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Mining isn’t the most sustainable human activity. It involves churning up the land, creating massive holes, and essentially altering the appearance of the landscape permanently. What’s more, it depends on giant gas-guzzling machines that emit a substantial proportion of the world’s CO2. There are other issues too, such as what to do with the waste and how to protect groundwater. In short, it’s a tricky problem. 
Fortunately, there are some ways that we can make mining more sustainable. Any businesses in the sector should take note. 
Cracking Down On Illegal Mining
Most mining operations in the developed world are perfectly legal and have all of the appropriate regulatory approvals. However, many in developing countries are not. Illegal mining is a big issue around the world and causes massive damage to ecosystems. Miners operating outside of regulatory frameworks are much less likely to take care of the environment. 
Businesses can help protect against this by refusing to purchase from miners who do not follow correct practices. They can also report any suppliers who appear to be engaging in bad mining practices to industry bodies, preventing other companies from using them too. 
Preserving The Environment
Mining operations need to go ahead in some locations to provide humanity with the raw materials that it needs to survive. But it shouldn’t need to proceed on all fronts.
There will sometimes be mining locations that are so biologically or geologically valuable that disturbing them would harm the planet irrevocably. 
For that reason, many miners are upping their exploration efforts. They’re using stackable core trays to hold thousands of samples taken from the Earth to see whether mining should go ahead or not. In other words, they’re being more conscious about their activities, weighting up short term rewards against long-term costs. 
Rehabilitating Old Mines
Old mines don’t return to nature naturally. Instead, it can take hundreds of years for species to recolonise them. 
That’s why many firms are now embarking on projects to rehabilitate old mines. The idea is to introduce new layers of topsoil to give life a chance to take over. The hope is that once companies seed life, the rest will happen naturally. 
Unfortunately, rehabilitating old mines is expensive. In many locations, firms need to remove toxic waste – and that can be a difficult process if the mine is in poor condition. 
Sustainable Equipment
The mining sector is also investing heavily in so-called “eco-friendly equipment”. For instance, firms are investing in battery-driven mining engines to replace traditional diesel equipment which is hazardous to workers and the environment. 
Some firms, such as Sweden’s Epiroc, say that it will be going 100 percent electric within the next few years. 
Companies aren’t just doing this out of the kindness of their hearts, though. Firms are also expecting battery powered options to bring down their long-term costs. 
Reusing Mining Waste
Lastly, companies are looking for ways to strip sites before they leave and make use of mining waste. Waste rocks, for instance, are being used to backfill voids left by mining operations.