Looking Ahead - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 838

the recent escalation of commodity prices is generating a large number of small, privately
owned operations, some of which do not subscribe to good environmental practice (Case
22.1) . On the other hand, there are many junior companies that are at the forefront of envi-
ronmental practice and achievement. While large companies tend to develop standards and
procedures that apply worldwide, small companies target their practices to the specii c cir-
cumstances of the location where they operate. This, and the fact that smaller companies
tend to be more adaptable and to make more decisions locally, means that the best small
companies may perform better environmentally than some of their larger counterparts.

The Emergence of New Technologies

New technologies are continually being introduced into mining and processing operations.
Most of these produce incremental improvements in efi ciencies and economies. Where
they follow established trends, such as in the case of larger capacity haulage or milling
equipment, these improvements are readily accepted by the industry. From time-to-time,
more innovative technologies are introduced. The mining industry, being essentially con-
servative, is usually slow to adopt such technologies until their effectiveness is established.
Large international companies, due to their broad spread across the world, are exposed to
more new technologies than smaller companies. On the other hand small companies tend
to adopt new technology more readily than large companies.
In-pit crushing with conveyor transportation is becoming more common as open Pit
mines become larger and deeper. To date, this approach has been applied only to ore;
the cost savings achieved from conveyor transport of waste rock do not justify the cost of
crushing. In-pit crushing is likely to become even more economically attractive with the
availability of far more versatile enclosed ( Figure 22.3 ) , high angle, tight radius conveying
systems such as recently developed by Innovative Conveying Systems International ( www.
innovativeconveying.com ).
To increase production, the focus of the mining industry has shifted in recent years
from merely increasing the tonnes of mined materials to dramatically increasing the
amount of product generated per tonne of material removed (National Mining Association

Small companies tend to adopt
new technology more readily
than large companies.

The focus of the mining industry
has shifted in recent years from
merely increasing the tonnes of
mined materials to dramatically
increasing the amount of product
generated per tonne of material
removed.

CASE 22.1
Modern 'Gold Rush'

The mining sector is accustomed to business cycles - years
of high commodity prices are followed by years of over-
supply and depressed market prices. However with commod-
ity prices as high as in 2008, mining does not only attract
established mining companies: entrepreneurs with money
to spare and the necessary political connections engage in
mining. Direct shipment operations (that is mining of ore to

be shipped to distant metal producers or energy consumers)
often convert large areas to large Earth moving sites. Some
operators adopt good industry practices and plan for long-
term rehabilitation, other do not. In many respect these
mining operations show similar characteristics than the 'gold
rushes' of the past: enjoy as long as it lasts.