In this issue

332 Prepare to meet thy technology by Brian Johnso n Review article on the Science Policy Research Unit's critique of The Limits to Growth 334 Will the desert bloom ?

by Peter Bunyard The Negev is one of the world's harshest deserts, but an Israeli scientist is reconstructing an ancient system of agriculture 338 Towards a policy of zero energy growth by Kenneth A . Dahlberg The only way to resolve energy crises requires us to stabilise demand. How can we do this? 342 Progress to poverty by Richard G. Wilkinso n The economic development of non-industrial countries often results in a lowering of the living standards of their peoples 348 Adam and Eve revisited by Edward Goldsmith Can man achieve a harmonious relationship with his environment except as a hunter-gatherer? 323 Cockies and chemicals by Kenneth Morris Superphosphate farming in New Zealand 321 News 327 Comment Food prices—why we won't starve

Roads to independence? 329 Notebook 331 Gremlin 356 Friends of the earth 357 Books 359 Letters 360 Classified advertisements 356 Coming events

Note: While every care i s taken with manuscripts submitted for publication, the Editors cannot guarantee to return to their authors those not accepted. Articles published in the "Ecologist" do not necessarily express the views of the Editors.

Publisher: Edward Goldsmith; Editors: Robert Allen, Peter Bunyard, Edward Goldsmith; Managing Editor: Michael Allaby; Associate Editors: Joh n Davoll, Jimoh Omo Fadaka, Gerald Foley, Lawrence D. Hills, Brian Johnson, Jean Liedloff, Andrew MacKillop, John Pap worth, Graham Searle, Robert Waller, Richard Wi/lson. Al l communications should be sent t o The Editors , Ecologist , 73 Mole s wort h Street , Wadebridge , Cornwal l PL27 7DS . Telephone Wadebridg e 2996/7 . Al l advertising enquiries t o Interpress, 19 Anne Boleyn's Walk, Cheam, Surrey. Tel. 01-642 5826.

Published by Ecosystems Ltd., registered office 73, Molesworth Street, Wadebridge, Cornwall, PL27 7DS and distributed by the Hachette Group, Continental Publishers and Distributors Ltd., 164 Duke's Road, London W3 ; Telephone: 01-993 0744 ; Telegrams: Alibrairi London W1 ; Telex 25114. Subscriptions to : The Ecologist, 73, Molesworth Street, Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 7DS. Printed by The Garden City Press Ltd., Pixmore Avenue, Letchworth, Hertfordshire SG6 US .

© Ecologist, September 1973

V

322

Dirty big mine continued from page 321 26,000 tons.

After the ore has been separated from the tailings and crushed it is processed in a huge chemical extraction plant. The grade of the copper sulphide ore varies from 0.25 per cent to 1.2 per cent of copper. In order to maximise its profits the company is going for the highest grade ore, and the highest possible throughput per day. The plant is now working 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the point of "overload" and therefore its efficiency of extracting copper is diminishing, although a higher tonnage of copper is extracted. In fact more than 15 per cent, or 71 tons, gets lost daily with the effluent, together with considerable quantities of lime, potassium amylxanthate and methylisobutylcarbinol—chemicals that are added to the process to make it more efficient. The majority of the copper that is lost is not recoverable by the process used at Bougainville.

On being asked whether he thought a 15 per cent loss of copper to be "normal" an RTZ spokesman exclaimed that i t would be "very bad" and if it were so "we'd be looking at our ways of operation".

During normal operation one would expect, he said, the recovery of copper from the ore to be 88 to 92 per cent efficient. As to the rest—the 8 to 12 per cent that is not recovered—"that goes back to God". He failed to mention a dead river and a swathe of destruction out to sea.

In 1970 RTZ estimated that 80,000 tons of ore would be processed each day and that 95 per cent of the copper would be extracted. In view of the spokesman's comments the company has long since abandoned any pretence to such a high efficiency of extraction. I t is also interesting to compare RTZ's copper mining operation at Palabora in the Transvaal. The mine, also open cast, was started in 1964, and the recovery of copper is stated by the company as being 84 per cent; a figure which seems to fit close to that actually being attained at Bougainville.

But even if the best recovery were obtained and only 5 per cent of the copper was lost the amount discharged would still be more than 8,500 tons each year; enough in fact to destroy all life in the river and along its banks.

Papua-New Guinea is the other side of the world and few people in Britain

Continued on page 323