How blockchain will help miners meet evolving ESG demands Block chain concept – digital code chain. Stock image. At the Association for Mineral Exploration’s Remote Roundup in January, mining entrepreneur – and master communicator – Robert Friedland laid out his predictions for the future of mining. In addition to a more diverse industry, the founder and executive co-chairman of Ivanhoe Mines sees a more sustainable future for the sector – and one in which the environmental impact of mining will be baked into commodity prices. Sign Up for the Mining News Digest Sign Up “There will be no more one price for copper. There will be no more one price for gold,” Friedland told delegates from Singapore. “Everything will be priced in relation to its ESG components and be priced in relation to how much global warming gas is created in making that commodity, because we’re going to head to a price on carbon,” Friedland said. “The minute you put a price on carbon, every mine in the world will have its end product priced according to how deleterious it is or how less deleterious it is on the global environment.”