The mining industry, thanks to the concept of green mining, today has the imperative of moving towards sustainable, environmentally friendly production without affecting neighboring communities, but rather, incorporating them in its development and favoring the area where it is developed.
This is not only a demand from the environment and the authorities, but also from the investors themselves, who are betting on a type of business that has a minimum impact on the environment.
A type of investment where it is not only the purity of the mining material that is acquired that matters, but also the entire production process.
The projects that practice green mining evaluate the environmental impact produced along with the impact on communities, the safety measures under which the workers were protected and the energy efficiency after the process, among other dimensions.
Main pillars of green mining
Benefiting nearby communities
Around each production plant there are communities that grow and develop. By implementing Green Mining we hope to evaluate the impact that each of the processes has on the soil in order to improve the quality of life of these people, giving priority to the health of the inhabitants or decent access to education.
Workplace Safety
Workers in this industry are in the spotlight. Their well-being becomes the top priority, creating an increasingly powerful culture of prevention.
The protection of each and every worker is a factor that is thoroughly evaluated at the time of any type of procedure.
For this reason, inclusion practices, training and departments such as Health and Safety at Work are carried out.
Minimal Emissions
The reduction of the carbon footprint is key, because in this way the surrounding sectors of the productive industry are also cared for, protecting the entire population.
In green mining, the aim is to reduce emissions in its exploitation processes in order to care for the environment.
Investment in Technology and Innovation
Created with a focus on safety, process optimization and care for the environment, the new technology must ensure the correct use of soil, impact on communities and care for workers, among other points.
Green mining is a type of mining that requires more investment because the technology used to practice it is more expensive and requires more infrastructure.
Water footprint
There are two types of footprint in this case, firstly the Blue Footprint, which means that the water extracted comes from surface sources or subway channels and does not return to its environment, either by evaporation or because it is discharged into the sea, for example.
On the other hand, we have the Green Footprint, which refers to the rainwater that is contained in surfaces and is used in production, taking advantage of it without producing any impact.
Ensuring Transparency
The place where the mining activity takes place must know at all times the activities being carried out and supervise these activities through its governmental bodies.
The country must ensure that workers are cared for and that everyone abides by the labor laws that protect them.
Better energy use
Having clarity on the amount of energy consumed and that it is obtained through renewable processes is also a point to work on in Green Mining.
In this way, carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced along the chain and new sources of energy can be considered, where the global community can benefit.
Improvements in the area of influence
All improvements that occur in the zone of influence are part of green mining. Improvements such as helping to replant some plant species or education about the fauna and flora for their greater protection.
Conclusion on Green Mining
All these efforts undoubtedly have one goal: to move towards an industry that is more conscious, cleaner and committed to the environment and society.
Each time new technologies and innovations are required to support this way of mining, new companies are becoming part of this model, giving the possibility for everyone to participate and build together the mining of the future.
Each development, each new tool that is incorporated together with the evaluation of each new step is a value that is added to mining in the face of the world.
At Innovaminex, together with MinexCorp and Pensilvania Gold & Mineral, we are working towards unprecedented green mining in our two projects in Colombia.
