The purpose of this report is to show how much metal there is in your life—from the gold in your jewelrytothe aluminum in your automobile—and to explain how it was produced. If you live in the United States, your annual consumption of “newly-mined” minerals (as opposed to those produced from recycling) comes to21 metric tons—just over 57 kilos a day.
This report will show what lies behind that stupendous lode of copper and tantalum, gold and platinum. It will explain how the mining of these and other metals damages landscapes, pollutes water, and poisons people. It will show why modern, industrial mining is one of the world’s most destructive industries. And finally, it will show you what we as consumers and concerned citizens can do to clean it up.
Read and download the report
