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1
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PBroad
Mining
- Mar 27, 2002
- 113
In his recent book “What it really takes to be world Class” Clem Sunter of Anglo-American stresses the need to be efficient, innovative, well managed and socially and environmentally responsible. In most mines 50% of the total cost is consumed in just getting the ore to the surface, which is why most General Managers begin their lives underground. However, in the modern world it is the above ground operations that are in the public eye, and the target for “green” activists who often have no respect for the law.
A failure by mining operations to counteract these half-truths, and some rogue operators have seen mining bans, or restrictions on cyanide and other “toxic” chemicals. In a parallel thread Mining & Mill engineers are shown to be the third most likely to be professionally licensed, after civil and mechanical, and ahead of electrical engineers, however, only 1 in 7 is currently registered. Registration does not indicate a higher skill level than a graduate degree, but it does confirm a respect of ethics and a committment to continued education to stay current in ones chosen discipline.
With the engineers avowed intention being to “Protect the Public” it is about time that mining companies do not just retain environmental engineering consultants, but may actually appoint such people as Metallurgical Managers or Senior technical Officers. Metallurgists combine the skills of both material failure analysis, and corrective action, as well as the technology to optimize recovery at the lowest cost, both short term and long term.
For more info on Sustainable development see the International council on Mining & metals The international cyanide management code developed by the UN Environmental Program (UNEP)
There have been mistakes made by mining and we need to admit to them, but the handful of fatalities compared to the created wealth not just of mine managers but also its lowest employees is actually an example of responsibility. There is now an international register of professional engineers being formed, and while I don’t have the identity of the US and Canadian signatories one can access the required standards through the UK Engineering Council
A failure by mining operations to counteract these half-truths, and some rogue operators have seen mining bans, or restrictions on cyanide and other “toxic” chemicals. In a parallel thread Mining & Mill engineers are shown to be the third most likely to be professionally licensed, after civil and mechanical, and ahead of electrical engineers, however, only 1 in 7 is currently registered. Registration does not indicate a higher skill level than a graduate degree, but it does confirm a respect of ethics and a committment to continued education to stay current in ones chosen discipline.
With the engineers avowed intention being to “Protect the Public” it is about time that mining companies do not just retain environmental engineering consultants, but may actually appoint such people as Metallurgical Managers or Senior technical Officers. Metallurgists combine the skills of both material failure analysis, and corrective action, as well as the technology to optimize recovery at the lowest cost, both short term and long term.
For more info on Sustainable development see the International council on Mining & metals The international cyanide management code developed by the UN Environmental Program (UNEP)
There have been mistakes made by mining and we need to admit to them, but the handful of fatalities compared to the created wealth not just of mine managers but also its lowest employees is actually an example of responsibility. There is now an international register of professional engineers being formed, and while I don’t have the identity of the US and Canadian signatories one can access the required standards through the UK Engineering Council