MI5051 Sustentabilidad en Minera Semestre 2015/02 Ejercicio 1

Nombre y Apellido: Patricio vila Fuentes

Agricola, De Re Metallica, 1556

Since there has always been the greatest disagreement amongst men concerning metals and mining, some praising, others
utterly condemning them, therefore I have decided that before imparting my instruction, I should carefully weigh the facts
with a view to discovering the truth in this matter. So I may begin with the question of utility, which is a two-fold one, for
either it may be asked whether the art of mining is really profitable or not to those who are engaged in it, or whether it is
useful or not to the rest of mankind Again, those who condemn the (1) mining industry say that it is not in the least
stable, and they glorify agriculture beyond measure. It is not my intention to detract anything from the dignity of
agriculture, and that the profits of mining are less stable I will always and readily admit, (1) for the veins do in time cease
to yield metals, whereas the fields bring forth fruits every year . So let the farmers have for themselves the fruitful fields
and cultivate the fertile hills for the sake of their produce; but let them leave to miners the gloomy valleys and sterile
mountains, that they may draw forth from these, gems and metals which can buy, not only the crops, but all things that
are sold. The critics say further that (2) mining is a perilous occupation to pursue, because the miners are sometimes
killed by the pestilential air which they breathe; sometimes their lungs rot away; sometimes the men perish by being
crushed in masses of rock; sometimes, falling from the ladders into the shafts, they break their arms, legs, or necks; and
it is added there is no compensation which should be thought great enough to equalize the extreme dangers to safety and
life . Now I come to those critics who say that (3) mining is not useful to the rest of mankind because forsooth, gems,
metals, and other mineral products are worthless in themselves. This admission they try to extort from us, partly by
arguments and examples, partly by misrepresentations and abuse of us. But besides this, the strongest argument of the
detractors is that (4) the fields are devastated by mining operations, for which reason formerly Italians were warned by
law that no one should dig the earth for metals and so injure their very fertile fields, their vineyards, and their olive groves.
Also they argue that the woods and groves are cut down, for there is need of an endless amount of wood for timbers,
machines, and the smelting of metals. And when the woods and groves are felled, (5) then are exterminated the beasts
and birds, very many of which furnish a pleasant and agreeable food for man. Further, (6) when the ores are washed, the
water which has been used poisons the brooks and streams, and either destroys the fish or drives them away. Therefore
the inhabitants of these regions, on account of the devastation of their fields, woods, groves, brooks and rivers, find great
difficulty in procuring the necessaries of life, and by reason of the destruction of the timber they are forced to greater
expense in erecting buildings. Thus it is said, it is clear to all that (7) There is greater detriment from mining than the
value of the metals which the mining produces.

Enumera, en el orden de aparicin en el texto, las principales caractersticas identificadas por Agricola en relacin con
la sustentabilidad de la actividad minera (subraya y numera en el texto).
1. Mining industry say that it is not in the least stable. , for the veins do in time cease to yield metals.
Asociado a Temporalidad y difcil sustentabilidad.
2. Mining is a perilous occupation to pursue, Concepto de riesgo para las personas.
3. Mining is not useful to the rest of mankind, Necesaria y til.
4. The fields are devastated by mining operations, Invasin al medio ambiente.
5. Then are exterminated the beasts and birds, Invasin al ecosistema.
6. When the ores are washed, the water which has been used poisons the brooks and streams, and
either destroys the fish or drives them away. Invasiva
7. There is greater detriment from mining than the value of the metals which the mining produces.
Rechazo por el ser humano, ya que afecta su diario vivir.

De estos cuestionamientos a la sustentabilidad de la minera, cul es a tu juicio aquel que hoy sera el de mayor
relevancia? Justifica brevemente tu respuesta (mximo 100 palabras).

A mi parecer el tema que hoy en da no tiene solucin por completo tiene relacin con la invasin de la minera en
trminos medio ambientales (flora, fauna y ecosistemas en general). En particular los desechos minerales son cada vez
ms en cantidad y esto repercute a las comunidades que habitan cerca de las faenas mineras, afecta a ros, lagos, etc. Es
por esto que las leyes ambientales son cada da ms severas, con el objetivo de minimizar los daos que sufren los agentes
antes mencionados.