Environmental impacts and health aspects in the mining industry iii abstract this thesis work has analysed environmental impacts and health aspects in the mining industry of copper, uranium and gold with the aim of determining the relative performance, in a given set of parameters, of the uranium mining industry. Mining is an inherently invasive process that can cause damage to a landscape in an area much larger than the mining site itself. Responses of soil biota to organic ammendments in stripmine spoils in northwestern new mexico, in the journal of environmental quality, 1984, that the addition of organic matter to mined lands can increase water retention in the soil, as well as the microbial process of nutrient accumulation and. The inaugural workshop of the project is scheduled to take place at kitwe, zambia, from. Mining is a very profitable business and it also creates employment opportunities. Environmental and occupational health impact of bauxite. Human health and environmental impacts of coal combustion. Impacts can result in erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by the chemicals emitted from mining processes. Socioenvironmental impacts of lithium mineral extraction.
Pdf environmental and social impacts of mining and their. The mining sector in ghana consists of both smallscale and largescale mining, each of which has varying environmental impacts. Mining activities, including prospecting, exploration, construction, operation, maintenance, expansion, abandonment, decommissioning and repurposing of a mine can impact social and environmental systems in a range of positive and negative, and direct and indirect ways. This means that environmental issues with impacts on a global scale, such as emission of greenhouse gases. Coal mining imposes many external costs on its surroundings and the people who live in it. Environmental impacts of mining can occur at local, regional, and global scales through direct and indirect mining practices. The environmental impact of iron ore mining, in all its phases of, from excavation to beneficiation to transportation, may include detrimental effects on air quality, water quality, and biological species. Environmental impacts of mining activities and methods to reduce. Effects of mining frequency n percentage % degradation of land and vegetation 72 29. This smallscale form of gold mining has little effect on the body of water, but the largescale practice of mining gold from ore can have tremendous negative effects on water quality. There are several mining procedures like hydraulic mining. At abandoned sites, determining the extent and magnitude of mercury contamination is. Much is already known about the environmental impacts of mining, both onsite and offsite, and that body of information provides a basis for this chapter.
Mining involves toxic substances like sulfuric acid, cyanide, and solvents to separate. In the case of batteries, this amounts to an estimated 5 % of the lithiumion batteries put on the european market. There have been only few publications related to the topic. It benefits everyone including the government and that is why the mining industry is widely supported. Economic valuation aspects of environmental impacts of. Minerals are the natural resources which play an important role in the economic development of the country. Mining can also trigger the formation of sinkholes.
A case study of blanket mine 1maligana mathe and 2anthony phiri 1,2 zimbabwe open university, faculty of science and technology box mp1119. Environmental impacts of large scale mining in zambia there are many environmental impacts resulting from mining activities. Environmental effects of mercury how mercury contaminates the environment. The effects of mining coal persists for years after coal is removed. Mining comes with significant baggage, starting with environmental degradation and pollution. Mining as a whole supports every aspect of how our society functions. The location of the diamond mine and mining methods will also have an impact on. Environmental and other effects of mining and transport.
But the extraction and mining of these natural resources leads to some adverse effect on our environment as well. The impact of mining on the environment in gwanda district zimbabwe. Environmental impacts and health aspects in the mining. Although there are some regulations in place that are intended to minimize the damage. The effects of this damage can continue years after a mine has shut down, including the addition to greenhouse gasses, death of flora and fauna, and erosion of land and habitat. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. Effects of mining on the environment and human health. Although, the presence of carbon, hydrogen and sulfur in coal facilitates the energy generation in coal combustion, some pollutants including cox, sox, nox, particulate matter pm and heavy metals are accumulated in air and water and lead to severe environmental and health impacts. Demand for lithium is rising friends of the earth europe. A costbenefit analysis of mining investments, taking the following into consideration. Mining adversely affects the environment by inducing loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and contamination of surface water, groundwater, and soil. Impact of mining on environment authorstream presentation. The upsurge in illegal gold mining activities, popularly known as galamsey operation has left in its wake, loss of ecosystems and increased poverty levels especially among peasant farmers who depend solely on environmental resources for a living.
Impact of bauxite contents and bauxite mining on the environment bauxite mining has a direct impact on the environment by polluting air, water sources and soil table 1. Mining is the extraction of minerals and other geological materials of economic value from deposits on the earth. Although there are some regulations in place that are intended to minimize the damage, they are not enough to allow mining and wildlife to exist in harmony, especially in cases where the regulations are difficult to enforce. Mining industry can become more environment friendly and socially sustainable by integrating practices that reduce the environmental impact of mining operations and implementing corporate social. Hydrothermal alteration associated with the mineral deposit has a major. In addition, the legacy of mining has left thousands of sites in africa contaminated by mining and associated mine dumps such as tailings and slag material. Some metals are toxic some have other indirect negative impacts if in excess in the environment. There are several negative effects of mining for the environment. Review of environmental and health impacts of mining in ghana. Environmental effects of mining download ebook pdf, epub. Gold typically sits in ore and sediment that contains toxins such as mercury. Mining and environmental impact slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising.
For the purposes of this report, social impacts are defined as effects on the well. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Pdf download environmental impacts of mining activities free. Some of the major effects of mining on the environment are as follows. The environmental pollution exerts indirect effects on the health of miners and nearby communities. Environmental and social impacts of mining world resources report.
Download environmental impacts of mining activities or read environmental impacts of mining activities online books in pdf, epub and mobi format. Environmental impacts of mining can occur at local, regional, and global scales through direct. Key environmental and social impacts environmental and social impacts of mining have been welldocumented and an ample. Environmental impacts of mining activities and methods to reduce such impacts. What is the environmental impact of the mining industry. As demand for lithium rises, the mining impacts are increasingly affecting communities where this harmful extraction takes place, jeopardising their access to water. Pdf the impact of mining on the environment in gwanda. Current levels of lithium collection in the eu are very low. Mining affects the environment by exposing radioactive elements, removing topsoil, increasing the risk of contamination of nearby ground and surface water sources, and acidification of the surrounding environment. The social and environmental consequences of coal mining. Mining involves toxic substances like sulfuric acid, cyanide, and solvents to separate and process the mineral from the ore.
If all mining ceased on the planet, society would cease to function. Environmental impacts of mining activities and methods to. The current analysis focuses on the environmental and health impacts of mining in ghana and blends extant data from the literature as well as the coauthors recent findings on the causes, status, trends, and consequences of mining in ghana. This case study focuses on the costs of the environmental and social effects of coal mining in south africa, undertaken for export to the netherlands. Through blows the minedout parts of ore veins reach the land surface and create an extensive depressed zones. Surface mining, including strip mining, openpit mining and mountain top removal mining, is a broad category of mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit the overburden are removed. In this study, a choice has been made to focus on impacts with mostly local and sometimes regional effects. Effects of gold mining on the environment sciencing. Unique composition which depends on bedrock ore, process used, water purification techniques, climate etc. Due to its high energy generation potential, coal is widely used in power generation in different countries. The environmental impact of mining is the influ ence that mining activities have. Effects of mining on the environment a national overview. The impact of mining on the environment has been a major issue for decades while nature has evolved with positive and negative aspects.
Mining is an inherently destructive industry, and the mining effects of even a single operation can have a severe impact on the environment and the wildlife that lives nearby. T his chapter presents a discussion of impacts of uranium mining and processing operations on air quality, soil, surface water and groundwater, and biota. Some of these can be quantified by estimates, others are difficult to estimate. Mining is the source of the substances that cannot be received through industrial procedures or agricultural progresses. Environmental and other effects of mining and transport ccc281. The different environmental impacts from different types of mining every diamond mine will have a slightly different environmental management plan, because its effect on the environment will differ according to its geographical, social and ecological situation.
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