The World of Mining - Hardcover

A handsome new 296-page coffee-table book uses hundreds of striking images of mining, many captured from the air by two experienced photographers, to capture the grandeur of our industry.
Unlike the bodgie, advertising-driven books which sometimes crop up, The World of Mining is a highly credible and lavishly produced volume.
The four authors are: Jim Wark, an aerial photographer working in North and Central America; Richard Woldendorp, a landscape photographer working in Australia; and two environmental consultants, Karlheinz Spitz and John Trudinger, both with backgrounds in mining and geology. The book is split into eight chapters: the history of men and mines; traditional mining; corporate mining; mines vary widely; mining in different landscapes; minescapes; miners and their machines and mine communities.
The World of Mining also draws upon some of the thousands of photos entered in the Snowden Group’s annual photography competition. South African platinum producer Implats has lent some striking images, while Sir Arvi Parbo has written the foreward.
This book will make a splendid, if bulky, stocking stuffer for the enthusiast and layman alike. It will also serve as an excellent and sympathetic introduction to the industry and could usefully be distributed by those mining companies seeking to educate non-miners on the ways of our industry.
Australian Journal of Mining, November 2011

Stunning. A must have for mining industry insiders and observers. What is it? It is The World of Mining, a coffee table book of superb images from mines around the world.
From Africa, Asia, Europe, the United State and Canada, the aerial shots reveal patterns and colours impossible to see from the ground. The tome includes historic, artisanal and modern techniques used to unlock the wealth of this planet. Readers are treated to portraits of not only the miners but also their machines. The chapter highlighting mining communities celebrates the people of the industry; they are as geographically and individually varied as are the mines in which they work. The beauty in humble waste dumps and tailings impoundments is celebrated.
The World of Mining contains the work of four men - aerial photographer Jim Wark, landscape photographer Richard Woldendorp, and environmental consultants Karlheinz Spitz and John Trudinger - and winning images from the annual photography contest sponsored by the Snowden Group of Australia.
The brief passages of text sprinkled throughout the book are descriptive and accurate (aside from a minor misspelling on one Canadian mine name). Their brevity allows the evocative pictures tell the story.
The World of Mining belongs in all Canadian mining and exploration companies' offices. It would make an ideal gift for employees to mark special contributions to the industry or on their retirement.
Canadian Mining Journal, December 2011

In this truly unique celebration of mining, breathtaking aerial photographs by award-winning photographers Jim Wark and Richard Woldendorp accompany ground-level pictures of mines, mine-side oddities, and mine communities. Informed but breezy narratives by mining experts John Trudinger and Karlheinz Spitz identify and explain the images.

The World of Mining shows that mining and associated activities can be impressive, attractive, and even spectacular. The book illustrates most if not all aspects of mining and mineral processing, in all its varieties, and from different environments throughout the world. It illustrates the colourful history of mining and its importance to the development of civilisation as we know it. It depicts the wide range of activities in modern mining, from exploration to mine closure, as well as traditional mining by skilled practitioners, using methods adapted to local conditions.

A visual feast for anyone interested, with and without a background in the earth sciences or photography. Recommended as well as a primary and secondary school information source on the subject.

"...a highly credible and lavishly produced volume..."

-- Australian Journal of Mining, November 2011