The Mining Industry

Paper Summary:

The paper describes the global mining industry, the tragic accidents that occurred at the West Virginia, Sago and Alma coal mines and the safeguards used to ensure safety. The paper then discusses how the mining industry has demonstrated a distinct lack of ethics throughout its history, often trampling on safety regulations in the quest to remain globally competitive. The paper addresses the ethical concern that this drive for profit puts human lives and health at risk. The paper goes on to explain why the workers have limited power and therefore concludes that governments and mine employers have to bear some responsibility for the safety of the miners.

Outline:
Accidents
Mine Safety
The Ethics Involved

From the Paper:

"The global mining industry is comprised of many thousands of mines in almost all countries of the world. Mines extract all manner of minerals. The world's estimated material output is 30,000,000 tons per year. This is worth an estimated US $450 billion. The breakdown of this is $200 billion from coal, $150 billion from metals and gems, and $100 billion to the rest . Because most coal is mined for local needs, the majority of mining worldwide is conducted for domestic markets.
"There is a fair degree of consolidation worldwide, with the top ten mining companies accounting for approximately 25% of the global industry. This is because of the high cost of processing metals into tradeable form (99.99% pure). Small companies often cannot afford the cost of processing and therefore will sell their stakes in valuable mines to larger firms. Gold, diamonds and coal are exceptions, being relatively easy to process."

Sample of Sources Used:

• No author. (2006). Mining Accident Raises Broader Safety Questions. NPR. Retrieved May 21, 2008 from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5125860
• No author. (2006). A History of Mine Disasters. PBS News Hour. Retrieved May 21, 2008 from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june06/minetown_2-01.html
• Porter, Larry and Isaacs, Jerry. (2006). Two Missing in Fire at West Virginia Coal Mine. World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved May 21, 2008 from http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/jan2006/mine-j21.shtml
• Burke, Garance. (2007). Accidents Highlight Latino Influx Into the State's Mining Industry. Boston Globe. Retrieved May 21, 2008 from http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/08/10/accident_highlights_latino_influx_into_the_states_mining_industry/
• Holt, Noel. (1999). Two Accidents Highlight Worsening Coal Mine Safety. World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved May 21, 2008 from http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/jul1999/mine-j22.shtml

More papers on The Mining Industry:

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• Research Paper # 150007 : "The Global Economic Downturn on the Australian Mining Industry"

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