Environmental Impacts Of Mineral Exploitation

Question 1

Environmental impacts (8)

Answer 1

Land take
Habitat loss
Loss of amenity
Dust
Noise 
Turbid drainage water
Spoil disposal
Mineral site restoration

Question 2

Land take

Answer 2

Land conflict
ESP as no choice where deposit is
Land needed larger than area of mine void itself - access routes, overburden dumping, spoil dumping and possibly buffer zone between mining and neighbouring areas.
Open cast mining more habitat loss then deep mining

Question 3

Habitat loss

Answer 3

Surface habitat removed - remove wildlife and transporting to new habitat rarely successful.
New habitat created after mine
To reduce damage to benthic organisms dredging done where strong currents move sediment around - few organisms found there.
Local environmental effects minimised by gd management

Question 4

Loss of ameanity

Answer 4

Aesthetic problems reduced by landscaping and tree planting.

Mine close - community resource

Question 5

Dust

Answer 5

Blasting and vehicle movement- create dust lifted into atmosphere. Water sprays used clump dust heavy and settle.

Question 6

Noise

Answer 6

Vehicles and rock blasting
Embankments or baffle mounds absorb / deflect noise
Set times of day and restricted to day time - locals can expect it

Question 7

Turbid drainage water

Answer 7

Suspended solid particles in mine drainage water reduce light penetration. Sediment cover also cover / kill animals and plants.
Reduced by sedimentation lagoons where water stands long enough for solids to sink, so h2o outflow low turbidity.

Question 8

Spoil disposal

Answer 8

Unwanted left over waste material from mining inc overburden material, unwanted minerals, solid wastes from chem processing of mineral. Needs b managed and disposed of careful.
Problems:
Aesthetics - landscaping
Stability - not compact —> erosion. Reduced by landscaping reduce gradient. Waterlogged landslides.
Leachate - rainwater percolating heap —> dissolve toxic metals and sulphides produce acidic leachate solutions. Many more soluble in acidic conditions. Mine drainage water passed through filter bed crushed lime immobilise metal and prevent carried into rivers

Question 9

Mine site restoration

Answer 9

New uses - topography, location, access residual problems affect usurban dev possible if ground stable - if metal ions present industry more suitable then housing.
Ag possible If ground stable, fairly flat and few toxic metals and fertile