Mining & The Environment
Mineral exploration and mining today is very different than in the past. Gone are the days when companies built mines without consulting local communities and closed them without restoring the sites. Gone are the days when First Nations had no voice on resource development within their traditional lands. And gone are the days when economic returns always trumped social and environmental values.
British Columbia is a beautiful place, rich in natural resources. To protect this province, there are permitting processes in place to ensure that economic development is carried out in an environmentally responsible manner.
First Nations communities are very involved in examining the environmental risks, social challenges and economic potential of resource projects within their traditional lands. And mining companies today have a responsibility to consult with local communities and other stakeholders to address concerns as early as possible. Consultation helps companies and communities develop, build and operate safe and efficient mines based on industry best practices and the principles of sustainable development.
Mining isn’t the industry it was. Today, Aboriginal people around the province are using the traditional knowledge of their ancestors and the land to help shape their nations’ and communities’ social and economic development. Sure, mineral exploration and mining can provide you with a job, but it can also provide you the opportunity to effect change in your community.
Industry associations representing explorers, suppliers and producers alike each have formal commitments to protect the environment.
For more information check out the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia (AME BC) and the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC)
Real Life Stories
Jim Morin, Ph.D., P. Geol.
Jim Morin fell in love one hot, prairie summer day, back when he was thirteen. With rocks. And ever since then, they've been his passion. "Every day I walked along the railway tracks," says Morin, "and then one day, I actually looked at what I was walking on, and realised that beneath my feet lay treasure. Each stone was unique, told a story, had a history and marked time in some way. I was hooked by the mystery of rocks!"