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Future Bridge is proud to announce its third iteration of the summit for the Energy Transition and Emission Reduction for the Metals and Mining Industry. The event is designed to bring together key decision-makers and industry experts to scale up sustainability, decarbonize existing operations and keep the industry growing. Mining and metals will be vital to the world’s electrification efforts, so leaders need to ensure the future growth of the industry.

The way operations are conducted will have to change. The mining industry has got to evolve and embrace new technologies and practices that minimize its environmental impact. In this post, we will explore the future of mining and the advancements in technology and sustainability that are driving this change. Technology has a long history of making the mining industry better across all fields, from efficiency and productivity to safety. So let’s look over some of the more relevant technological improvements.

While most discussions of pollution focus on CO2 emissions or very clear run-offs of chemicals, most operations create a number of other outputs that can be considered harmful. Light, noise, and even dust, for example. Transportation, logistics, mining, and other industries tend to generate a lot of dust during operations that spread to nearby areas. So how can the technologies of the 21st century, like smart manufacturing, help?

The push to decarbonize brings a number of pressures to bear on the mining industry. The logistical cost of extraction and transportation already exceeds the emissions of some entire industries, but mines take other tolls on the environment. Even when a mine closes, steps must be taken to ensure that the area is not ruined or contaminated. It’s vital that industry leaders learn the best methods and technologies that help rehabilitate mine sites upon closure.

Exploration has always been an essential part of mining. Metals and minerals have to be located before they can be extracted, a process that is time-consuming and difficult, as these things tend to be hidden underground. With the increasing demand for natural resources, exploration has become even more critical for mining companies to keep up with demand. So the industry needs to learn about modern technologies that can help during the exploration stage.

Decarbonization isn’t just about removing certain kinds of fuels, engines, and vehicles. It’s also an additive process, as many industries will switch to electric and other green alternatives. The bottom line is that the world is going to need exponentially more eclectic infrastructure, batteries, and other devices. The primary source of raw materials will be the mining industry, as manufacturers will need copper, lithium, and others to actually make the devices that will, literally, power the Green Energy Revolution.

The principles of good ESG are not new and not unique to the mining industry. But most industries also don’t come under the same scrutiny as mining. After all, from vehicle emissions to environmental disruption, mining does leave quite a literal impression on the landscape and communities near it. As a result, the industry needs to think about how it can be more sustainable and build better connections with the communities and governments it works with. It is also useful to take a look at some existing ESG initiatives practiced in the industry to see what can be expanded and improved.

Mining projects often face opposition from communities that live in or near mining sites due to concerns about environmental dangers and other effects the site might have on their community. To mitigate these often valid concerns, mining companies need to engage with local communities to build trust, establish meaningful, reciprocity relationships, and ensure that mining projects are built and operated in a responsible and sustainable manner.

Mines exist where there are metals and minerals, this is a simple truth. So it’s no surprise that there are mining operations all over the globe, including in developing countries. In fact, the developing world actually has the majority of certain mineral and metal reserves globally. Take lithium, for example. Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile alone hold around 60% of the world’s reserves. This metal will be important later. In general, the developing world has a lot to gain from extracting these valuable metals, but there are a series of unique challenges ahead. So what are the challenges of future mining in the developing world, and do they counteract the opportunities?

Mining has a reputation for being a boys club, a reputation it, unfortunately, has done very little to prevent. Women are underrepresented in all areas of the industry and consist of roughly 10% of the global mining workforce. As of writing this text, there are no female mining CEOs. As the industry goes forward, it needs to adapt to the future. Some studies show that diverse workplaces are more efficient and innovative. The ‘boys club’ reputation might also drive away skilled, female specialists who could have many positive contributions to a company.