oshi on Nostr: If mining an asset that’s primarily used as a store of value is considered ...

If mining an asset that’s primarily used as a store of value is considered “waste,” then most gold mining would fall into that category.

Every year, billions of tons of earth are moved with diesel-powered machinery.

Entire landscapes are treated with cyanide and mercury.

Large amounts of energy go into refining, then the metal is transported and locked away in vaults - rarely used, mostly held.

The process also leaves behind toxic tailings that can impact ecosystems for generations.

And yet, the majority of that effort produces gold that isn’t consumed in any practical sense - it’s stored, displayed, or simply held as a form of wealth.