China has boosted its aid contribution to the African continent. Whilst the total is still low compared with the US aid budget, the trend signifies a wider partnership between the two giants. In the UK, international aid is mainly spent on protecting our national interests. China is emerging as an economic superpower and as a major …[Read More]
Industry
In the News (March 2013)
A look at some of the issues that have caught my eye in the news recently Deep sea mining: Speculation surrounding the possibility of mining metal rich seafloor nodules has been going on for decades. These nodules grow slowly, so they adsorb high concentrations of metals from seawater, including the increasingly valuable rare earth metals. This …[Read More]
Natural Resources: our Responsibility?
Last week I discussed the inherent problems associated with the extraction industry. Now I ask, do companies and governments play a role in exacerbating these problems? Although I manage the GfGD blog, in this instance I am blogging in a personal capacity, and the views expressed are my own, and not policy positions of GfGD as …[Read More]
Conference: Geophysics in Future Energy Challenges
The British Geophysical Association is hosting a two day conference on the 14th and 15th of February, 2013. The focus of the conference will be the use of geophysics in future energy challenges. Novel geophysical techniques will be needed to maximise output from conventional reserves and safely explore unconventional reserves. Once the deep reserves are …[Read More]
Natural Resources: A Natural Hazard?
In this post I explore some of the issues that can arise when an economy is dominated by the oil or mining industry. I discuss some of the inherent problems with the nature of the extraction industry. In next week’s blog post, I will move on to talking about how we can manage the extraction …[Read More]
Friday Photo (56): Photos from Industry – Copper Deposits in Fault Zones
The deposits on the surface of this sandstone are a distinctive shade of green – indicative of copper. Copper is mobilised and concentrated along fault zones. If you have any photos from time spent working in industry, that do not breach company copyright regulations, then please get in touch and we will publish them on our blog! …[Read More]
Friday Photo (55): Photos from Industry – Man Operating Machinery at a Mine in China
Man Operating Machinery at a Mine in Anhui Province, China There are many large mining operations covering Anhui Province, China. They tend to have limited safety regulations. The mines can ruin the landscape, cause pollution and can be dangerous places for people to work. However, this primary industry is fuelling China’s rapid growth and development. Our …[Read More]