A World Without Mining?
This topic surfaced in one of my WhatsApp groups a while ago. The general masses are well aware that mining is exploitative and will result in environmental damage. It is something that can only be managed.
Get Rafi Ramadhan Seba’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
However, the notion intrigues me. Like any other polarizing opinion, taking an extreme stance will raise an eyebrow, and it certainly gets your attention. In my view, if we take that argument literally, the same could be said for plants and livestock. But that is not the point.
A practical approach would be to minimize or perhaps optimize. Our day-to-day lives, our electronics, and the laptop I am using to write this all use minerals that come from mining. A better question would be whether our mineral consumption is responsible or in excess.
As a chemical engineer, my view is naturally biased toward technical reality. However, I prefer to focus my efforts on discourse that translates into tangible actions and outcomes rather than polarizing views that are left only in the debate.
So, a world without mining?
