Mineral resource is the concentration of occurrence of material that is in the earth’s crust in which quality and quantity are reasonable prospects for economic extraction. Mineral resources are valuable and legally, technically and economically flexible to extract. Sustainable development of the mineral resources is thus vital for its existence.
Sustainable development of mineral resources:
Minerals are non-renewable natural resources that are important for construction, manufacturing and energy industries.The main purpose of the sustainable development is to ensure that the usage of mineral is kept to its minimum amount without impacting economic growth in a negative way. In order to achieve sustainability, the process of recycling, efficient use of minerals and use of alternative materials should be adopted. This will ensure that environment is protected, and the resources are utilized sustainably.
Sustainability at GMCI:
The decisions taken by GMCI Sustainability for the developments are driven by the keeping in mind about the ecosystem and environment. The sustainable manufacturing is being implemented by the GMCI by minimizing wastes and using alternative products that are less harmful for the surrounding. The contribution of GMCI towards the sustainable future has been remarkable with control on the electricity consumption and using affordable energy solutions such as solar energy. Thus, technologies used at GMCI are continuously been upgraded so that to find the solutions that help to save natural resources.
How to make sustainable development of mineral resources?
The sustainable development of mineral resources seeks to attain a balance between economic development, environmental protection, community benefits and government responsibilities. This can be realized through mining and processing guided by sustainable resource development. Thus, it meets the needs of present generation without compromising the need of future generation.
Ways of sustainable development of resources:
1. Responsible mining: The mining of any mineral should be done responsibly by developing and integrating practices that reduce the environmental impact on mining.
2. Responsible mineral processing: the adverse impact on the environment can be reduced by developing new technologies for ore processing that reduce the impact on the environment.
3. Recycling of waste materials: The waste materials can be reused and the technology for recycling can be upgraded by improving the recycling of mineral-based products that lengthen the usable life of mineral commodities and minimize non-renewable resource issues.
Benefits of sustainable development:
1. Socio economic development: The society and economy be greatly benefitted through strong and effective legal and regulatory frameworks, policies and practices that can minimize waste and negative impacts to communities.
2. Environmental protection: The surrounding can be protected by developing, managing and regulating mining in a sustainable manner.
3. Meeting needs of future generations: Healthy environment for the future generation can be developed through mining operations that minimize impact on the surrounding environment and reclaiming mine sites for re-use by people and other ecosystems.
