1
Compiled by Dr. Joe Herbertson
June 2001
Sustainable Resource
Processing
Executive
Summary - The Essence of the Analysis
•Sustainable Development is
generally regarded as the simultaneous striving for economic prosperity, environmental health and
social equity. Sustainability implies society creating a long term stable
relationship with nature, upon which we depend for pleasure, goods and services, and
survival. The challenge is to achieve economic advancement with equity and within the coping
capacity of natural systems
•The global goal of Sustainable Development is not achievable
without major changes in the way goods and services are delivered and
material needs are satisfied, which requires tremendous innovation in the
supply chains
and life cycles in which minerals and energy processing take part
•The ratio of the value of products and services delivered to
net environmental impacts will need to improve by a Factor X over the coming decades,
where X could be as high as 10 or more; the challenge is to find economically attractive and socially
responsible ways to get there
•This can be achieved by a combination of persistent incremental
improvement and breakthrough innovations, creating a vision and setting stretch
targets, application of new technologies, re-design of business models and engaging the workforce as well as
collaborating with specialists and wider stakeholders
•The successful resource
company of the future will be a leader in ‘Resource Stewardship’, which means progressively eliminating wastes and
emissions throughout the minerals life cycle, and optimising the selection and use of raw
materials, energy sources and reagents to enhance both economic and ecological
outcomes
•In resource processing intense areas, the opportunity exists
for performance to be further improved through regional synergies based on industrial
ecology principles and collaborative ventures
•Research is needed to help
create a compelling long term vision of sustainable minerals and energy processing as well as supporting
improvements in existing operations and new growth projects, based on resource stewardship,
eco-efficient production, secondary materials processing and breakthrough
technology