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Ramos, Eunice
Land subsidence induced by underground coal mining is one of the adverse impacts of mining, which not only destroys soil structure and changes its properties, but also causes other eco-environmental problems, such as limitation of vegetation growth, reduction of crop production, plant death.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12665-016-5439-2

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Acknowledgments

The work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U1361214), 973 Program (No. 2013CB227904), the Funds for Creative Research Groups of China (No. 51421003) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2013RC15).

Author information

Affiliations

School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221116, China

Yang Dejun, Bian Zhengfu & Lei Shaogang

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lei Shaogang.

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Dejun, Y., Zhengfu, B. & Shaogang, L. Impact on soil physical qualities by the subsidence of coal mining: a case study in Western China. Environ Earth Sci 75, 652 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5439-2
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Keywords

Coal mining

Cumulative probability

Organic matter

Soil cohesion

Soil physical quality

Soil water content

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Impact on soil physical qualities by the subsidence of coal mining: a case study in Western China - Environmental Earth Sciences

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It is of great importance to investigate the effect of soil physical quality index on the surface soil by the subsidence induced by coal mining to quantify the impact of land surface change on soil physical quality. In this paper, sampling locations were distributed according to the theory of mining subsidence.

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Indigenous people may have to leave their home because of mining

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Indigenous people may have to leave their home because of mining

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Name: Marc Nathaniel C. Bawalan
References:https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/de2c08a0b1cd4d08a4f7e728adc0c22e

There is a direct correlation between mining’s negative effects and indigenous peoples being disproportionately affected in the Philippines due to their geographic location- indigenous peoples predominantly live in mountainous, rugged regions due to their resistance of foreign religions and cultural norms, and mountainous regions of the Philippines have large deposits of minerals and natural resources due to the geographic processes that shaped them over time (Holden, 2013). This puts them in a constant environmental conflict with mining companies, as natural resources can be found in, or around their settlements (Holden, 2013). Half of the areas identified as mining projects or potential mining projects are on indigenous lands (Holden, 2013).

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Mining on Indigenous Territories in the Philippines

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Geological features, environmental, and socioeconomic impacts on the indigenous population of the Philippines.

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Mining is not sustainable in the long run

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Mining is not sustainable in the long run

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Name: Francheska Nicole C. Arzobal
- https://ensia.com/articles/mine-over-matter/
https://ensia.com/articles/mine-over-matter/

Mining is intrinsically unsustainable: it devastates the biophysical environment, and its benefits to human well-being are unequal and typically outweighed by the social and economic harm caused. Mining should be effectively diminished rather than expanded. However, in the current global context, this theory is based on a set of parameters that are unachievable: a profit-driven economic system, dysfunctional accounting that treats collective and ecological goods as external costs, tax evasion and financial confidentiality, and weak governance relative to the power of extractive corporations. To the extent that mining has aided development, it has come at a significant environmental and human cost. The more thorough and thoughtful the plans for mining for development,' the more obvious it becomes that such goals will be impossible to achieve.

Demand must be reduced, manufactured things must be reused, and materials must be recycled. In order to make informed decisions, we need to factor in the exact costs of collecting and processing raw resources. Indigenous peoples must be able to give their free, prior, and informed permission, and mining must be decided in a democratic and inclusive manner. Mines that require 'perpetual care,' such as heavy metal or radioactive contamination, should not be built.

We must give our valuable geological resources a true value and leave them in the ground until they are truly needed.

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Name: Ellah A. Caimpon
References:
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/384/1/012195/pdf

https://www.oecd.org/env/1830307.pdf

https://youtu.be/WvJZY14fOgk

Ecological imbalance is the disturbance of the natural balance of the ecosystem caused mostly by careless human activities. The destruction caused by mineral extraction often creates this imbalance. It affects the land, atmosphere, water, and people. Quarrying of mines strips open-air vegetation and damages our land resources, trees have been cut down and landslides are prevalent;  most coal mines released methane into the air, and because of its ability to trap heat in the atmosphere, it plays a part in climate change; Residues from mining activities are drained and dumped into the rivers and in other places; Spill of toxic materials such as mercury caused the death of many (Peru, South America).

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Name: Hannah Marikka E. Ferre
References:
- https://www.safewater.org/fact-sheets-1/2017/1/23/miningandwaterpollution
- https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/mining-and-water-quality?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects

Water pollution from discharged mine effluent and seepage from tailings and waste rock impoundments, damages fresh water, as does the high use of water in ore processing. Human activities such as mining are increasingly threatening the water sources on which we all rely. Enhancement of heavy metals contamination of the groundwater is one of the serious environmental issues. Some of the heavy metals considered as micronutrients become detrimental to human health when their concentrations exceed the permissible level of drinking water.

There's a lot of mining impacts on water quality such as, acid mine drainage, heavy metal contamination and leaching, processing chemicals pollution and erosion and sedimentation. Mine drainage is metal-rich water formed from a chemical reaction between water and rocks containing sulfur-bearing minerals. The resulting chemicals in the water are sulfuric acid and dissolved iron. The acid runoff further dissolves heavy metals such as copper, lead, mercury into groundwater or surface water. Metal-laden drainage from abandoned coal mines have substantial effects on aquatic resources. Problems that can be associated with mine drainage include contaminated drinking water, disrupted growth and reproduction of aquatic plants and animals, the corroding effects of the acid on parts of infrastructures such as bridges

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Name: Eu Hann Blessing R. Andaya
References:
- https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-dams-caribbean-brazil-international-news-98cf6d47bf8547b88d12c9b151ee19ed
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5129257/
- https://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2016/finalwebsite/solutions/greenmining.html
- https://www.devp.org/en/legacy/brazil-mining-waste-dam-collapse-predicted-tragedy-second-major-dam-collapse-minas-gerais/

Heavy metals contamination is increasingly becoming a problem due to its harmful effect in our environment. These contaminants are being released in our land due to the rapidly growing of mining and metal industries. Mining activities can lead to large amounts of heavy metal-laden waste, which are then released into the environment in an uncontrolled manner, causing widespread contamination in our ecosystem.

According to the video that ma’am sent, open mining is the safest method of mining, but in this case it is not. Hazardous metals are present during every step of open mining method. Inside of these rocks can expose us from radioactive contaminants that are unhealthy for humans and our environment. Some toxic metals frequently associated with mining include mercury, arsenic and lead. These substances are present at low concentrations in soil, rock and water, but the process of mining may release large quantities harmful to the health of people and the environment. Thus, our life expectancy often is drastically low. It could also change the genetic composition of an organism.

There is this collapse in November of a mining dam in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, which resulted in the flooding of the whole town under a sea of mud contaminated with heavy metals such as silica and iron ore waste. The biodiversity of the river has completely lost. It killed almost 270 people because of the impact. It also left 250,000 people without drinking water after the downstream supply systems were polluted by thick slurry of contaminated materials. It cause terrible human tragedy and environmental disaster. The total settlement costed 7 billion dollars.

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The mining waste dam collapse in Córrego do Feijão mine in Brazil has caused tremendous human and environmental tragedy. This is the second Vale owned dam to collapse in 4 years in the state of Minas Gerais.

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759k members in the environment community. Current news, information and issues related to the environment.

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Mining puts workers at various risks, especially chronic respiratory diseases. These include the threat of acquiring pneumoconiosis and silicosis. Pneumoconiosis or coal worker’s pneumoconiosis(CWP), is a long-term lung disease caused by inhalation of airborne respirable dust, particularly coal. Workplaces such as mining areas have an abundant amount of coal dust that could imperil the lungs of these miners. Moreover, silicosis is resulted by consumption of large amounts of crystalline silica dust through subliminal inhalation. Moreover silica is prevalently found in certain types of rock, and working with such substances could create fine particles of dust that takes endeavor to get filtered out by the nasal cavity and are inhaled by humans easily. These are just some of the long-term risks that mining potentially inflicts on people. The extent of these hazardous effects does not just end here. According to previous studies, cases of silicosis are not as common as compared with CWP. However data from the 1990s discovered that more than 23% of reported silicosis deaths were due to mining. While CWP has contributed cause of death for a total of 75,178 miners according to study from 1970-2019. Bonusly, The Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study investigated 12,000 miners. The findings show a significantly increased risk of deaths from lung cancer among workers who had worked underground.

Name: Paul Luigi C. Costa
References: https://hesperian.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/en_cgeh_2012/en_cgeh_2012_21.pdf

https://clinicalcenter.nih.gov/sites/nihinternet/files/internet-files/about/news/newsletter/2016/sep2016/minerals.pdf

https://nma.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Minerals-and-Medical-Applications-Fact-Sheet.pdf

https://en.hesperian.org/hhg/A_Community_Guide_to_Environmental_Health:Health_Problems_from_Mining

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/precious-metals-and-other-important-minerals-for-health

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/topics/respiratorydiseases.html

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/pneumoconiosis#:~:text=Pneumoconiosis%20is%20one%20of%20a,usually%20take%20years%20to%20develop.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/silicosis/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/pneumoconiosis

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Mining's Effect to our Biodiversity and Animal Endangerment 

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Mining's Effect to our Biodiversity and Animal Endangerment 

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Marges Andrea M.

Mining is a threat to all of us, not only for humans or animals but for the whole biodiversity. It slowly kills and damages our environment. Just like the former secretary of the Philippine’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Gina Lopez once said "why is nickel that somebody gets more important than the biodiversity, which can service the world?", If we keep on mining everything, we will end up with nothing.

For every mineral extracted from mining, there’s a forest that is losing trees. Trees provide us with oxygen. Trees serve as habitats for different animal species. But because of deforestation, animals struggled to find new homes, and some species started to be endangered. Also, landslides, erosion, and floods might occur.

The waste materials from mining are thrown to rivers and other bodies of water; it will result to water pollution. Water is a need for every life on the planet. When a water supply gets contaminated as a result of pollution, it can cause health problems for both individuals and the environment.

Mining has a significant impact on air quality. Because miners must blast through rock to get ore, dust may be generated throughout the operation. Coal mines generate methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to environmental problems.

If we're losing our environment, that means animals are also struggling to find their new habitat. 1/3 of the forest in our world is already damaged by mining. Here in Philippines, we have this mountain called Mount Busa, where we can find rare plants and animals, just like the Philippine Eagle, but because of mining (mostly illegal) habitat destruction has already begun. Some species are endangered due to habitat loss because of mining (blue-legged mantilla, lemurs, etc.)

Half of the areas identified as mining projects or potential mining projects are on indigenous lands. The Lumads are trying to protect their land. They are trying to protect our environment. According to the Kalikasan People’s Network, at least 272 environmental defenders were killed between 2001 and 2019, More than half of them were protesting mines.

References:

https://socratic.org/questions/how-does-mining-affect-biodiversity

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2020/10/minings-impacts-forests/5-conclusion

https://www.healthyoptions.com.ph/newsdigest/strong-immunity/irresponsible-mining-damages-the-environment

https://opinion.inquirer.net/140401/stop-mining

https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation-and-forest-degradation

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/sapphire-mining-fuels-lemur-deaths-in-madagascar

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/04/mining-and-logging-threaten-a-wildlife-wonderland-on-a-philippine-mountain/

https://news.mongabay.com/2017/11/mining-activity-causing-nearly-10-percent-of-amazon-deforestation/

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Name: Anne Carol G. Jonson
References:
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06Lz3mzvE2o

-https://www.denr.gov.ph/index.php/news-events/press-releases/520-lopez-orders-closure-of-23-metallic-mines

-https://www.howden.com/en-us/articles/mining/we-need-to-talk-about-mining

When we say indispensable, it is absolutely necessary. However, mining is not necessarily needed. Why not?

Because, as we all know, the basic needs of man are food, clothing, and shelter. The mining industry is not included in the basic needs of man. In fact, it can be one of the causes of death and sickness in people. For instance, in 2017, the late Secretary of DENR, Gina Lopez, closed 23 metallic mines in the country for serious environmental violations, including river siltation, the destruction of a functional watershed, and illegal tree-cutting. If these environmental violations continue, our natural resources will slowly be gone. If this happens, the next generation will no longer see and utilize our natural resources.

Another major effect of mining can cause sickness and death in humans. Why? Because the process of mining, as you all know, uses explosions, toxic air, heavy machinery, and extreme temperatures. After the explosion, miners will know to cave in and do the drilling underground. This process is very dangerous and harmful. The air they will inhale is very toxic and polluted. It can cause serious sickness that may lead to death. Sometimes sudden earthquakes occur because of an explosion that may kill people or might bury them to death.

There is no amount of money or treasure that can replace the lives and health of people. Therefore, mining is not indispensable at all; it just creates social injustices and chaos for the people.

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Child Labor and Poor Working Condition in Mines

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Child Labor and Poor Working Condition in Mines

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Name: Aaron Vince B. Cruzado
References:
- https://youtu.be/P1L_pxYZVwE
- https://youtu.be/0ZA5Az09Zj4
- https://youtu.be/IeR-h9C2fgc
- https://youtu.be/rAQZgsTk5rU

Child labor in mines
Poverty drives illegal mining and forces children to participate in it. Instead of attending schools, they help their parents work in illegal mines to feed their families. A gold miner from Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte, earns 500 PHP for a day-long work. He confessed that his earnings alone are not enough for their family, so he asks his son to help him work for more money.
This scenario is happening not only in the Philippines but in other countries too. There are coal mines in Mahalia, India; mica mines in New Delhi, India; and illegal mines in Zimbabwe.

https://www.ilo.org/manila/public/pr/WCMS_706334/lang--en/index.htm

Poor working conditions in mines
These illegal minings are mostly in the form of "Artisanal and small-scale gold mines". Workers don't have enough protection for working. Operations of these minings are also unpermitted and are not covered by government regulation.

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1. Mining can lead to soil pollution

2. Groundwater pollution

3. Deforestation

4. Depletion of natural resources

5. Mining implies the destruction of habitats

6. Endangerment of species

7. Loss of biodiversity

8. Landslides become more likely

9. Ecological imbalance

10. Poor working conditions in mines

11. Mining can be dangerous

12. Indigenous people may have to leave their home

13. Insufficient regulations regarding mining

14. Serious health issues related to mining

15. Contamination with heavy metals

16. Child labor in mines

17. May not be sustainable in the long run

https://environmental-conscience.com/mining-pros-cons/

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Mining is quite important to extract large amounts of resources out of the ground. In this article, the pros and cons of mining are discussed.

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"Mining Has Negative Effects on Animals"

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"Mining Has Negative Effects on Animals"

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Marges, Jade Aerron L.

Mining has serious, lasting negative impacts on
wildlife, and we all know that it is one of the causes why animals are killed or displaced from their own habitat.
Let me ask you a simple yes or no question:

Can YOU support mining even knowing that an animal's habitat is being destroyed for YOUR OWN advantage?

Think about this...

Mining is beneficial, but it doesn't change the fact that it has negative impacts on the natural environment, especially on animals. Yes, animals are lower, or let's say 'weaker', than human especially on their ability to think or in terms of authority, but they have their OWN lives, their OWN place to live, their OWN family.

Let me give you reports and examples...

Reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals are generally
not mobile enough to avoid mining equipment. It's worse for sedentary species like beavers and burrowing rodents, all of whose primary habitat is the Earth's surface. Mountaintop removal is a radical form of coal mining in which the tops of mountains are literally blasted off to access seams of coal. During mountaintop removal, diverse hardwood forests teeming with life — turtles, bats, wildflowers, snakes — are blown to bits. After all life on the mountaintop is destroyed, the carnage is pushed directly into streams, right on top of rare salamanders, crayfish, and mussels — so all life in surrounding streams is destroyed. The toxins from mining wash downstream, killing wildlife outright and poisoning the animals that manage to survive in the toxic environment — which, as part of the food web, then spread the poison to other creatures. Water birds and mammals eat poisoned fish and die themselves, or else they lose the ability to reproduce.
Toxic levels of heavy metals are flowing into a river of the Greater Blue Mountains, says a new report from the New South Wales environment office. Wastewater discharge is potentially impairing the reproduction of sensitive invertebrate and algal species, including a species of water flea and freshwater green algae. Pollution of aquatic habitats in another outcome pf surface mining. Runoff from mines can also contaminate local water supplies such as rivers, creeks and lakes. Wastes and chemicals from it trickle and seep into streams, rivers and underground water bodies. This contamination can cause the death of wildlife and/or cause genetic mutations.

References:
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/mining/mountaintop_removal/index.html
https://www.nrdc.org
https://socratic.org

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Can you think of a more destructive way to extract resources than blowing up a mountain? How about if the waste from doing it is dumped straight into mountain streams?

Mountaintop removal is a radical form of coal mining in which the tops of mountains are literally blasted off to access seams of coal. It takes place in the Appalachian Mountains, one of the oldest mountain ranges on Earth. During mountaintop removal, diverse hardwood forests teeming with life - turtles, bats, wildflowers, snakes - are blown to bits. After all life on the mountaintop is destroyed, the carnage is pushed directly into streams, right on top of rare salamanders, crayfish, and mussels - so all life in surrounding streams is destroyed. The toxins from mining wash downstream, killing wildlife outright and poisoning the animals that manage to survive in the toxic environment - which, as part of the food web, then spread the poison to other creatures. Water birds and mammals eat poisoned fish and die themselves, or else they lose the ability to reproduce. Contaminants from mountaintop removal even poison the drinking water of downstream communities. And this form of mining makes a twofold contribution to climate change: The forests destroyed in the process no longer store carbon, and the burning of the coal that's mined releases carbon into the atmosphere. The lost forests don't grow back. The effects of mountaintop removal are permanent.

Mountaintop removal destroys lives and communities. Citizens living in mining areas say it's like being in a war zone. Blasts shake houses, crack windows and foundations, ruin wells, send boulders careening into homes, and coat everything in dust. In 2004, a three-year-old child was killed in his sleep when a boulder from a mine site crashed into his home. Stripped mountains cause devastating flooding and landslides. Locals who speak up against mountaintop removal are harassed by coal thugs who kill their pets, threaten their children, and try to run them off roads.

Mountaintop removal perpetuates poverty. It's highly mechanized and employs few people. The counties with the most mining remain the poorest counties in Appalachia. Economic studies in West Virginia and Kentucky have shown that mountaintop removal mining costs states more revenue than it produces. Industry claims that mountaintop removal creates flat spaces for development, but only 3 percent of former mine sites are developed. Surface mining destroys the potential for development based on tourism and sustainable forest products.

Mountaintop removal has annihilated more than 500 mountaintops and 2,000 miles of streams - and the Center is working to stop mountaintop removal before it annihilates any more. Through outreach, education, and activism, we're spreading the word: Don't let anyone convince you that coal is clean. There's no such thing as a clean coal mine.

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Can you think of a more destructive way to extract resources than blowing up a mountain? How about if the waste from doing it is dumped straight into mountain streams? Mountaintop removal is a radical form of coal mining in which the tops of mountains are literally blasted off to access seams of coal.

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Signo, Lara Mae D.

Mining is very destructive and It is one of the main causes of Deforestation. In order to mine in an area trees and vegetation growing around the area are cleared, burned and scraped. We all know that deforestation could cause climate change, desertification, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and a host of problems for indigenous people. Deforestation is a big threat to biodiversity, since we all know that trees are home to many organisms, like birds. Aside from that, massive loss of trees will be very hard to be replaced since trees could fully grow after years.

Another Reference:
https://www.pachamama.org/effects-of-deforestation#:~:text=The%20loss%20of%20trees%20and,of%20problems%20for%20indigenous%20people.

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By Lisa Algee

Mining is the extraction (removal) of minerals and metals from earth. Manganese, tantalum, cassiterite, copper, tin, nickel, bauxite (aluminum ore), iron ore, gold, silver, and diamonds are just some examples of what is mined.
Why mine?
Mining is a money making business. Not only do mining companies prosper, but governments also make money from revenues. Workers also receive income and benefits.
What are the minerals and metals used for?
Minerals and metals are very valuable commodities. For example, manganese is a key component of low-cost stainless steel. It is also used to de-color glass (removing greenish hues), but in higher concentrations, it actually makes lavender-colored glass. Tantalum is used in cell phones, pagers, and lap-tops. Cooper and tin are used to make pipes, cookware, etc. And gold, silver, and diamonds are used to make jewelry.
Large scale mining versus small scale mining:

Large scale mining usually involves a company with many employees. The company mines at one or two large sites and usually stays until the mineral or metal is completely excavated. An example of a large scale mine is the Serra Pelada mine in Brazil which yielded 29,000 tons of gold from 1980 to 1986 and employed 50,000 workers (Kricher, 1997).

Small scale mining usually involves a small group of nomadic men. They travel together and look for sites which they think will yield gold or another valuable metal or mineral. Small scale mining occurs in places such as Suriname, Guyana, Central Africa, and many other places around the world. Some researchers believe that small scale mining is more harmful to the environment and causes more social problems than large scale mining. This will become apparent later in the lesson.

How does mining affect the environment?
Mining is generally very destructive to the environment. It is one of the main causes of deforestation. In order to mine, trees and vegetation are cleared and burned. With the ground completely bare, large scale mining operations use huge bulldozers and excavators to extract the metals and minerals from the soil. In order to amalgamate (cluster) the extractions, they use chemicals such as cyanide, mercury, or methylmercury. These chemicals go through tailings (pipes) and are often discharged into rivers, streams, bays, and oceans. This pollution contaminates all living organisms within the body of water and ultimately the people who depend on the fish for their main source of protein and their economic livelihood.

Small scale mining is equally devastating to the environment, if not more. Groups of 5-6 men migrate from one mining site to another in search of precious metals, usually gold. There are two types of small scale mining: land dredging and river dredging:

Land dredging involves miners using a generator to dig a large hole in the ground. They use a high pressure hose to expose the gold-bearing layer of sand and clay. The gold bearing slurry is pumped into a sluice box, which collects gold particles, while mine tailings flow into either an abandoned mining pit or adjacent forest. When the mining pits fill with water from the tailings, they become stagnant water pools. These pools create a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other water-born insects. Malaria and other water-born diseases increase significantly whenever open pools of water are nearby.

River dredging involves moving along a river on a platform or boat. The miners use a hydraulic suction hose and suction the gravel and mud as they move along the river. The gravel, mud, and rocks go through the tailings (pipes) and any gold fragments are collected on felt mats. The remaining gravel, mud, and rocks go back into the river, but in a different location than where it was originally suctioned. This creates problems for the river. The displaced gravel and mud disrupt the natural flow of the river. Fish and other living organisms often die and fishermen can no longer navigate in the obstructed rivers.

How does mining affect the people?

The people who are exposed to the toxic waste from the tailings become sick. They develop skin rashes, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. In fact, the symptoms of mercury poisoning are very similar to the symptoms of malaria. Many people who can not afford to go to a doctor, or who live in a village where a doctor is not accessible, are often not treated for their illnesses.

If the water is contaminated, the people can not use it for bathing, cooking, or washing their clothes.

If the man of the household is a small scale miner, he often leaves his wife and children in search of work. This means that the wife and children must work and provide for themselves. They must also protect themselves from thieves.

Theft, drugs/alcohol, prostitution, rape, and sexual abuse are unfortunately some of the effects of mining.

Cultural degradation also occurs in mining villages. For example, mining often destroys sacred sites and cemeteries. In Guyana, a special fishing event called Haiari Fishing unfortunately can not take place if the river has been dredged for gold. Remember, the displacement of the gravel and mud obstruct the natural flow of the river. As a result, fish and other organisms die.

Where does mining occur?
Mining occurs in many places around the world, including the U.S. In South America, mining is particularly active in the Amazonia region, Guyana, Suriname, and other South American countries. In Central Africa, mining devastated a National Park called Kahuzi-Biega in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). South Africa is also very well known for mining diamonds. Mining also occurs in Indonesia and other S.E. Asian countries.
Three case studies: Guyana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Indonesia:

In Guyana, both large and small scale mining occur. In the early 1980's, the price of gold spiked from $100-$150 per ounce to $700 per ounce! This created huge incentives for governments to allow mining companies to come into their countries. Omai mining company established an 11,000 acre site in the middle of Guyana. From 1986 to 2001, this company excavated 3/4 of all the gold in Guyana. Not only was the mining company making huge sums of money, but the Guyana government was also benefiting from the revenues; owning 5% of the companies shares. However, in 1995 the tailings dam, which was filled with three million cubic meters of cyanide waste, collapsed and spilled into the Essequibo River, the biggest river in Guyana. The toxic waste drained north- exposing 10,000 people (both residents and eco-tourists). All of the fish in the river died, and although no one died from the toxic exposure, many people developed skin rashes and respiratory problems. In addition to large scale mining, small scale mining is very popular in Guyana. Miners apply for permits from the government and mine at sites where the residents do not have official land titles. This makes residents who never received official land titles from the government very vulnerable to both the detrimental environmental and social effects of mining. As mentioned previously, small and middle scale mining is often worse than large scale mining because of the area covered. For example, Omai (a large scale mining company) mined 11,000 acres, whereas small scale miners mined 234,000 acres, and middle scale miners mined 2 million acres! That's a lot of degradation that both small and middle scale miners can cause!

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the Kahuzi-Biega National Park was designated a World Heritage Site in 1980 because of its rich bio-diversity in both plants and animals. In fact, 86% of the Grauer's gorilla, a subspecies which is endemic to this region, was found in this park. However, all that has changed. In the late 1990's, armed factions involved in the civil war set up mining operations within the boundaries of the park to extract valuable minerals such as tantalum and cassiterite. Thousands of Congolese whose lives had been devastated by the war subsequently flooded to the mines in search of a quick buck (Furniss, 2005). An estimated 15,000 people were thought to be working at about a hundred sites throughout the park. Tragically, not only were tantalum and cassiterite extracted, but also trees, vegetation, and large mammals. The miners hired hunters to feed the people working at the mining sites. Gorillas, elephants, chimpanzees, buffaloes and antelope at first were easily found within proximity to the park. But, as the months passed, it became increasingly more difficult to find large mammals. Hunters searched longer and farther. By March of 2001, most of the large animals had all been killed. The Grauer's gorilla suffered the most, since this unique gorilla sub-species is only found in this area. Before the mining, the total population was estimated to be 17,000- with 86% living in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Now, it is estimated that only 2-3,000 Grauer's gorillas remain. According to Ian Redmond, the chairman of the Ape Alliance, "If these numbers are confirmed, it would be catastrophic for the subspecies." He also states that the remaining Grauer's gorilla population is fragmented which makes them more vulnerable to poaching and inbreeding. The fate of this sub-species is unknown at this time.

In Indonesia, a U.S. mining company based in Denver (Newmont) has been extracting gold since 1996. This company no longer mines in this region for two reasons: (1) in 2004, they extracted all the gold, and (2) the company is currently being sued by the Indonesian government for intentionally dumping poisonous waste, such as arsenic and mercury, into the Buyat Bay. This waste has poisoned the fish in the bay. This was, sadly, their main source of protein and economic livelihood. In addition, many people in this region have complained of headaches, breathing difficulty, and skin rashes and tumors. One newborn was born with birth defects and died at the age of 3 months. The company has denied any wrong doing and blames these symptoms and incidents on poor sanitation and nutrition!

What can we do as global citizens to curb the effects of mining?

Make companies who exploit developing countries accountable for their actions.

Boycott products produced by companies who do not mine is environmentally responsible ways.

Start talking. Tell your family members, friends, teachers, and members in your community about the effects of mining and how jewelry made for gold, silver, and diamonds can be substituted for other metals which are mined in responsible ways.

Write letters to governments who do not properly compensate people who have been affected by pollution from mining companies.

Spread awareness of this issue by sharing your knowledge. This is how change occurs. Here's a great quote to keep in mind,

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Now, show yourself what you've learned in this lesson my answering these questions:

1. Name two minerals or metals that are mined.

2. Choose the correct answer: Extraction means the (addition/removal) of minerals or metals from earth's soil.

3. What's the difference between large scale mining and small scale mining?

4. Why is mining destructive to the environment?

5. Fill in the blanks: One of the environmental effects of land dredging is stagnant ________ pools. These pools attract __________. People who live near these pools have a greater chance of getting ____________.

6. T or F River dredging is a type of small scale mining. This type of mining affects the natural flow of the river. Fish and other living organisms often die in these obstructed rivers. This also affects the fishermen's livelihood.

7. Name two effects of mining on the people.

8. T or F The Omai mining company's tailings dam collapsed in 1995.

9. Before mining occured in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, what percentage of Grauer's gorillas lived there?

10. Now that mining has devastated this National Park, how many Grauer's gorillas are estimated to exist currently? What does this mean to this sub-species of gorilla?

Answers are located after the references.
Pen Pal Conversation: After reading about the case studies, what do you think about both large and small scale mining? Do you think that governments have a responsibility to protect their environment and indigenous people from being exploited by mining companies? What role do you think the government has in regulating both small and medium scale miners?
References:
Kricher, J. (1997). A Neotropical Companion: An introduction to the animals, plants, & ecosystems of the New World Tropics. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Peterson, G. D., & Heemskerk, M. (2001) Deforestation and forest regeneration following small-scale gold mining in the Amazon: The case of Suriname. Environmental Conservation 28(2): 117-126.

Furniss, C. (2005) Seizing the moment: The Great Apes Survival Project. Africa Geographic, July issue: 41-51.
www.africageographic.com
Lecture notes from ENVS 80 A: Logan Hennessy
Answers to questions:

1. Manganese and gold

2. removal

3. Large scale mining involves a large company with many workers. These are also localized at one or two sites. Small scale mining involves a group of traveling men, usually about 5-8, who migrate from one mining site to another. This type of mining tends to be more destructive to the environment because of the area of land covered. It also causes more social problems because small scale miners mine where residents do not have official land titles. Tension and resentment builds and causes many social quarrels and unfortunate effects to the indigenous people.

4. Trees and vegetation are cleared and burned. Natural minerals and metals are stripped from the soil. Chemicals used to amalgamate (cluster) the gold are often expelled into rivers, streams, and oceans causing pollution to the environment, animals, and people.

5. water, mosquitoes, malaria

6. T

7. Illnesses from contaminated water and cultural degradation

8. T

9. 86%

10. 2-3,000. This could be catastrophic to this species. They are more vulnerable to poaching and inbreeding.

How did you do? I bet you did TERRIFIC!

The following standards were covered in this lesson:

Reading: 1.5 Demonstrate knowledge of levels of specificity among grade-appropriate words and explain the importance of these relations.

Reading comprehension: Demonstrating comprehension by identifying answers in the text (lesson).

Social Studies: 3.12 Trace the ways in which people have used the resources of the local region and modified the physical environment.

Life Science: 3 (c) Students know living things cause changes in the environment in which they live: some of these changes are detrimental to the organism or other organisms, and some are beneficial.

More resources on mining

Threats from Humankind

Environmental news: mining

Environmental news: gold mining

Environmental news: oil

Environmental news: fossil fuels

Environmental news: Amazon soy

Less damaging oil extraction

Content on agriculture for younger readers

Why are rainforests disappearing?

Roads

Mining news
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By Lisa Algee Mining is the extraction (removal) of minerals and metals from earth. Manganese, tantalum, cassiterite, copper, tin, nickel, bauxite (aluminum ore), iron ore, gold, silver, and diamonds are just some examples of what is mined. Why mine? Mining is a money making business.

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Jonson, Anne Carol, G.

"The mining industry might create wealth and power for a few men and women, but the many would always be smashed and battered beneath its giant treads." -Prichard, Katherine Susannah. Over the years, mines can still be unpredictable and accidents can happen. Even though there are numerous measures put in place to improve the safety of miners and improve the environment, corporations rarely consider the harm that mining might cause when making decisions and the impact on individuals' health. For instance, every day, miners die in China coal mines, whereas incidents occur every week in Pakistan, in nearly identical circumstances; a methane gas explosion in an illegal or unofficial mine, with no emergency service on site, medical help, or disaster protocol. From mine cave-ins and gas explosions that could kill in an instant, to poor air quality in confined spaces that causes long-term health problems.

Mining is hazardous to those who engage in it, especially those who work underground. Mineral dust inhalation can induce fatal diseases such as pneumoconiosis or black lung, and the machinery utilized frequently causes hearing loss. Furthermore, miners are also prone to back injuries and other physical ailments. While major tragedies are frequently covered by the media, many miners who are wounded or killed in the workplace go unnoticed. Nearly 2,500 miners died in 2010 due to causes other than severe accidents (Staff Writer, 2020).

Working conditions in those mines are sometimes deplorable, particularly in poor developing countries, and safety precautions are frequently inadequate or lacking. This implies that each day, miners risk their lives for low wages. Therefore, a series of minimum official safety standards and regulations should be in place to help protect those workers from the dangers associated with mining (Andreas, n.d.).

References:
https://www.howden.com/en-us/articles/mining/we-need-to-talk-about-mining

https://environmental-conscience.com/mining-pros-cons/

https://www.reference.com/science/disadvantages-mining-7db6f3b8c2277cf8

https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/mining.html

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The disadvantages of mining include harm to air pollution, water pollution, loss of usable land, destruction of animal habitat, and harm to local communities and the miners themselves. While mining produces the resources needed for fuel, electronics, and other items as well as jobs, companies often don't factor the harm mining can do into their decision making.

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The disadvantages of mining include harm to air pollution, water pollution, loss of usable land, destruction of animal habitat, and harm to local communities and the miners themselves. While mining produces the resources needed for fuel, electronics, and other items as well as jobs, companies often don't factor the harm mining can do into their decision making.

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*Mining-related determinants of disease, associated diseases and dimension (scale) of the disease burden [from Entwistle et al. (2019). Used freely under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); the ‘disease pyramid’© is after Stewart and Hursthouse (2018)

*Overall, erosion, flooding, deforestation and the contamination and consumption of ground and surface waters all act as stressors on health of local communities, depleting food supplies and delivering harmful elements into the food chain (Rajaee et al. 2015). Not good news.