If it wasn’t farmed or harvested, every piece of material that people interact with daily was mined or quarried. As the global community pivots from fossil fuels to mitigate climate change, renewable energies such as solar, wind, and electric vehicles have become crucial. These technologies depend on critical minerals like lithium, a precious metal whose extraction is expected to surge by 60% by 2060. Meanwhile, limestone, a less flashy but equally important rock-based resource, is fundamental to many industries, from construction to agriculture. However, the current scale at which they are extracted is unsustainable. For instance, roughly 77,000 tons of lithium were mined globally in 2019.

The Power of Rocks

Lithium powers our batteries and electric vehicles by being a key component in lithium-ion batteries, which store and provide energy for these devices. As we transition to green energy, the demand for lithium increases, highlighting our ongoing reliance on extracting this resource from the Earth. While this shift aims to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, it paradoxically still requires significant resource extraction. To truly benefit from green energy, we must find sustainable mining solutions to avoid trading one environmental issue for another.

Limestone’s versatility makes it a key material used to build, insulate and heat homes, produce glass and steel, and neutralize acidified water bodies.

The Environmental Impacts of Mining and Quarrying

Transforming minerals and quarry materials like lithium and limestone into daily products involves long and complex processes that can cause significant environmental harm. Each ton of these materials extracted generates substantial CO2 emissions, contributing to climate change. The extraction process, whether through mining or quarrying, is also water-intensive, depleting local water supplies and harming ecosystems. Additionally, these operations occupy large land areas, destroying habitats and disrupting ecosystems. Sustainable practices are essential to mitigate these impacts and prevent trading from one environmental issue for another.

Our Role as Consumers

A so-called “sin tax” is imposed on products and services considered detrimental to society. The balance between fulfilling supply demands and complying with sustainable mining regulations can only be achieved if there is a decrease in the demand for the products produced.

Recycling Resources

Recycling mined and quarried materials is crucial for sustainability. The good news is lithium can be endlessly recycled and reused as its properties don’t degrade over time. Currently, this process only accounts for about 1% of lithium used, and it needs to be much higher to reduce the need for new mined materials.

Limestone recycling is equally important. Concrete and other limestone-based products can be crushed and reused in new construction projects, reducing the demand for new limestone extraction.

Ethical Mining

Canadian laws are generally more rigorous than those in some other countries. For example, British Columbia has regulations to ensure mine waste safety and requires community and Indigenous consent before operations. However, certain aspects of Canadian mining regulations still lag behind international standards, particularly in tailings management.

In contrast, some countries have less stringent regulations, allowing companies to operate with minimal regard for environmental and human rights. This creates a loophole where companies exploit weaker regulations abroad or import materials from countries with lower standards, contributing to severe ecological degradation.

Balancing the transition to green energy with ecosystem preservation requires demanding sustainable practices and reducing material consumption. This highlights the need for thoughtful engagement with our resources, urging us to reconsider our true needs in the quest for a sustainable future.

Call to Action

To learn more about sustainable mining practices and their impact on the environment, visit Ontario Nature’s blog, A “Green” Transition Doesn’t Need to Cost Communities and the Planet.