86
results of this investigation clearly show how water usage and the magnitude of its
related impacts differ between opposing forms of extraction.
Keywords SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation · Sustainability · Water use ·
Energy use · Efficiency · Gold mining
7.1 Introduction
Despite the great efforts made by society to dematerialize, that is, to reduce the
amount of energy and materials required for economic function, through strategic
reuse and recycling of materials (Ruiz-Mercado et al. 2017), global projections indicate the primary metal production is set to expand into the future. This can be seen
as a direct result of societal impacts such as population growth (Norgate and Haque
2010; Awuah-Offei 2016). However, the mining sector is under increased scrutiny to
reduce its energy consumption as well as all related environmental, social, and economic impacts generated as a result of its operation (Norgate and Haque 2010).
Although mineral extraction is seen as an essential source of resources, it is also
deemed to have extraordinarily detrimental economic, social, and environmental
impacts on both the global and local scale (Vintró et al. 2014). While the mining sector supplies vital raw materials and energy to a large number of industries, its activities are still commonly considered to be a threat to the environment, especially due
to their related effects on the air, water, and soil quality. These detrimental effects
also include greenhouse gas emissions, destruction of ecosystems, damage to protected areas, and pollution (Vintró et al. 2014; Bustamante et al. 2017). Furthermore,
these impacts are expected to increase exponentially as globally the ore grade (metal
content) has been plummeting for some time (Hubbert 1956; Valero Delgado 2013).
Mining companies consequently face unprecedented social pressure to assume
strong commitments in responsible management of their environmental and social
environments (Botín and Vergara 2015), particularly in regard to the achievement of
the Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation (hereinafter SDG
6). Sustainability is becoming more and more commonly used to describe this
paradigm which supports the configuration of the environmental, social, and
economic future of humanity (Kharrazi et al. 2014).
There is a social conception that mining cannot be deemed sustainable, as its
operations have a finite lifespan, and the dependence of humanity on nonrenewable
resources cannot progress indefinitely (Sterman 2012). Additionally, as the
mismanagement of these nonrenewable resources will eventually cause them to
expire, mining is seen as having destructive environmental and social impacts
(Young and Septoff 2002). These are some of the main controversial matters that
opponents use to abort mining projects. Furthermore, the primary obstacle of mining
projects today often does not lie in the environmental license nor in the relevant
governmental operating license; it lies in obtaining a social license, a situation that
triggers social, economic, and environmental problems (Franco 2014).
N. A. Cano Londoño et al.
results of this investigation clearly show how water usage and the magnitude of its
related impacts differ between opposing forms of extraction.
Keywords SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation · Sustainability · Water use ·
Energy use · Efficiency · Gold mining
7.1 Introduction
Despite the great efforts made by society to dematerialize, that is, to reduce the
amount of energy and materials required for economic function, through strategic
reuse and recycling of materials (Ruiz-Mercado et al. 2017), global projections indicate the primary metal production is set to expand into the future. This can be seen
as a direct result of societal impacts such as population growth (Norgate and Haque
2010; Awuah-Offei 2016). However, the mining sector is under increased scrutiny to
reduce its energy consumption as well as all related environmental, social, and economic impacts generated as a result of its operation (Norgate and Haque 2010).
Although mineral extraction is seen as an essential source of resources, it is also
deemed to have extraordinarily detrimental economic, social, and environmental
impacts on both the global and local scale (Vintró et al. 2014). While the mining sector supplies vital raw materials and energy to a large number of industries, its activities are still commonly considered to be a threat to the environment, especially due
to their related effects on the air, water, and soil quality. These detrimental effects
also include greenhouse gas emissions, destruction of ecosystems, damage to protected areas, and pollution (Vintró et al. 2014; Bustamante et al. 2017). Furthermore,
these impacts are expected to increase exponentially as globally the ore grade (metal
content) has been plummeting for some time (Hubbert 1956; Valero Delgado 2013).
Mining companies consequently face unprecedented social pressure to assume
strong commitments in responsible management of their environmental and social
environments (Botín and Vergara 2015), particularly in regard to the achievement of
the Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation (hereinafter SDG
6). Sustainability is becoming more and more commonly used to describe this
paradigm which supports the configuration of the environmental, social, and
economic future of humanity (Kharrazi et al. 2014).
There is a social conception that mining cannot be deemed sustainable, as its
operations have a finite lifespan, and the dependence of humanity on nonrenewable
resources cannot progress indefinitely (Sterman 2012). Additionally, as the
mismanagement of these nonrenewable resources will eventually cause them to
expire, mining is seen as having destructive environmental and social impacts
(Young and Septoff 2002). These are some of the main controversial matters that
opponents use to abort mining projects. Furthermore, the primary obstacle of mining
projects today often does not lie in the environmental license nor in the relevant
governmental operating license; it lies in obtaining a social license, a situation that
triggers social, economic, and environmental problems (Franco 2014).
N. A. Cano Londoño et al.