Impacts of Mining Flashcards
Strip Mining
The removal of overlying vegetation and strips of soil and rocks (overburden) to expose underlying ore that is relatively close to Earth’s surface.
Strip mining makes soil more susceptible to
erosion
Open-pit mining
Creates a large visible pit or hole in the ground
Overburden
The rock and soil above a desired ore.
What do strip miners do with sedimentary rocks?
Remove a large volume of material, extract the resource, and return the unwanted waste material, called mine tailings, to the hole created during mining.
Mine tailings
The chemical compounds and rock residues that are left behind after the desired metal or metals are removed from the ore. Often contain trace quantities of the metals or compounds that are the desired resources.
Coal and sand are often deposited…
parallel to the ground (sedimentary) and strip mined.
When is open-pit mining used?
When the resource is close to the surface but extends beneath the surface both horizontally and horizontally.
Copper mines are usually
open-pit mines
Mountain Top Removal
Miners remove the entire top of a mountain with explosives. Large earth moving equipment removes the resources and deposits the tailings in nearby streams and rivers.
Impact of mountain top removal
Large equipment deposits tailings in lower elevation regions, including nearby streams and rivers.
Placer Mining
Process of looking for minerals, metals and precious stones in river sediments.
How does placer Mining work?
heavier items, such as diamonds, tantalum and gold are separated from lighter items (sand and mud) in the river water. Used in California during gold rush.
Surface Mining Impacts on Air
Large quantities of dust released into atmosphere, and fossil fuels released from machinery. Methan also released from coal mining.
Mountain top removal is primarily in
coal mining
Reclamation does not always
rectify damage to groundwater and nearby streams from mountaintop removal.
Placer Mining impact
Contaminates rivers with sediments and chemicals (including toxic chemicals like mercury).
Surface mining effects on water
Mine tailings contaminate any water that percolate through it, and are deposited into nearby waterways.
Surface mining effects on soil
Most soil is completely removed above the mining site. Even if put back, very hard to grow new ecosystem.
Surface mining effects on biodiversity
Destroys and alters habitats over the surfaces being mines
Effects on humans
Not many direct effects on workers, but pollutants decrease quality of air and water leading to possible health affects near mining operations.
Subsurface mining effects on Air
Not as much dust and particulate matter directly released into the air, but fossil fuels emmited from mining equipment can be significant.
subsurface mining effects on water
water that percolates through mine tailings is contaminated, and acid drainage… pumps continuously remove water and create a form of acid drainage. This drainage lowers the PHof nearby soils and streams.
When is subsurface mining used?
When desired resources is more than 100m (328ft) below surface of the earth.
What resources does subsurface mining usually extract?
Coal and metal ore, such as gold, and diamonds.
Acid mine drainage
General term for water that passes through mine tailings. The water reacts chemically with mine tailings and becomes acidic and may contain metals that are leached from the tailings.
subsurface mining effects on soil
none
subsurface mining effects on biodiversity
acid drainage can affect habitats nearby. Roads also create habitat fragmentation.
Subsurface mining effects on humans
Hazards include: Collapse, explosions, and fires. Miners also face respiratory issues, such as black lung disease and chronic diseases.
Which mining technique is most expensive?
Subsurface mining
What specific mineral is dangerous to mine underground?
Coal. Methane deposited normally interspersed with coal beds. Released, and causes potential explosions/suffocation from lack of oxygen.
Which chemical composition is dangerous when released from mining?
Methane. A potent greenhouse gasses.
What is part of reclamation?
Revelation/replanting, controlling erosion and sedimentation, and stabilizing slopes.
What is spoil?
When mine tailings are piled into heaps
Which element contributes to acid mine drainage?
Sulfur
Which metals is most abundant in earths crust?
Aluminum! (Then iron)
Which metal has the highest US reserve?
Cobalt
Mining of this material will lost likely release
Coal will release methane
The resource that the US has the most urgency to recycle and reuse is
Aluminum
What kind of minerals are in metal target ores?
Sulfide minerals
Tailings are
The waste that remains when the minerals have been removed from the ore.
Coal is the
Most mined commodity in the Us
Current largest mine, or the state that produced most coal currently
Wyoming
Historically this state produced most coal
West Virginia, but reserves are being depleted and abandoned
