Interview Times 
Sustainability in mining refers to the responsible and efficient extraction of mineral resources while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and local communities. Some key considerations for promoting sustainability in mining include:
- Environmental stewardship: mining operations should strive to minimize their impact on the environment by implementing measures to reduce waste, conserve energy, and protect biodiversity.
- Social responsibility: mining companies should engage with local communities to understand their needs and concerns and work collaboratively to minimize negative impacts on their health, livelihoods, and cultural heritage.
- Economic viability: mining companies should operate in a financially sustainable manner, considering the long-term economic impacts of their activities on the local economy and wider society.
- Innovation: mining companies should explore and adopt new technologies and practices that reduce environmental impacts and improve the efficiency and safety of mining operations.
- Transparency and accountability: mining companies should be transparent about their operations, impacts, and risks, and be accountable to stakeholders for their performance.
Overall, sustainable mining requires a holistic approach that balances environmental, social, and economic considerations, and engages with stakeholders to build trust and promote shared value.
Minerals are the basic building blocks for a sustainable world and mining industry plays a pivotal role in meeting the ever increasing demand for minerals and metals, necessary to improve quality of life.
Currently, the Indian mining sector is at cross-roads and going through paradigm shift in terms of the sustainability of the raw materials.
There are huge expectations that mining be done sustainably while addressing the complexities of socio-economic development, mitigating climate change, achieving net zero emission targets and impacts on the environment.
Therefore, it is necessary to highlight the role of mining sector for sustainable development of the country and build trust and transparency in the sector.
During 27th Conference of Parties (COP27), India has submitted its Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) indicating low carbon transition pathways in key economic sectors including mining to achieve India’s aim of net zero emission targets.
In the perspective of ‘Make in India’ initiative, it is cognizant that the industry should focus on the rational utilization of national resources with regard to energy security, material efficiency and recycling leading to circular economy in the sector.
While the sector has been actively mainstreaming sustainability concerns to ensure scientific extraction with adequate environmental and social responsiveness, much of the work needs to be done to facilitate mining business, create new job opportunities and ensure sustainability of mining operations.
It is imperative for all mining stakeholders, including policymakers and industry to adopt a holistic approach for incorporating long-term sustainability in the mining sector.
In this background, FIMI is organizing the Sustainable Mining Summit at Hotel Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar on 13 – 14 April, 2023.
The summit aims to deliberate on various mining issues concerning sustainability, which will result in a road-map for sustainable mining in India.
Various stakeholders, including Government agencies, regulators, industry stalwarts, practicing managers, academicians and strategists are expected to come together on this platform to deliberate on these very important issues at a turning point in the Indian Mining History.
