From Martin Savage
Your look at the increasing automation in mining and quarrying (28 July, p 18) discusses how machines can improve safety standards for workers. It neglects to mention that the principal way in which automation improves worker safety is by making the workers redundant.
I am not advocating a return to medieval mining: but it has to be recognised that if the future of mining is one person controlling many machines from a desk, that also means many unemployed people sitting at home, albeit in improved safety conditions.
Jomtien, Thailand
