Environmental Impact of Mining
The environmental impact of mining refers to the negative effects on the surrounding ecosystem caused by mining activities. These impacts can include habitat destruction, soil and water contamination, and air pollution. Mining can also lead to deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and disruption of local communities. Efforts to mitigate these impacts include reclamation and restoration of mined areas, as well as implementing sustainable mining practices.
8 Key excerpts on "Environmental Impact of Mining"
eBook - ePubEnvironmental Impacts of Mining
Monitoring, Restoration, and Control, Second Edition
- Mritunjoy Sengupta(Author)
- 2021(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
...1Mining and the Environment1.1 IntroductionMining operations have been seen by environmentalists and conservationists alike as causing problems. Undoubtedly, the operations of metal and coal producers have caused varying degrees of environmental damage in mining areas, which are often located in remote regions. In the urban, suburban, and rural settings of agricultural communities, the operators of rock quarries, gravel pits, and certain industrial mines have been considered the more visible and significant offenders. Much of the concern has been focused on the concurrent and subsequent physical and aesthetic effects that their operations have had on the land—as a basic resource. Mining is only a temporary occupier of the land surface and, hence, is of a transient nature. Although active mines at any particular time are not as widespread as other land uses, they dramatically change the landscape and tend to leave evidence of their past use. Thus, the results of abandonment or closure become most conspicuous to the public. There have been continuous confrontations between citizen groups, governmental agencies, and members of the mining industry. The degree of conflict and its nature usually depended on the current land use and the estimated consequences of proposed disturbances...
eBook - ePubEnvironmental Impact of Mining and Mineral Processing
Management, Monitoring, and Auditing Strategies
- Ravi Jain(Author)
- 2015(Publication Date)
- Butterworth-Heinemann(Publisher)
...Land Impacts from MiningMining operations have significant impact on the physical characteristics of the land (Table 4.33). Land impacts, combined with other environmental impacts, affect the land use patterns of the local area. In turn, land use patterns have ecological, economic, social implications.In 1977, the U.S. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act was passed to regulate and enforce the reclamation of surface mines and minimize land impacts, specifically for coal mining. Coal mining operators are required to pay into the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, which is distributed to fund mining reclamation and other activities such as control of erosion, landslides, and land subsidence.Table 4.33Land attributes affected by mining and mineral processingLand attributesEffect on health or environmentSourceSoil contaminationReduced vegetative and animal growth. Contaminants can enter the food chainErosion, particulate matter, waste disposal, mine water, vehicle trafficTopsoil disturbanceReduced vegetative growth and biodiversityLand clearing, erosionErosionIncreases TSS and TDS in streams, leading to decreased use of water. Increases PM in air, leading to health problemsWind and water erosion increases in areas with less vegetation and coverSubsidenceDecreases aquifer capacity, diverts surface and ground water resources, damages infrastructure, creates safety hazardsUnderground mine design, geological propertiesLand use patternsLoss of agricultural land and forests, decrease in value of adjacent land parcels, population movementsConflicting types and intensities of land use, impacts to local/regional air, water, ecosystem and soilSoil ContaminationSoil contamination is an ongoing problem that affects active mines and can persist long after mine remediation. Mining involves the excavation of massive amounts of buried materials and bringing them to the surface for processing...
eBook - ePub- U. Aswathanarayana(Author)
- 2003(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
...CHAPTER 5 Impact of mining on the environment – waste-wise 5.1 INTRODUCTION Almost all the mining involves the penetration of the lithosphere through quarries, opencast mines and the underground mines. Hydrosphere comes into the picture in the process of working the river placers and extracting minerals (usually heavy minerals, but in the case of Namibia, diamonds) from the seabed. Mining and extraction of minerals have impacts on rocks, soils, water, air and the biota. Three types of changes may be expected as a consequence of mining: (1) Change in the natural topography, and the consequent disturbance in the suitability of land for various uses, such as, agriculture and forestry, (2) Change in the hydrogeological condition, affecting groundwater and surface water, and (3) Change in the geotechnical conditions resulting in the deformation of the natural conditions of the rock mass, including dislocations the surface (Vartanyan, 1989, p. 39). The impact of mining in a given district is determined by the geological characteristics of the rocks, such as, age, lithology, structure and tectonics, geomorphic setting, weathering, etc. Most of the Archaean belts have undergone polyphase metamorphism and deformation. On the other hand, some of the younger formations may be flat-lying and unmetamorphosed. Igneous and metamorphic rocks are generally much harder than the sedimentary rocks. In the tropical countries, weathering can go very deep. Surface mining usually involves the removal of the soil cover and the detritus through the use of scrapers, bulldozers or digging machines, followed by the drilling and blasting of the rock below it. The mined material is crushed, stored, dressed and concentrated in various ways. These operations have the effect of changing the stress balance in the rock, hydrostatic pressure in the pores and aquifers, and releasing dust and gas into the atmosphere...
eBook - ePubUnearthing Justice
How to Protect Your Community from the Mining Industry
- Joan Kuyek(Author)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- Between the Lines(Publisher)
...Chapter 1 described the enormous size of mines and the infrastructure required to service them. The physical footprint of a mine is an environmental impact in and of itself, although most environmental assessments have ignored it. The other impacts are caused by the catastrophic collapse of tailings dams, which is discussed at the end of this chapter. The impacts to water and water bodies include: sedimentation leachate from chemical changes to mined and smelted ore and waste rock that is allowed to interact with air and rain, including acid mine drainage and metal leaching effects from pollutants used in the mining process, such as cyanide, ammonia, and flocculants impacts from water consumption impacts from diversion and dewatering processes impacts from wastewater treatment practices The impacts to air (and to land when dust collects there) include the emission of: smelter fumes and dust arsenic trioxide fugitive dust greenhouse gases radon Impacts on Water Mining has enormous impacts on water, as we will see in the following sections. Erosion and Sedimentation Blasting, the removal of vegetation, the use of heavy equipment, and road, bridge, and other infrastructure construction can all cause erosion. In the absence of adequate prevention and control strategies, this erosion of the exposed earth may carry substantial amounts of sediment into streams, rivers, and lakes, where it will clog riverbeds and smother watershed vegetation, wildlife habitat, and aquatic organisms. The degree of sedimentation is measured in “total suspended solids,” or TSS. Although some sedimentation happens naturally, especially in mountainous glacial streams, mining activities can dramatically increase the amount of suspended solids in water. Sediment affects fish and fish habitat. If the TSS level is high enough, it will kill fish directly...
eBook - ePubExploring Environmental Issues
An Integrated Approach
- David D. Kemp(Author)
- 2004(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...The search for high-grade raw materials has always been part of the mining industry and is unlikely to change. For many minerals, if not most, the better-quality resources have been found, however, and are already being worked or in some cases have been exhausted. As a result, the industry is working with lower-quality deposits, which are more costly to extract, often have marginal profitability and require the extraction of greater volumes of unwanted crustal material. The resulting waste is a source of a number of environmental problems and the modern mining industry has evolved to deal with such problems, often under the pressure of environmental legislation. Environmental impact assessments are required before major mineral extraction projects are allowed and the results of the assessment may lead to the abandonment of the project, or its modification to reduce the perceived impact. In theory, a project should be allowed to proceed only if the impact statement indicates minimal environmental disruption, but in some cases, often for political or socio-economic reasons, a potentially disruptive development is permitted. In developing countries, for example, it is not uncommon for a higher level of environmental pollution than would be allowed by an environmental impact assessment to be traded off against reduced unemployment and poverty. The imposition of environmental regulations on the extraction industries is often considered to add to production costs, and that appears to be true with established operations that may be working with obsolete technology or limited capital. There is growing evidence, however, that in new projects the use of innovative technology and appropriate managerial strategies to deal with environmental issues can reduce both production and environmental costs (Warhurst 1994). Promising as that may be, the reality is that it is impossible to extract minerals from the land without some degree of environmental disruption...
eBook - ePub- Musaida Mercy Manyuchi, Charles Mbohwa, Edison Muzenda, Nita Sukdeo(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
...A total of 100 workers, including women, will be employed at the mine. 90% of the workers will be from the local community. There is potential to increase the number of workers and local laborers as operations expand. Workers are housed on site and are provided protective clothing. Potable water will be available from an on-site borehole or from the riverbed. 5.12 Potential Environmental Impacts The following impacts are likely to be observed and fall broadly into the following categories: geology, biophysical, and socioeconomic. 5.12.1 Biophysical Impacts The biophysical impacts include: i. Excavation leading to changes in surface soil ii. Excavations exposing soil to heat, leading to soil sterility iii. Excavations leading to changes in area topography iv. Excavations leading to loss of aesthetic values of the landscape v. Excavations leading to land instability as new soil profiles are created vi. Gold panning removing soil-binding material, leading to sedimentation loading vii. Excavations resulting in soil degradation due to soil structure destruction viii. Excavation resulting in either increased or reduced infiltration recharge ix. Excavation process resulting in air emissions from loading and gaseous emissions from vehicles and motorized equipment x. Excavation works resulting in soil and water contamination from fuel spills and grease/oils xi. Waste discards at excavation sites resulting in poisoning of terrestrial/aquatic habitat and biota xii. Exposed sulfur-containing rocks interacting with air and water acid mine drainage. 5.12.2 Socioeconomic Impacts Gold mining results in positive socioeconomic benefits, which include: i. Gold-panning projects generate employment ii. Gold-panning projects sustain local mineral-processing industries iii. Gold-panning projects contribute to fiscal receipts through tax revenues iv...
eBook - ePubMining and Sustainable Development
Current Issues
- Sumit. K. Lodhia, Sumit. K. Lodhia(Authors)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...1Mining and sustainable developmentSumit K. LodhiaThe role of mining in sustainable developmentMining is a transformative activity which has numerous economic, social and environmental impacts. These impacts can be both positive and adverse, enhancing as well as disrupting economies, ecosystems and communities (Moranet al., 2014). From economic development, construction of infrastructure and development of communities, to severe environmental effects during the entire mining life cycle, displacement of local communities and concerns over wealth inequities, the mining industry (also referred to as minerals or extractive industries) plays a critical role in local and national economies and communities.The extractive industries have been criticised heavily for their adverse impacts and involvement in significant social and environmental scandals (Franks, 2015). Incidents such as those in the OK Tedi and Baia Marie mine sites (Lodhia, 2007) at the turn of the century and, more recently, the Samarco mining dam failure (Garciaet al., 2017) are some examples of the adverse consequences of mining operations. This has resulted in constant scrutiny of mining activities by stakeholders and an increasing pressure on mining companies’ social licence to operate (Lodhia, 2007; Lodhia and Hess, 2014). These industries have sought to respond to negative perceptions and have embraced the core principles of sustainability (Moranet al., 2014; Franks, 2015; Bice, 2016).The minerals sector could be regarded as a leader in sustainability initiatives, evident from the various frameworks in mining and sustainability that have emerged over time. Guidance such as the Global Mining Initiative and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative globally (Franks, 2015), and local sustainable development codes such as Enduring Value for the Australian mining industry (Lodhia, 2007), indicate the seriousness with which sustainability issues are regarded in the mining industry...
eBook - ePub- Genadiy Pivnyak, Volodymyr Bondarenko, Iryna Kovalevs'ka, Mykhaylo Illiashov(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
...Creation of scientific basis of monitoring research involves identifying regularities of anthropogenic pollution of the environment in order to develop principles of environmental monitoring system and to supplement it with highly sensitive bioindication methods (Gorova 2009, 2012). This approach is innovative in the field of theoretical foundations of environmental monitoring in the impact zone of energy sector waste and mining industry waste. The aim of the work is to study the ecological state of the waste disposal areas of energy and mining industry enterprises to develop recommendations to reduce their negative effects on the environment and public health. To achieve this goal following tasks have been met: – the features of waste formation, accumulation and disposal depending on the technology of mining were investigated; – volumes of slags from coal-fired thermal power plants were defined; – existing systems for environmental monitoring of enterprises of fuel and energy complex and mining industries were analyzed; – the features of the waste impact on the state of environment components and public health were analyzed; – ecological status of environmental objects in areas of waste disposal, using physical, chemical and bioindication methods was assessed; – health statistics of the population living in areas adjacent to hazardous environmental enterprises and industrial waste disposal areas were analyzed; – the levels of environmental and ecological and genetic risks for environmental objects on the waste disposal territories were defined. As a result of many years of research ecological state of the environment in areas adjacent to the placement of energy sector and mining industry waste have been identified...
