in as far as the reader gains an understanding of the what, how and why in relation to the extraction of minerals and some of its consequences. But the recommendations are unsatisfactory: there are conclusions of such a general, global level that they frighten us but do not really point to a way out. Measures such as population control and steady state economics cannot be effectively controlled by national governments and certainly not by individual citizens. The drastic growth of population in many developing countries may promote the need for further economic growth all over the world. Can we expect much pressure on the part of the United Nations? The only practical suggestion to individual readers who may want to do something themselves is in the form of advice on how to keep the mining prospector off your private land. As a reaction to a global problem this seems a somewhat futile suggestion. Why not give more information on the state of knowledge in the field of advanced technology, and what is being done or should be done to reverse the tendency towards an increasing dependence on rare metals? What can be expected of improved planning controls? Does not the author underestimate the results of measures such as recycling? As presented here the picture is almost desperately negative, it gives the reader a sense of helplessness, hopelessness, and he might as well sit back and have another drink for there is nothing he can do about the problem and doomsday is near.
M.J.
VROOM
(Wageningen, Some
information
about
The Netherlands)
the publishers:
Friends of the Earth is an organisation which was founded in the U.S.A. in 1969 and established in Great Britain one year later. Today, there are Friends of the Earth groups in ten countries, and the association is recognised by the United Nations as an international, non-governmental environmental force. The main objectives of the organisation are: -to generate among all people a sense of personal responsibility for the environment in which we live, -to make the many important environmental issues, which now receive scant attention, the subject of an informed public debate, - to campaign against specific projects which damage the environment or squander our resources and fight for their correction with every legal means at their disposal.