Minerals, Wealth, and Progress

2Without the products of mining there would be no civilization as we know it, so a world without mining is unlikely, at least for the foreseeable future. There is, however, a paradox: whereas we enjoy the end products of mining, from simple tools and jewelry to advanced space craft, we are less fond of the ‘holes in the ground’ needed for their supply or the wastes that accompany most mining operations. A disconnect between source and product is even reflected in the structure of the metals industry with some manufacturing companies keen to deny their connection to mining on the basis that much of their raw materials come from secondary sources.