Presents results of a series of in-depth discussions with leading mining industry representatives about technology trends. The discussions highlighted the importance of collaborative technology research, development, and implementation strategies and the increasingly critical role of mine personnel in the utilization of new technologies.

This report presents an overview of technologies critical to the economic health of the mining and quarrying industries in the United States. The findings were derived from confidential discussions with leading representatives of 58 mining firms, equipment manufacturers, research institutions, and other organizations who were selected for their prominent positions in the industry and their ability to think broadly and creatively about current technology trends. The study was commissioned by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additional funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Industrial Technologies, with organizational support from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

This book develops and articulates a new perspective on the relationship between natural resources and development by foregrounding issues of innovation, knowledge, and industrial dynamics. Despite growing academic attention to the relationship between economic development and natural resources in social sciences, the issue has received rather limited attention in the field of Innovation Studies. This is problematic given the centrality of innovation and technological change for growth and development. Against that background, this book makes three contributions. Firstly, it summarizes and synthesizes existing insights about learning and innovation in Natural Resource Based Industries. Secondly, it develops new insights based on original research work. Thirdly, it distils and explains the remaining research challenges in the field. Containing important insights for researchers, businesses, and policymakers, this book will be useful to all those with an interest in navigating a natural resource based development pathway. This book was originally published as a special issue of Innovation and Development.