Earth's Natural Resources: Mining

Earth's Natural Resources: Mining

Introduction
| Section A
| Section B
| Section C
| Section D

a sign warning people to stay out of an abandoned mine area

Environmental Impacts of Mining

Without mining operations, we would have no way to extract the mineral resources we depend on. But like many things, mining can harm the environment in a number of ways. Like the sign says, mine sites can be hazardous.

Can you look at each of these pictures and figure out what some of mining’s impacts might be? Roll over each image to learn more.

Next: Section D, page 14

Scarring the land and disrupting ecosystems—mountaintop removal, for example, involves cutting down forests and burying streams with valley fill.

Land subsidence—this occurs when land above an underground mine collapses, causing houses to tilt, cracking sewer lines, and fracturing gas pipes. Fractured natural gas pipelines are especially dangerous because they pose explosion hazards.

Air and water pollution—mineral ores contain metals, as well as other substances, as byproducts or waste material. This material pollutes the water, forming a "toxic soup." One of the most harmful of these is a substance called acid mine drainage, which you will learn about later. Also, the wind can carry contaminated dust from mine explosions to people’s homes and the dust can linger in the air they breathe.

Loss of biodiversity—this happens when areas are logged and dynamited for mining activities. Also, the overburden removed for surface mining, especially mountaintop removal mining, often ends up being dumped in nearby streams—killing aquatic wildlife.