SHAKING THE FOUNDATIONS - MINERAL INDUSTRIES IN THE 21ST-CENTURY

As the minerals industry nears the 21st century, the good news is that global population is expending with concomitant demands for raw mater ials. That will be accompanied, however, by social, economic and legis lative pressures for drastic conservation of energy and materials. For ces for change will include broadscale substitution at every level of the materials cycle; environmental pressures to reduce, if not totally ban, mining in the advanced nations; the 3 Rs, recycling, reclamation and remanufacturing of finished goods; and all aspects of the mineral s industry influenced by information technology. Three opportunities f or the industry are: to be more proactive and positively engage the fo rces for change; to apply many of the techniques developed by the indu stry for the remediation of disturbed lands to use outside the industr y; and to advocate enforcement mechanisms and global standards for min ing. Now is the time to be proactive, statesmanlike and global in pers pective.