Many countries around the globe with the richest mineral
resources are categorized as the poorest countries, but they are actually a lot
richer that we have never imagined. Countries as Angola, Ghana, and Tanzania
have this highest gold and diamond reserves, but at the same time they are
considered ones of the poorest countries. If done right, mining can bring a lot
of investment and help the local economy, bring education, transporting and infrastructure.
As you may know, this is not the case; most of the mining done in Angola is
done my mobs and their slaves to get that so called "blood diamond." Mining
has to be seemed as way to help poor communities instead of an industry of environment-destruction,
nobody is denying that mining is very polluting, but if data is collected, and
they are regulated and observed they can bring needs for poor communities as infrastructure
and education while it helps the mining industry of reaching the profit wanted.
A lot of people are ignorant of the fact that mining can
help the poor and not just to pollute the environment. I won't lie, most of mining
companies will pollute the environment because it is a lot cheaper and less
time and money consuming than trying to find ways to be eco-friendly. Mining is
more like a tool, since by itself it causes destruction, pollution. Government
can regulate mining, so they will have to find ways to be eco-friendly, at the
same time; these governments can tax mining companies and used this revenue for
project that will improve the life of the average citizens. Mining creates
jobs, for every job created directly in mines, between 2 and 25 jobs are
created with second party companies. Mining creates infrastructure, let's put it
this way. A mining company has discover a very rich mineral reserve in the
middle of the Amazon forest, the government agreed with the company to mine the
specific site, but they must be eco-friendly, now that this company has gotten
permission, they will have to get there and for that they will build roads or
improve them to be able to transport those minerals. Once the mining site gets established,
they will need water and electricity and guess what, they will also build water
and electric systems. Now this company needs workers, and who are better
workers than locals that will work for less than from workers from another
region. Now that they got them workers, the company has to train and educate them.
Now we have water and electricity supply in this remote community in the
Amazons, education, and jobs. The locals will enjoy all this services and now
they will be able to do other kind of business like growing and selling coffee.
They will use the water and electricity to grow their crops, they will be
educated, so they will maximize their profit and goods produced, and they will also
be able transport their good, export their coffee.
To be honest all mentioned above can happen under ideal circumstances
in which everything is done right. Mining companies by themselves will only
pollute the environment and make the economy of a country worst. Mining can be
used as a very powerful tool against poverty. The government and the people,
local people, have the power to use this tool. The reality is that this tool is
usually miss used and it usually finished evolve in corruption. I hope that a
day in which corrupts governments will be reformed and mining will be used
right to help the poor and not to destroy the environment.
