nation, even large ones at .

\~lourit Morgan, Mount Lyell

or Rum Jungle. And the legacies are grouirig check out
the Hunter Valley coal province or Kaigoorlies famous
Super Pit in Google Earth.
The success of different rninirig sectors in reducing
their greenhouse gas emissions footprint has been varied

too aluminium and steel have reduced their carbon

intensity significantly thanks to energy efficiency and
new technology. But many sectors have increased their

carbon intensity.

On the environmental front, ore grades and

quality are gradually declining, meaning more

mining to produce the same amount of metal.
The transition away from fossil fuels to meet the
climate change challenge will remain a key global test of
minings environmental performance.

DODGING THE BUST

Overall, Australia remains in a strong position to
continue to mine almost anything virtually anywhere to
meet growing Asian demand the mineral resources are
certainly known. The trick will be managing increasingly
complex social issues and environmental impacts,
especially the move away from fossil fuels and uranium.
The boom may continue for some time, but we need

BARRIERS TO GROWTH
Although it may surprise many, economic mineral
resources can often be underestimated (oil being the
exception peak oil is a real and urgent problem). Even
allowing for strong growth in demand, I would certainly
remain condent that there are sufficient deposits known

to be mindful ofthe inevitable environmental and social

bust. Our vision should not involve selling dirt and buying
diamonds, then wondering why we are still in debt as a
nation.
Dr Gavin Mudd is a Senior LectureratMonash University.

globally for most mineral and metal resources to meet

growing demands for several decades. Perhaps by the
latter decades of this century we might start to approach
limits, but we are already encountering other problems.
The real barriers to ongoingmining are mainly social

2012 Gavin Mudd. Posted 27 April 2012.

The Conversation | http2//theconversation.edu.au

and environmental. On the social front, community

opposition to projects and commodities is growing and

placing substantial pressure on the ability of the mining
industry to develop new projects.
Clive Palmer's China First coal project in central

Queensland threatens to mine most of the Bimblebox

Nature Refuge an area which is supposed to be protected

by a perpetual conservation agreement between the

landholder and government.
On the environmental front, ore grades and quality

are gradually declining, meaning more mining to produce

the same amount ofmetal. As open cuts get bigger, there
is more and more mine waste.
At some modern mines in Australia, extremely
polluted water flows freely to adjacent streams. l-lanrahan's
Creek in the Northern Territory is biologically dead due
to severe acid mine drainage from the defunct Redbank
copper mine.

There are many other legacy mine sites across the

28 I Australia's Engagement with Asia

Issues in Society | Volume 350