Mining

Why It's Essential for a Sustainable Future

Timothy Biggs

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Paperback

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English

Polity Press
27 June 2025

Mining industry; Mining technology & engineering

Mining has a poor public image. It is often associated with environmental degradation, human rights violations and the unacceptable excesses of capitalism. But might it also be the key to ensuring a more sustainable future?

Leading industry expert Timothy Biggs argues that modern life is simply unthinkable without mining on a huge scale. From the mobile phone in your pocket to the building you’re standing in, the minerals and metals extracted by the mining industry make modern life possible. This fact will become more significant in the context of the environmental challenges we face. Tackling climate change will require technologies ranging from electric cars to solar panels, all of which require immense – and increasing - amounts of copper, iron ore, lithium and other metals. This makes it vital that states and societies respond constructively to the practical needs of the mining industry, and that mining companies address the very real problems associated with their operations.

Anyone who wants to understand the stark realities of how our economies will have to change in the context of contemporary environmental problems cannot afford to miss this brilliantly clear account from someone who understands this most vital – and misunderstood – of industries from the inside.

By: Timothy Biggs
Imprint: Polity Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 214mm, Spine: 15mm
Weight: 255g
ISBN: 9781509567508
ISBN 10: 150956750X
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 27 June 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

About the writer Foreword, by Mark Cutifani CBE 1. Mining is essential 2. Mining 101 3. The operational challenges of mining 4. The economic and financial challenges of mining 5. Why mining is essential for sustainability and the energy transition 6. The mining industry’s role 7. Responsible and sustainable mining 8. Mining is essential for a sustainable future Appendix: Examples of our reliance upon metals and minerals

Timothy Biggs is a mining industry veteran and a Professor of Practice with the Camborne School of Mines at the University of Exeter.

Reviews for Mining: Why It's Essential for a Sustainable Future

""In his book, Tim Biggs sets out in a very readable manner why responsible mining is crucial for a sustainable future. His explanation of mining, what it is, and why we need it, makes compelling reading for everyone interested in learning about how we realistically pursue a sustainable future."" Kenneth Williams, Member, Adelaide University Transition Council ""This is a simple and elegantly written book. Tim has set out concisely why metals and minerals, and the importance of those who produce them, are fundamental to human life."" James Ferguson, Senior Vice-President, Barrick Gold Coporation