Building for the Future
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is knocking on the mining industry’s door. Today’s engineers are laying the foundation for delivering tomorrow’s natural resources. It’s an incredible responsibility that affects many people and it must be managed professionally and ethically. The companies that are prepared will prosper financially and they will be rewarded with respect and social acceptance.
World leaders gathered in Davos, Switzerland, during January for the World Economic Forum. Aside from the political propaganda, several sessions discussed globalization, the increasing use of technology and the connected world. While it’s obvious few of these economists have ever set foot in a mine, their concerns could easily be applied to our industry. One of the refrains, globalization and technology advances have failed the working class, can explain much of the political tumult today. Those who despise this globally connected economy see multinational companies as villains sourcing the lowest-cost resources, taking advantage of labor, and plundering with little regard for the environment.
