Georgia SME Section

Topics in Geoscience Ethics:

Sustainable Natural Resources --

Replacing and Reusing Old Mines

David M. Abbott, Jr., CPG

Abstract

Although many geoscience societies were founded in the 19th century, AAPG was the first to adopt a Code of Ethics in 1924 but most organizations didn't adopt such codes until the 21st century for various reasons. Geoethics was born in 2012 and expanded the scope of geoscience ethics to include the social and cultural implications of geoscience practice. However, the 9th Fundamental Geoethics Value that addresses sustainability fails to transparently and forthrightly acknowledge the depletability of natural resource deposits thus inhibiting a fully integral and transparent discussion of this geoethics value statement's goal of providing a sustainable supply of natural resources and requires revision. The depletability of natural resources is a fact of nature. Extraction of natural resources necessarily has negative environmental impacts that must be balanced with maximizing resource recovery. Who decides what the balance will be? Finding new deposits to replace depleted ones requires new approaches and new technologies. The post-mining use of mined land provides a variety of beneficial opportunities.

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