Summary

Through an exploration of the links between geologic setting, mining and process technologies, economics, environment and stakeholder communities, this text addresses ways in which the mineral industry can be made safe, efficient and ecologically sustainable, focusing in particular upon the following key themes:

· a review of the current status of the world mining industry, and the environmental challenges it faces.
· links between the mode of occurrence of a mineral and the ways of mining it
· the impact of mining on the environment in terms of industry and waste
· health consequences arising from the various hazards of mining
· the environmental impact of process technologies, and control technologies to make the mining industry ecologically sustainable
· methods of rehabilitation of mined land, and reuse of mine wastes and mine water
· socio-economic dimensions of the mining industry.