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The impacts of mining on the environment
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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. Reason one is it is bad and harmful for the lakes, and it causes pollution. It harms the environment by the extra sulfide being transported. There could be a problem that occurs with how the sulfide is being contained, and it could seep out into the Boundary Waters that are near the mining ground. The mining could also affect the air quality around, and that can be harmful for people and animals to breathe in. It’s also not good because the mining will disrupt and annoy residents. When mining the animals, that live next to the lakes, would
Copper mining has had a huge impact on Michigan throughout history. Copper mining has had such an impact that the Upper Peninsula of Michigan has a region referred to as “The Copper Country” because of its involvement in the copper-mining industry. The copper-mining industry has also led to technological developments necessary for hoisting and drilling as well as the development of towns and cities in the Keweenaw. In addition, it led to the creation of many potential jobs for residents of the towns that were developed to support these mines.
Purpose: The railroad was originally made to make to the traveling of goods and people faster and more efficient. In that respect, it has easily fulfilled the goals originally set for it.
I comprehend that the future of coal depends on change and innovation; I feel America needs to use clean energy in the future to protect our environment and public health. I think changes to the clean water act created ambiguity to coal companies, which allowed the dumping of mining waste into our nations waterways. Appalachia needs to rely less on coal mining and concentrate on diversifying the economy. Appalachia has an abundance of resources that can be urbanized to supply new jobs and clean energy methods, such as wind, solar, hydropower and biomass, which could support rural areas. With political and economic guidance, I believe Appalachia could transition from coal to clean energy.
Yes, this additional expense is necessary and mining affects the plant and animal population, hydrological cycle. And it’s necessary to maintain this for sustainable development.
Mountaintop removal can impact the local water table, it contributes to an increase in the level of birth defects and it has destroyed over 1 million acres of land. Mountaintop removal changes the quality of the local ground water that is available to a community. This is often seen in the form of an increase or decrease in the amount of minerals that are present. In turn, this can also negatively impact local wildlife, eliminate fish species, and create less animal diversity. And when it comes to the level of birth defects, very few studies have pointed out this potential link, the changes in mineral content and atmospheric quality where a mountaintop coal mine is present could also be responsible for higher levels of birth defects. If true, then is the need for cheaper, cleaner coal worth harming children? It is sad that we are so dependent on coal mining for electricity. Coal mining is a nonrenewable resource that is outdated. It produces high levels of radiation, and the coal ash that is produced during the process is a hazard and there is no way to dispose of it
...sumption, creates emission of greenhouse gases and other harmful chemical materials. Once released into the air, it can cause environmental problems, which in turn threatens not only the environment, but also the health of the people who live in it. In order to reduce the use of energy to help protect our planet and our health, the diamond mining industry has implemented renewable energy programs to monitor energy and carbon emission. Since its beginning, mining company PHP Billiton program has saved an equivalent of one million liters of diesel fuel per year at their Ekati Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories. The health of the environment and the health of humanity are as one. Whatever we do to our planet, we do to ourselves. Reducing energy consumption of diamond mining not only helps protect our planet, but also helps protect the health of our people.
...y question, what good is a profession that destroys your home and your body? While environmental groups make the protection of people and the environment of the Appalachian region top priority, the mining companies focus on acting cheaply, not responsibly. And the policy government keeps their heads in the sand when it comes to this issue because they seek benefits of steady jobs and tax revenue of coal mining instead of seeking to guarantee clean water for Appalachians.
Even though many people feel that taconite mining will be good for the economy, community, and jobs, it will really only cause a lot of harm to the community. Taconite mining has a bad effect on the environment and health. Mining will cause community members to have cancer, such as mesothelioma. It will create a huge impact on the environment, in the water, air, and to living organisms. Wild rice beds may become extinct in the area. Overall it would just create a huge mess that may never be able to be cleaned up.
When it comes to the PolyMet mine in MN, there are pros and cons for each side so either way the outcome won’t be perfect. My opinion is unsure and I don't favor a side. To support this issue Dr. Fairhurst, a professor at the U of M, stated, “Mining is very important. The main material in technology is copper. If PolyMet achieves their goal of 72 million pounds of copper in 20 years, our technology could keep advancing and make these types of projects improve. “There could be self driven mining trucks which improves safety for miners.” On the other side, the Boundary Waters are at risk of being polluted. This is very risky because if something goes wrong with the mine, the water may flow up to the site and pollute it. Paul Danicic, Executive
Strip mining does not lead to just deforestation, as it can also cause cave-ins and sinkholes around local areas. Further, it can lead to seismic activity (earthquakes) that can be a nuisance to local
What comes to mind when you think of coal mining? If you're like me, coal mining means living in darkness and a cold hearted industry. Other words that come to mind are poverty and oppression. Coal mining is not a job that you dream about or get a degree for. People who are coal miners do not chose a life full of danger and repression, they get stuck with it. There are many dangers that come along with coal mining, not only for the workers, but for the environment. Coal mining and the coal industry have caused irreversible damage to our environment and has killed innocent miners.
Acid mine drainage refers to water (leachate, drainage or seepage) that has come into contact with oxidised rocks or overburden that contains sulphide material (coal, zinc, copper, lead). (Keller, 2000; U.S.G.S.; U.S.E.P.A., 2002). A common sulphide is pyrite, or iron disulfide (FeS2), and throughout this essay it will be pyrite that will be the primary sulphide considered. Acid mine drainage is not a new phenomenon, early mining techniques utilized gravity to avoid water pooling, resulting in the water becoming polluted by acid, iron, sulphur and aluminium (U.S.E.P.A., 2002). It is most commonly associated with coal mining, especially with soft coal, coal that has high sulphur content. The pyrite that is present in coal seams will be accessible after surface mining when the overlying surfaces are removed or in deep mines that allow oxygen access to the previously inaccessible pyrite-containing coal (D.E.P. 1, 1997). After pyrite is exposed to air and water, sulphuric acid and iron hydroxide are formed, creating an acidic runoff (D.E.P. 1, 1997; 2 2002).
Coal mining can benefit humans as well as it supports the economy in many ways. Coal mining provides a lot of jobs for local communities. It provides over 7 million jobs worldwide.
Greenhouse gasses that are released into the air when mining are harmful to the environment and the release of dust particulates negatively affect the ecosystems around the mines. As well as the air pollution there is usually a large amount of noise. In Gauteng large scale mining has caused the dolomite rock to cave in which has resulted in large sinkholes forming and earthquakes.
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.