I oppose the development of the Chu molybdenum mine because its negative effects extend beyond the site. This mine will affect the quality of life of the residents of Vanderhoof adversely by reducing air and water quality, food sources and revenue. Vanderhoof is a small, geographic centre that supplies food and mineral resources to neighboring cities (BCC, 2009) hence, many of its residents, tourists and neighbors will be directly affected by this project.
The project is very expensive to establish and maintain because of the infrastructure, skilled labor and facilities proposed for impact mitigation. Currently, the budget for this project is $700-1000 million, assuming there are no unexpected expenses. However, many mining projects have unanticipated adverse effects that incur additional expenses. For example, with the Brule coal mine in British Columbia, unexpected faulting in the mine’s location led to a change in mining techniques to reduce the potential for landslide (InfoMine Inc., 2009). This project is also very technical and requires 350-400 skilled professionals from other provinces, thus, most of the revenue generated will not be recycled within Vanderhoof.
For a project with such a high capital and potential to cause adverse effects to the human and biophysical environments, the lifespan of thirty-one years proposed for this project is, in my opinion, inadequate to compensate for its degradation of the environment. Also, if this project is executed, Canada’s molybdenum supply will be depleted by 313 million tonnes in only thirty-one years. This is problematic because molybdenum, a non-renewable resource required for construction of turbines, super magnet and reactor motor will be in short supply for the future.
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...Greenhouse gases are of global concern because they enhance global warming, which can alter many ecosystems such as in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic (BBC, 2009). Other gases such as carbon monoxide formed by the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons will also be emitted and the inhalation of such gases can cause death of human beings and other organisms by depleting the oxygen supply in the affected organism (USFA, 2009)
Most of the effects discussed are irreversible and negatively affect the human and biophysical environments. The most problematic effects are decrease in air and water quality, which directly affect not only human health, but health of other organisms within ecosystems in Vanderhoof, collapsing the food chain. I, therefore, hope my concerns are evaluated and appropriate mitigation methods implemented, if the government decides to approve this project.
The Alberta Oil Sands are large deposits of bitumen in north-eastern Alberta. Discovered in 1848, the first commercial operation was in 1967 with the Great Canadian Oil Sands plant opening, and today many companies have developments there. The Alberta Oil Sand development is very controversial, as there are severe environmental impacts and effects on the local Aboriginal peoples. This essay will discuss the need for changes that can be made for the maximum economic benefit for Canada, while reducing the impact on the environment and limiting expansion, as well as securing Alberta’s future. Changes need to be made to retain the maximum economic benefits of the Alberta Oil Sands while mitigating the environmental and geopolitical impact. This will be achieved by building pipelines that will increase the economic benefits, having stricter environmental regulation and expansion limitations, and improving the Alberta Heritage Fund or starting a new fund throu...
Throughout this mining process, a byproduct is created called chat. The chat is leftover rock and waste from mining that did not contain the desired materials. The chat was left on the site because the Bureau of Indian Affairs thought it could be of value to the Quapaw tribe (1). This product contains high levels of toxic lead and other harmful chemicals. It is estimated that there are 75 million tons (150 billion pounds) of chat piles remaining exposed to the environment as well as numerous flotation ponds that haven’t been taken into account (4).
2.Discuss the benefits as well as adverse effect of drilling oil in Alaska on the environment and people.
Currently, there are numerous species who are threatened in the area where PolyMet wants to construct the mine. Both the Canada lynx and the Gray wolf are threatened species, as well as the long-eared bat (U.S. Fish and Wildlife, 2016). The construction of the mine would disturb these endangered species and the habitats in which they live in. Another factor in the detrimental effects of the PolyMet mine construction is that by building the mine, relationships among Native Americans will be interrupted. A treaty that dates all the way back to 1854 would be compromised with the building of the mine (BC Hydro, 2013, p. X). This treaty, which was agreed upon by both the government and the Chippewa tribe, gave the Chippewa legal entitlement to the land in which PolyMet wants to build the mine (BC Hydro, 2013, p. X). The production alone will disturb animals and wildlife, which will leave the Chippewa with less resources on the land that they preserved for nearly two centuries. For these reasons and more, I believe that the PolyMet mine will ultimately cause more harm than
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (2005) defines mountaintop removal as “a mining practice where the tops of mountains are removed, exposing the seams of coal.” Coal companies throughout Appalachia adopted this process as a means of acquiring coal faster. People in support of mountaintop removal concentrate, not only on the cheap, plentiful energy which is produced, but also the supposed increase in safer occupation opportunities for miners. Such individuals also argue that flattened land provides space for airports, prisons, and shopping centers. However, mountaintop removal has serious consequences, which need to be revealed.
Taconite mining has become more popular ever since the rock has become rare. Taconite was once considered “waste rock,” but is currently really valuable. Since the Gogebic Iron Range has about three-fourths of all the taconite in the nation people from all over the country want to take over and start mining. Although taconite mining would do some good for the community, such as creating tons of jobs and boosting the economy for awhile, there are too many risks. Taconite mining has a negative effect on the environment and health.
Initial projections show that the current schedule will take 50 weeks to finish with a final budget estimate of $3.152 million. Although the project estimate comes in under budget, the time frame for completion extends beyond the acceptable 45 weeks. Therefore, the following discussion takes a closer look at the project's conditions by developing a project priority matrix, project network, and a Gantt chart to help Bjorn Ericksen and his team reduce the project duration. The author then offers a project closure approach.
Where the minerals that America uses came from? Americans use and waste large amounts of substance and material every day. Most people disregard and ignore the places where this material may come from. Putting little to no time into researching on the subject, makes it difficult to ever figure out and appreciate the stories and history behind our beloved substance and consumption of it. But actually putting the effort of working and looking into it, someone may be pleasantly surprised at the amount of backstory on it, and may find it rather interesting. So if someone were to say, look into the history of the Berkeley pit. They would most likely find plenty of sources explaining how it supplied copper and many minerals for the U.S. for years. Of course anyone who already knew information on the pit could tell you its amazing and introcut stories of how it came to be, and how it has been doing over the years. The pit is a “toxic attraction” in the town of Butte. Being the town’s income and source of tourism. Most people in Butte Montana, the home of the pit, could tell how amazing it is.
The oil sands in Canada have been proven to have adverse economic effects to the people of Canada and Alberta. It is the most unsympathetic economic activity killing birds, insects, and other creatures. This is because mining, r...
My opinion on creating a copper mine in Minnesota is, it isn’t a good idea. It isn’t a good idea because: It is bad for the environment, disrupts residents, and it affects the future.
So it is basically a big nuclear reactor. Rimshot. As you can see this could offset the whole ecosystem. It is not worth it. The cost is gigantic as well.
Tetreault, S. (2008). Yucca mountain cost estimate tops $90 billion. The Las Vegas Review Journal . Retrieved March 24, 2011 from http://www.lvrj.com
It is recognized that in a time when the Internet and technology have taken over; mining still employees and provides livelihood to a vase number of people. However, the process of mining affects our health and our environment. According to Wikipedia, “The environmental impact of mining include erosion , formation of sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, and contamination of soil, groundwater and surface water by chemicals from mining proces...
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), carbon dioxide is the primary gas emitted through human activities and is the most important human contributed greenhouse gas (Overview of greenhouse, 2014). Carbon dioxide is naturally occurring in Earth’s atmosphere. The passing of carbon dioxide through the atmosphere, oceans, soil, plants, and animals is what is known as the carbon cycle. This carbon cycle is important to sustaining life here on Earth. Carbon dioxide is important to life on earth because it is the main component of many biological compounds, minerals, and exists in various forms in the atmosphere (Carbon Cycle, 2014). Humans are disrupting this carbon cycle however by adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and by removing natural absorbers of carbon dioxide, like forests to remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This is where the greenhouse effect comes into play, since the industrial revolution there has been an increase in the human-related emission of carbon dioxide mainly due to the burning or combustion of fossil fuels for energy. Other contributors include certain industrial processes, the differen...
The greatest disadvantages of nuclear energy are the risks posed to mankind and the environment by radioactive materials. ‘On average a nuclear plant annually generates 20 metric tons of used nuclear fuel cla...