Sustainable Mining: How Scientists Help Canada Lead Responsible Mineral Extraction
- SciCan
- Jul 28
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 24
We often overlook Canada's leadership in sustainable resource extraction and the crucial role scientists play in driving change.
The Ongoing Mission: Build a Gold Standard for Sustainable Mining
Mining is not a pretty process. We've all seen the sweeping scars on Earth's surface and read about the toxic ponds and disrupted ecosystems. But mining is a modern reality, and one that supports livelihoods worldwide. In Canada alone, the mining industry employs hundreds of thousands of people.
Concerned scientists are working to ensure that mining remains an increasingly sustainable industry that minimizes its environmental impact. Canada is helping to lead that charge, thanks to researchers like Tyler Ciufo, who help support the industry with deep geologic knowledge and a sustainable ethos.
Ciufo holds a Master of Science in Earth Sciences from the University of Waterloo and works as an exploration geologist at Alamos Gold, which operates mines worldwide, including in northern Ontario.
Ciufo recently described how his commitment to the environment drives his work.
“It needs to be done, but there are ways to do it responsibly. We need to have a solid reclamation plan and actively minimize our impact. I think about this on a daily basis.”
Every day, we interact with technology that requires mined minerals like gold, copper, and lithium: from computers and smartphones to solar panels and MRI machines. Minerals like these help keep countries like Canada in business.
Due to our unique geography and location, we rely on natural resources to drive our economy and build a solid foundation for citizens. In 2023, the Canadian mining industry directly employed 430,000 people (in mining, processing, and manufacturing) and another 263,000 indirectly, for a total of 693,000 people.
Balancing Economics & Environment
Mining is essential, but we know it can come with a heavy cost.
Extracting gold, for instance, typically requires moving massive amounts of rock and soil, which can lead to habitat loss, high water consumption, and chemical contamination from byproducts like cyanide and mercury (if not managed carefully).
Outside of Canada, regulations and sustainable practices are often far less rigorous or nonexistent.
Mining operations worldwide have contributed to deforestation, tailings dam failures, and water pollution, particularly in regions without regulation. From greenhouse gases to mercury emissions that cause worker illness, enormous challenges lie ahead for the global gold mining industry.
Meanwhile, the need for responsible practices continues to grow, as more than 3,000 tonnes of gold are mined annually worldwide, and demand remains high.
“I realized you can work in industry and still bring an environmental and sustainability mindset to what you do… you have to.”
Canada’s Approach to Sustainable Mining: Continuously Building Responsibility
Following the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) framework, Canada has adopted sustainability as a core value driver of its mining industry. And although challenges remain, Canada is now home to some of the world’s most advanced mining companies, academic researchers, and ESG efforts.
With precise geochemical analysis and advanced reclamation plans, geologists like Tyler Ciufo are helping the industry find ways to strike a balance between economic necessity and environmental responsibility.
Their goal is to help minimize the mining footprint from the outset, while supporting regulatory requirements:
Environmental & Impact Assessments
Before any gold mining project can move forward, it must undergo rigorous environmental and impact assessments per federal and provincial laws. Researchers analyze potential impacts on water, wildlife, air quality, and local communities. Assessments also require public input, including consultation with Indigenous communities. The aim is to make sure that traditional knowledge and land use are considered from the start.
Reclamation Mandates
By law, mining companies are required to present detailed reclamation plans and provide financial guarantees to ensure the restoration of mine sites upon project completion. This involves returning land to its original state or repurposing it for new uses like wildlife habitats or community recreation. Reclamation tasks can range from recontouring the land and replacing topsoil to replanting native vegetation and monitoring the site's recovery over time.
Tailings Management
Management of mine tailings (waste materials) is one of the most critical aspects of responsible mining. To minimize spill and contamination risks, operators build out advanced monitoring systems and storage facilities. Industry standards, like the Mining Association of Canada’s Tailings Guide, set detailed expectations for safety and environmental protection. With newer technologies like dry-stack tailings and continuous real-time monitoring, risks can be reduced even further.
Water Stewardship
Because water is a critical mining resource, its usage is thoroughly monitored and reported. Water is often recycled and used on-site using advanced treatment technologies like membrane filtration (nano filtration and reverse osmosis). Any treated water released into the environment is subject to strict quality standards to protect local watersheds.
Transparency & Reporting
Regulators require regular reports on environmental performance, many of which are publicly available. Those reports include data on water usage, greenhouse gas emissions, tailings management, and eventual reclamation efforts. Many companies also opt to participate in voluntary initiatives like the TSM.
"TSM requires member companies to annually assess their performance against six protocols focusing on three core areas: Communities and People; Environmental Stewardship; and Energy Efficiency."
Global Perspectives: Gold Mining By the Numbers
In 2022, Canada produced approximately 220 tonnes of gold, making it the world’s fifth-largest gold producer. As of 2023, Canadian mining assets were valued at nearly $337 billion.
Worldwide, gold production reached almost 3,100 tonnes in 2022, with the top producers being China, Russia, Australia, and Canada.
Canadian gold is often labelled 'conflict-free' because it's sourced under robust environmental and ethical guidelines. By contrast, many countries do not enforce strict sustainability standards, and many global operations are linked to environmental degradation and human rights issues.
As a resource-reliant economy with talented researchers, Canada has a unique capacity to develop, improve, and share sustainable mining practices globally. By further adopting science-driven approaches, the Canadian mining industry can serve as a model for responsible mining practices worldwide, particularly in developing nations.
"The mining sector is a cornerstone of the northern economy and is a significant customer of territorial and Indigenous businesses across sectors including communications, energy and transportation infrastructure, and commercial services."
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