The Impact of Gold Mining in Colombia

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For my research paper, I have chosen to examine the impact that gold mining has in Colombia. I chose this topic because I question the current economic vision that economists and managers have today. I wonder what would be the future of the world if we continue to exploit all of our natural resources. I ask myself: where is the respect and connection that business leaders should have with the environment? Therefore, I was intrigued by the current situation and future of Colombian natural resources. Additionally, I have always been interested in mining. My father, in fact, invests in mining companies, so I want to explore the reality of one of the biggest gold projects in Colombia, Santurban. Is it sustainable? First, I need to know the ideal definition for sustainable practices. I read The Sustainable Revolution where I realized that in order to be sustainable the world “[n]eeds to find a balance between the ecological, economic and social aspects of society” (kd;lslks). Hence, I will examine the consequences that the gold mines in Santurban have in Colombian society through a sustainability lens that includes the 3 E’s of The Sustainability Revolution, which are: ecology/environment, economy/employment, and equity/equality. Through this paper I will demonstrate that sustainable gold mining requires developing an alternative path that focuses on protecting the environment as well as economic interests.
Gold mining has had a significant economic, social, and environmental impact in Colombian history. Thousands of years ago artisanal mining in Colombia was a practice without any chemicals involved; however, since 1850 artisanal and industrial mines use chemicals to optimize gold extraction. Because of this, mining has become incom...

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...f Colombia. It is not only to protect the environment, is the socio-economic stability of Colombia that can be changed if certain politicians continue to have a narrative that supports the 3 E’s of sustainability. Additionally, I intend to show to my audience that we need to change the concept of development in order to conserve nature. In fact we should follow the definition stated in the sustainability revolution: “Sustainable development was defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’” (jfsdjksdlsdk 22). I will manage to organize my research paper to critically evaluate every aspect and detail of Santurban’s case to conclude if they follow and ecological and social justice. If this is not the case what is lacking in order to achieve the main goal of sustainable mining.

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