CoalThe recently resigned British Columbia Minister of Mines is quoted as saying: “The Bible makes it plain that we are the stewards of the Earth, and as such, our obligation is not negotiable. However, we are not obliged to preserve the natural world in some kind of frozen inertia at arm’s length from human activity.” I asked a good friend who religious credentials I trust and who works in the mining industry just what the bible says about mining. Here are his reply and what I found in e-bibles.

“I am not aware of the bible referring specifically to “mining”. However, there are a number of references within both the old and the new testament that refer to man/people being the stewards of the earth and its creatures, and charging them with using the earth’s resources wisely. Try this web site for further insight and references that provide an interesting perspective (from my viewpoint anyway).”

Next Bible tells us that the process of mining is described in Job 28:1-11. My editor dislikes me quoting poems in this blog, so I do not give the magnificent words of Job 28. But please take a look at the link I provide. Another good reason not to quote the poem is that it is only incidently about mining. Appears the folk who gave rise to the bible did almost no mining—they probably imported the mined products they needed from other countries—not unlike happens today in many places. Seems no traces of ancient mines have been found in Palestine or Syria.

A slightly more expansive view of mining in the bible is provided by The Church of God Daily Bible Study site, Genesis 2:10-12 refers to the land of Havilah where there is gold and onyx stone. Both presumably had to be mined and were not “created”. The promised land is, according to Deuteronomy 8:7-9, a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. Nothing very specific or exciting about that. And certainly no guidance about the moral and ethical implications of mining.

I am rather heartened by the absence of any specific biblical injunctions about mining. At least we can approach the topic afresh and unhindered by sectarian or philosophical constraints. I read the arguments about what the bible says about our environmental obligations or absence thereof, but I submit we can leave those arguments to others for they are part of a much bigger debate in which mining is so small a part as to be for all practical purposes insignificant and irrelevant.

I submit we can now move forward with clear conscience and rational mind to apply reason (scientific, engineering, economic, legal, and ethical) to the debate about where to mine and how to mine. A precious gift indeed.

PS.  This piece has brought forth a number of comments – see below.  I thank all who comment for adding to our store of knowledge and understanding.  In particular, many thanks to Ian Hore-Lacy who has not only commented but sent a significant piece that you may access at this link.