A number of actions and technologies are being made and used by mining productions to make less environmental impacts of mining, these are talked about below.
Minerals can affect society in many ways for example; Surface mining destroys vegetation across large areas, increasing erosion. Open-pit mining uses huge quantities of water. Acid mine drainage is pollution caused when dissolved toxic materials wash from mines into nearby lakes and streams. Minerals is approximately 80 percent of mined ore consists of impurities that become wastes after processing. These wastes, called tailings, are usually left in giant piles on the ground or in ponds near the processing plants (Figure 12.9). The tailings contain toxic materials such as cyanide, mercury, and sulfuric acid. Left
The families that live near the mine also face being diagnosed with dangerous side effects. Since the ground becomes polluted with the chemicals, most homes in the surrounding area don’t have running water because the aquifers are polluted by said chemicals that originate from the mine. And the air becomes toxic also, toxic levels of arsenic, fluorine, mercury, and selenium is emitted by coal fires, entering the air and the food chain of those living nearby. These pollutants affect the water also, making it dangerous to any living life form. It causes deformities and creates birth defects if ingested into the body (Breitenender 2). And to an extent, causes death if the water is drunk regularly. It can go unnoticed also if people don’t check their water. And if a person is unfortunate enough to live near these areas, then he likely has no running water due to the pollution of his local aquifer. People are deprived of a vital source to live and they travel far to get water. And these areas are arid which means water is a necessary
The mining has become a controversial topic due to the mass publicity regarding the potential danger of nuclear power and uranium mining, not to mention the objections by some Indigenous groups. The controversy is significant
Have you ever thought about how your able to use a TV or lamp? There are people who have to work in mines or around dangerous machinery just so we can have that privilege. Thousands of miners and other people have been killed because of coal mining. Coal mining has brought some good thought taxes and jobs created. The most important effects of coal mining on the state of West Virginia are thousands of jobs being created, coal affecting West Virginia economically, and coal being used for energy.
Sadly, many men have lost their jobs and become miners. Mining is a job with a steady income; however, it brings home lung diseases and medical bills. Mining used to be this great thing everybody wanted as a job down in Appalachia. Mining effects are much greater than any other job. “Estimates suggest such accidents kill about 12,000 people a year” (“The Dangers of Mining”). In Inez, Kentucky, with a population of only 750, 6% is jobless. More jobs in the mines are becoming more of a hassle, due to the government worrying about working conditions. Siliceous, Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis (CWP), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are all side effects of coal mining and big concerns to higher officials. ("Mining Impacts"). The median household in Appalachia central is 51% lower than national average, and it is lowering by the months. The environment surrounding these counties is either polluted with smoke from the mines or has litter everywhere. Polluted areas causes species to not come back, or to even die off. In a food chain, if one thing disappears, it messes with the whole system. Working in factories and not needing a college education works out great for half the
Things like mining too far into a wall that connects to an older mine, thus increasing the danger of a collapse, is common. Other practices include shoddy dams that contain the slurry, a mixture of water and fine particles of coal, which do not always meet structural regulations that can and have broken and flood nearby communities (Light and Light, 2006). There are other environmental issues that are associated with coal mining. Acid mine drainage is the result of sulfide minerals being exposed to oxygen. This produces sulfuric acid and can dissolve heavy metals from the waste rock, making it bioavailable. Without proper treatment, this will poison the water systems near that mine and will seep into the streams, creeks, and even ground and well water. The water turns orange and is impossible for anything to live off of the water or in it (Kirsch, 2014). Another issue of coal mining is airborne coal dust, which can result in Black Lung disease. This is caused by inhaling too much coal dust and is common in miners, but with surface mining becoming more prevalent, more coal dust is being released into the air and drifting down to the communities. More children and elderly people are having respiratory problems that many believe are because of
My first reason States that mining will affect many jobs including farmers and fishermen. I think this because, without good water, it would be hard for farmers to get good water for irrigating
Metal mining is the process of extracting ore or minerals underneath of the earth. Mining produces economic gains for countries that have plenty of metallic ore deposits, however the mining industry has a record of causing environmental disasters by releasing heavy metals such as (lead, lithium, cadmium) and other chemicals. Also mining has increased air pollution, loss of habitat for many species and the impact on the human health can be devastating.
With that being said here are some environmental impacts of coal you may not know about. The air pollutants cause acid rain, smog ,respiratory illnesses, cancers and toxins in the environment. Coal miners can get respiratory illnesses from the coal dust while mining. If an abandoned coal mine catches fire it puts tons of mercury into the atmosphere, this happens every year and is responsible for three percent of carbon dioxide emissions globally. The second largest contributor to
India has the 2nd largest population followed by the 7th largest land area. It is believed to be over 4000 years old. They border the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. It is a vast country with rich natural resources and history. India was civilized by 500 B.C. They had a golden period under the Gupta Empire during 320 A.D. and 500 A.D. The British started ruling after Bahadur Shah II. India got their independence on August 15th, 1947.India’s population is more than 1.3 billion people as of 2016. Their multiple religions and cultures make India very culturally diverse. Climate varies from tropical monsoons in the south to sweltering suns in the north. Deserts are strewn
In our days, mining for resources is inevitable. The resources we need are valuable in everyday life. Such resources mined up are coal, copper, gold, silver, and sand. However, mining poses environmental risks that can degrade the quality of soil and water, which can end up effecting us humans if not taken care of and many of the damages are irreversible once they have occurred.
South Africa is world leading in mining. The discovery of minerals in this country has attractive many investors and has been the backbone of the country’s economy – leading to many benefits that the people of South Africa could take advantage of. However, not all the benefits are shared equally, and there is a lot of exploitation surrounding the mining sector. This essay will be discussing the issues surrounding the labour exploitation in the mines and the resulting consequences.
The mining industry has seen an explosive growth from the past few decades. It has played an important role in economic growth, infrastructure development and a raise in the living standard of the whole world. According to the Australian National Accounting System, the mining sector has made contributions of 9.8% GDP growth to the Australian economy between 2008 to 2009 (Australia Bureau of Statistics, 2012). However, the mining industry has caused many environmental issues such as adverse effect to air, land and water quality and continues to affect global environment as a whole. According to the World Health Organization, it evaluated that 25% of worldwide death are directly associated with environmental pollution (Blacksmith Institute, n.d). This essay will outline the environmental issue raised by the mining industry with pinpoint focus on the effects to air, water and land. It will also provide strategies for mining companies to improve the environmental conditions.
The Green Revolution has reduced genetic diversity at two levels. First, it replaced mixtures and rotations of crops like wheat, maize, millets, pulses and oil seeds which monocultures of wheat and rice. Second, the introduced wheat and rice varieties came from a very narrow genetic base. On this narrow and alien genetic base the food supplies of millions are precariously perched.