MINING Flashcards
What is Open-Pit Mining?
A surface mining technique that extracts minerals from an open pit in the ground.
How does Open-Pit Mining affect the environment?
- Sites must be cleared of vegetation for mining, tailings and processing
- Tailings and waste rock leftovers pose both physical and chemical hazards
- Piles of waste ore are unstable and vulnerable to erosion → Contaminating water bodies living organisms depend on
- Animals disturbed by loud noises, human movement and vehicle traffic from operations
- Range of flora and fauna displaced or killed
How does Open-Pit Mining affect aboriginal cultural sites?
- Direct damage to Aboriginal Cultural Sites
- “Rio Tinto blasts a 46,000-year-old Aboriginal site
(Juukan Gorge Cave) to expand an iron ore mine”. - BHP reported damage to a culturally significant site
in Western Australia’s iron ore-rich Pilbara region - Altering the original landform
How does Underground mining affect the environment?
- Requires land clearing for mine works, ore processing and waste dumps → Disturbs
ecosystem - Waste rock is put back in the cavern in cut-and-fill mining but is left at the surface in other
methods - Less surface disruption and produces less
waste (waste rock usually left in the mine) then
open pit mining - Erosion of dumped waste material resulting in
sediment loadings into the adjacent water
bodies, particularly during rainfall →
contamination of water bodies which living
organisms rely on - can release toxic compounds into the air and
water
Underground Mining impact on Aboriginal cultural sites?
- Openings of mines may destroy Aboriginal Cultural sites
- Underground mines may be built below Aboriginal Cultural sites → destroy sites if mine
collapses - Water contamination → potential to pollute Aboriginal Cultural sites near a water source
What is the impact of Offshore and onshore drilling on the environment?
Smallest environmental impact
Onshore drilling:
- potential contamination of groundwater from leaking pipes
- In 2018, Linc Energy was fined for contaminating groundwater resources on the
Western Darling Downs, Queensland
What is the Effect of Offshore & Onshore Drilling on aboriginal cultural sites?
Onshore drilling:
- involves drilling deep vertical and horizontal wells into the ground → Wells may go underneath
Indigenous sacred sites
- large amounts of water are required → use of water from underground aquifers may have an
impact on Indigenous sacred sites that are, or rely upon, this water resource.
Offshore drilling:
- Oil spills → potential to pollute Aboriginal Cultural sites near or on coastal areas.
- requires the construction of onshore infrastructure such as pipelines and processing facilities,
which run the risk of being built over Aboriginal Cultural sites.
Short-term effects of OPEN-PIT MINING:
Habitat Destruction: Clearing of vegetation and land disruption result in immediate loss of habitats for flora and fauna.
Water Pollution: Runoff from exposed surfaces and the presence of tailings can contaminate nearby water bodies.
Air Pollution: Dust and particulate matter from mining activities can cause local air pollution.
Noise Pollution: Mining operations generate loud noises that can disturb local wildlife and communities.
Direct Damage to Aboriginal Cultural Sites: Immediate destruction of Aboriginal cultural sites due to excavation and land clearing.
Habitat Disruption: Initial land clearing and excavation can disturb local ecosystems.
Groundwater Contamination: Underground mining may introduce chemicals into groundwater sources.
Noise and Vibrations: Tunneling and drilling can create short-term disturbances for nearby communities and wildlife.
Direct Damage to Aboriginal Cultural Sites: Mining activities may inadvertently intersect with and damage cultural sites.
Long-term effects of OPEN-PIT MINING:
Soil Erosion: Continued soil disturbance may lead to long-term erosion and reduced soil fertility.
Groundwater Contamination: Leaching of chemicals from waste materials may impact groundwater quality.
-Habitat Fragmentation: Permanent loss of habitat and fragmentation can have long-lasting effects on biodiversity.
Water Quality Degradation: Ongoing contamination from tailings can harm aquatic ecosystems for years.
Loss of Cultural Heritage: Irreplaceable Aboriginal cultural sites may be permanently lost or altered.
Short-term effects of UNDERGROUND MINING;
Habitat Disruption: Initial land clearing and excavation can disturb local ecosystems.
Groundwater Contamination: Underground mining may introduce chemicals into groundwater sources.
Noise and Vibrations: Tunneling and drilling can create short-term disturbances for nearby communities and wildlife.
Direct Damage to Aboriginal Cultural Sites: Mining activities may inadvertently intersect with and damage cultural sites.
Long-Term Effects of UNDERGROUND MINING:
Subsidence and Collapse: Over time, underground voids may cause ground subsidence or collapse, affecting surface structures.
Groundwater Impact: Ongoing contamination may have prolonged effects on groundwater quality.
Biodiversity Impact: Continued disturbance and habitat loss can have lasting effects on local flora and fauna.
Cultural Heritage Impact: Unmanaged underground mining can lead to the gradual degradation of Aboriginal cultural sites.
Short-Term effects of offshore and onshore drilling:
Water Pollution: Spills and leaks during drilling operations can cause immediate water contamination.
Habitat Disruption: Construction of drilling infrastructure can temporarily disrupt marine or land ecosystems.
Noise and Vibrations: Drilling activities generate short-term noise and vibrations that may disturb marine life or nearby communities.
Direct Damage to Aboriginal Cultural Sites: Onshore drilling may intersect with or damage cultural sites if not appropriately managed.
Long-Term Effects of offshore and onshore drilling:
Oil Spill Impact: Oil spills can have long-lasting effects on marine ecosystems, wildlife, and coastal environments.
Marine Biodiversity Impact: Long-term drilling operations may affect marine species and habitats.
-Groundwater Impact: Onshore drilling activities can affect groundwater resources, potentially impacting nearby Aboriginal cultural sites.
Loss of Cultural Heritage: Unmanaged drilling can lead to the degradation or destruction of Aboriginal cultural sites onshore and offshore.
What is “Beneficiation/Refining”
This is the process by which desired minerals are concentrated.
Crushing milling flotationtailings leaching smelting
What is Reclamation?
The restoration of land to either natural conditions or another useful purpose, often involving stabilizing soils and slopes in an area
