Minerals and the future

There will never come a time when we will not need minerals. While our use will evolve and research will find some viable alternatives, our grandchildren will be as dependent upon them as we are today. Mineral operators will certainly continue to drive forward in their efforts to maximise the industry’s sustainability and to ensure that recycled materials are the first port of call.

But as minerals continued to be extracted, it is worth bearing in mind that the holes from which they come will not simply become larger. Much of the land that is needed for quarrying of minerals is effectively borrowed and large areas are returned to beneficial after-uses every year. Today’s quarry may well be tomorrow’s nature reserve.

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