"Sustainable" Mining...any such thing?

I wish I could find an article that talks about Sustainable mining in a believable way. I feel like I am caught in a bizarre "emperors new clothes" scenario...where everyone has spent so much money that they insist it must be true and exist. Either that or its the holy grail of sustainability. Cliche's aside...I would love to hear your opinions? Sustainable Mining -- fact / fiction / myth?