Sustainability and minerals

One inescapable fact about minerals is that they can only be worked where nature has placed them and must then be transported wherever they are needed. They are also a precious and ultimately finite resource that needs to be conserved for future generations. Creating the right balance is a major challenge for operators and for government.

Few industries work quite so hard to minimise their inevitable environmental impact and to maximise their sustainability. Great strides have been made, for example, in the use of alternative fuels in the cement industry with consequent reductions in carbon emissions. Household waste, scrap tyres, waste fuels oils and pelletised sewage sludge are some of the materials that are now used as kiln fuels with consequent reductions in key emissions and in carbon output.

Opportunities are constantly sought to minimise road miles by switching deliveries to rail and water. The industry is widely regarded as the world leader in land restoration and its contributions to biodiversity and geodiversity are substantial and growing.

Sustainable development is at the heart of the MPA’s policy making. Our members are a key part of the solution to Government’s aims for sustainable consumption and production, tackling climate change and energy, protecting and enhancing the environment and creating sustainable communities.

More information on our approach to sustainability is available here.

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