How to fix mining's image problem

But mining's poor image, reinforced by recent tailings dam disasters in Latin America, is widespread among young people in the West.A report in the Wall Street Journal said four UK universities last year banned mining firms from recruiting on campus and attending careers fairs, part of a broader trend of college graduates and young workers turning their backs on extractive industries that they fear harm the environment.The problem is not confined to Britain. Companies that mine copper, lithium and other metals—viewed as a critical part of the supply chain to produce green energy—say they are struggling to find enough young workers to support the transition. Most mining companies in the US, Australia and Europe say their expansion and growth plans could come under pressure if current hiring trends continue, said the WSJ.Mining is among the worst-ranked professions for young people to enter. A global survey by consulting firm McKinsey found that 70% of its 15- to 30-year-old respondents said they definitely wouldn't or probably wouldn't work in mining.In the US, the number of 2020 geology and earth-sciences graduates was nearly 25% less last year than in 2015, according to the US National Center for Education Statistics.How to rectify this state of affairs will depend largely on whether the industry can fix its poor public image. This won't be easy, but that doesn't make it any less important.The International Institute for Sustainable Development - funded by the likes of the BHP Foundation, Ford and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - hardly understates the issue when it says: "many countries with rich mineral deposits do not have the capacity to govern mines effectively, with political elites often syphoning off the proceeds".So what can be done beyond the well-rehearsed argument for miners to have a social licence to operate?One option is to recast the mining business model as a development-partnership and to work with stakeholders to pursue shared goals. This has never seemed more possible at a time when developing countries are eager to reap the benefits of the green revolution - by building electric vehicles, for instance, or developing renewable energy. What comes to mind here are supply chain alliances involving the host country, miners and car companies, involving both funding and some knowledge transfer.Internationalisation neededMore internationalisation is needed. Despite attention to mining, numerous UN conferences have never called for a comprehensive international treaty that sets minimum operating standards. That should change.Elsewhere, the auto industry has a major role to play by demanding transparency from their suppliers to identify which company and mine provided which material, so carmakers can choose better suppliers. Other end-users could do the same.The industry must better promote its positive side while doubling down on new technologies that cut adverse environmental impacts.The volume of tailings requiring storage often exceeds the total volume of the mined and processed ore.One promising development is linked to ore sand being used a substitute for river sand by the construction and aggregates industry. Vale is an innovator here, developing ore sand from its tailings which reduces the volume of tailings disposed in dams, while providing a more sustainable alternative for the construction industry.A number of miners are looking into eliminating tailings storage facilities from their operations using techniques such as preconcentration, paste backfill and then dry stacking of waste.The idea of near waterless mines may be a way off, but huge strides have already been made. Anglo-American is one trailblazer in this department as it looks to use a combination of coarse particle flotation and dry stacking technologies to dewater mine waste."More targeted comminution methods will help to get rid of waste material earlier in the process - dry separation could create a 30-40% reduction in water used per unit of mineral production," said Anglo. The miner is also increasing its water-recycling levels: by 2030, it aims to reduce its abstraction of freshwater in water-scarce regions by 50%.To drive home the positive, the industry needs to take ownership of historic malpractice and/or negligence, spanning environmental degradation and unsafe working practices that have led to many deaths and injuries over the years. "There is normally not enough responsibility taken, especially with regard to sub-Saharan Africa in terms of exploitation of countries," said Haydon Mort, chief executive of Geologize Ltd, a communications firm that helps mining companies with their public image, and cited by WSJ.The current recruitment challenge is in no small way built upon the perception that mining companies haven't responded properly to earlier disasters or accusations of exploitation of local workforces that have underscored their poor reputation among young people.The omens for the future are mixed, but as national electricity grids get cleaner, the carbon impact of mining, manufacturing and transport will fall dramatically.That's an important piece of the PR message that miners must get across.

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