Back in 1989, famed geologist Franc Joubin (1911-1997) signed a copy of his autobiography, Not for Gold Alone, which has become a cherished reference book in The Miner’s library. At the time, North American mining companies were just starting to head overseas (again) in search of global opportunities, and Joubin’s book served as a valuable chronicle of geological adventure (and misadventure) in foreign lands. It remains a useful reminder of the important role mining has played in kick-starting the economies of developing nations, as well as of the challenges involved in dealing with people of different traditions and cultures.
Joubin’s work as a mining consultant for the United Nations brought him to almost every nation, prompting insightful musings about such things as environmental protection and how foreign companies should conduct themselves in developing nations. Ultimately, his journeys were about much more than the search for the next gold or base metal mine.
Looking back at the 1960s and early 1970s, Joubin had harsh words for the “wanton destruction and poisoning” of the environment, both regionally and globally. “This human suicidal phenomenon has already, in the past century, significantly despoiled our waters and atmosphere — the two major physio-chemical contributors toward the origin and evolution of all organic life upon the planet,” he wrote. “To an abstract biologist, man could be properly viewed as a wanton tramp [rather] than the noblest of beasts upon the planet Earth.”
Joubin also took some multi-national companies to task for exercising, even in countries that had achieved independence, “subtle forms of manipulative economic colonization without leaving much of continuing social, political or physical benefit.” In contrast, he argued, the colonial heritage in places such as Africa at least left some essential foundation for the modernization of those countries, such as a justice system and educational institutions.
Despite these criticisms, Joubin believed that his work was worthwhile and, in his words, “a much-needed service on behalf of the world’s less-privileged people.” More than a prospector and geologist, he saw himself as a “technical missionary of social conscience,” who helped identify and develop economically useful mineral deposits that could provide nations with income for self-improvement.
Today, resource development in foreign countries encompasses social and environmental considerations to a degree that would clearly have delighted Joubin. Between 15 and 25% of the capital costs of most new mine projects are dedicated to environmental protection and to providing social and other benefits to local populations. Almost every project is subject to the scrutiny of environmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as local and state agencies. In contrast to the late 1960s, most multi-national companies are paying as much attention to environmental and social issues as they are to economic ones.
Unfortunately, this message has yet to percolate down to the public, and investment in new mining ventures continues to draw criticism. During recent protests in Washington, D.C., critics of globalization called for the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cease funding mineral exploration projects in developing countries. The protestors are woefully misinformed; the World Bank and the IMF act more as watchdogs than as direct financiers. They monitor companies to ensure they are meeting stringent guidelines for resource development, while helping ensure that the projects benefit the people, and not just the leaders, of the countries in which they are situated.
The world is changing and, thankfully, geologists and geoscientists have chosen not to sit on the sidelines and bewail the changes going on around them. There are enough people weeping over the world’s problems. There are not enough who see the world as one, geologically or otherwise, and who embrace change as a pathway to a better world.
Franc Joubin saw enough of the world to know that it was far from perfect, yet this never stopped him from finding satisfaction in his role as a global ambassador for mining.
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