Editorial Do we need mines?

“Do we need minerals? Only if we want buildings, roads, ships, cars, airplanes, glass windows, plates, cutlery, industrial machinery, communications equipment, energy generation and transmission, and other such items in our lives. Each year, each of us in North America needs 40,000 pounds of new minerals. If less developed countries are to improve their standard of living, the per capita need will be greater.” From a speech by Robert Ginn, president of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada.