For the past 2,000 years mining waste has been running into the sea off Cornwall, UK, carrying with it particles of tin considered too difficult to be processed and so abandoned. As part of a recycling project, Marine Minerals plans to recover the residual metal building up in the sands on the seafloor. Will they yield enough tin to make the process worthwhile? We find out.

Also looking to alternative mineral deposits, we examine a scheme to create a database of technology waste dumps which could represent valuable sources of secondary materials.

Meanwhile, further afield we consider the chance of the Democratic Republic of Congo reviewing its mining code and the potential impact on foreign investment, delve into the details of Canada’s ‘Towards Sustainable Mining’ initiative, and speak to risk management consultancy Critical Resource about how miners can manage political risk in the 21st Century.

Plus, from the humble wooden cart to modern day unmanned electric vehicles, we trace the evolution of mining machines through time and celebrate the industry’s achievements in cutting edge technology.

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Ceri Jones, editor