Environmental Issues in Mining.docx
- 1. Environmental Issues in Mining Impacts of Mining: Water Resources Air Quality Wildlife Soil Quality Social Aspect Impacts on Water Resources: What do you think are the consequences of mining on our water resources? 1. Acid mine drainage and contaminant leaching – Acid drainage and contaminant leaching is the most important source of water quality impacts related to metallic ore mining. A mine with acid mine drainage has the potential for long-term devastating impacts on rivers, streams, and aquatic life. HARM TO FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC LIFE Many streams impacted by acid mine drainage have a pH value of 4 or lower – similar to battery acid. Plants, animals, and fish are unlikely to survive in streams such as this. TOXIC METALS Acid mine drainage also dissolves toxic metals, such as copper, aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, lead and mercury, from the surrounding rock. 2. Erosion of soils and mine wastes into surface water – Erosion may cause significant loading of sediments (and any entrained chemical pollutants) to nearby waterbodies, especially during severe storm events and high snow melt periods. 3. Impacts of tailing impoundments, waste rock, heap leach, and dump leach facilities – These impacts include contamination of groundwater beneath these facilities and surface waters. 4. Impacts of mine dewatering – Ground water drawdown and associated impacts to surface waters and nearby wetlands can be a serious concern in some areas. Impacts of Mining Projects on Air Quality What do you think are the consequences of mining on our air quality? 1. Mobile sources – Mining operations mobilize large amounts of material, and waste piles containing small size particles are easily dispersed by the wind. The largest sources of air pollution in mining operations are:
- 2. Particulate matter transported by the wind as a result of excavations, blasting, transportation of materials, wind erosion (more frequent in open-pit mining), fugitive dust from tailings facilities, stockpiles, waste dumps, and haul roads. Exhaust emissions from mobile sources (cars, trucks, heavy equipment) raise these particulate levels. Gas emissions from the combustion of fuels in stationary and mobile sources, explosions, and mineral processing. 2. Stationary sources 3. Fugitive emissions 4. Incidental releases of mercury 5. Noises and vibration Impacts of Mining Projects on Wildlife What do you think are the consequences of mining on our wildlife? Wildlife is a broad term that refers to all plants and any animals (or other organisms) that are not domesticated. 1. Habitat loss – Some impacts are short-term and confined to the mine site; others have far- reaching, long-term effects. 2. Habitat fragmentation – Habitat fragmentation occurs when large areas of land are broken up into smaller and smaller patches, making dispersal by native species from one patch to another difficult or impossible, and cutting off migratory routes. Impacts of Mining Projects on Soil Quality What do you think are the consequences of mining on soil quality? 1. Soil Contamination – Mining can contaminate soils over a large area. Agricultural activities near a mining project may be particularly affected. Impacts of Mining Projects on Social Values What do you think are the consequences of mining in the social aspect? 1. Human displacement and resettlement 2. Impacts of migration 3. Lost access to clean water 4. Impacts on livelihood 5. Impacts on public health 6. Impacts to cultural and aesthetic resources