The mining sector is a strategically vital industry, integral for the modern, prosperous lifestyles we are accustomed to in the West and for the hundreds of millions in China, India and other developing countries struggling to raise their standard of living.
Yet I still get the impression that many in the mainstream media, political circles and the general public view mining as a low-tech and polluting industry that is not welcomed in many regions.
I write a column on the mining sector examining corporate and government policies and challenges and have been continually surprised at the amount of misinformation about the industry, especially in newspapers and on television.