Skillings Mining Review December 2021: As 2021 drew to a close, the mining industry faced one of its toughest balancing acts yet: growth versus regulation. Our December 2021 cover story, “Miners’ Plans are Put to the Test by a Strict State Statute,” explores how stringent state-level rules are reshaping projects, investment outlooks, and the future of resource development. For mining leaders, this piece underscores the growing importance of aligning operational ambitions with evolving legal and environmental frameworks.
This issue also dives into global developments making headlines—from the U.K.’s controversial approval of its first new coal mine in decades to Bunker Hill’s updated PEA for its restart project. We report on budget volatility tied to fossil fuels, advances in sustainable deep-sea mining technology, and new opportunities for displaced fossil-fuel workers. Surface mining highlights include record-breaking copper output at Kamoa-Kakula and China’s easing coal shortfall. Combined with critical safety insights and global statistics, this edition captures the pressures and promise that defined the mining sector at the end of 2021.
