Our Guest Speaker for the night was Hugh Brown he has been around Mining for many years, especially in poorer countries. He has worked in 30 countries across Africa, Asia, South America and Australia compiling his booklet.
He has been writing a e-Booklet which gives an insight into the Lives of the world's poorest miners, many of whom provide raw materials for use in our Jewellery, laptops, smartphones and electric vehicles.
Hugh has some interesting facts about why this project is important
- There are 45 million of these miners directly employed and around 245 million indirectly employed, together they account for roughly 10 percent of the working population in the third world
- Just for starters, these people account for:
- 20 percent of the global gold production
- 25 percent of the 3Ts
- 85 percent of the coloured stones production
- 20 percent of global cobalt
- The take away?
- We’re all touched by artisanal miners!
- Think laptops, smart phones, jewellery, electric vehicles
He is in Whyalla compiling the history of the Long time employees at Liberty Primary Steel.
He presented a number of photos of some of the 100 or so employees who have nearly or over 40 years service.
The project is a large undertaking and will take some time to complete.
Some of the comments by them included:
People tend to be much more life focused, which is one of the interesting things
Many of them have said they have stayed because of the job security.
Some of them claimed their grandfathers had worked at the steelworks.
Huh is thanked for his presentation by Rotarian Shelley Sellars
