The role of engineering in evolving practices
As precious metal deposits are being found in increasingly remote areas, as ore concentrations decline and as energy costs continue to rise, companies are looking for ways to save money and be more efficient. So, sustainable development efforts serve both financial and environmental interests.
“This is what our role as consulting engineers is all about: we try to strike a balance between cost effectiveness, technical constraints, performance and environmental and social considerations. The earlier we’re involved in a project, the bigger difference we can make by thinking about the entire project, the entire life cycle, whether it’s allocating costs, generating power or designing tailings facilities, etc. Integrating sustainable solutions then becomes a reflex, a way of thinking about engineering.”
Women’s place in developing sustainable solutions
Technological development and innovation are key to finding new solutions to tackle climate change, and these innovative ideas are borne out of creativity and a willingness to give them a voice.
“Women represent half of the population, so it’s important to give them a voice, otherwise we’re all robbing ourselves of half of the good ideas. This is why it’s important to create inclusive corporate cultures that give women access to the same opportunities to make their suggestions heard and to lead innovative projects.”
