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Mining and Fracking in Wisconsin

Mining and Fracking in Wisconsin. Michael Montenero , Jeremiah Morrissey, Mera Yi. Long Mining History in WI. 1200 BC Copper 1680s Lead 1850s Zinc 1960-90s Gold, Silver and other Metallics Recently Oil Shale, Taconite and Quartz Sand . Gogebic Taconite Mining .

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Mining and Fracking in Wisconsin

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  1. Mining and Frackingin Wisconsin Michael Montenero, Jeremiah Morrissey, Mera Yi

  2. Long Mining History in WI • 1200 BC Copper • 1680s Lead • 1850s Zinc • 1960-90s Gold, Silver and other Metallics • Recently Oil Shale, Taconite and Quartz Sand

  3. Gogebic Taconite Mining • Low Grade (20-30%) v High Grade (50-70%) • Must be concentrated and processed into pellets first • Process: • Large amount of waste rock removed from iron ore deposits • Mixed with large volume of water, separated by magnets • Mix of water waste dumped into basin (sulfides that react with water and oxygen creating acid)

  4. Hydraulic Fracturing • Rounded, almost pure quartz needed • Advantages: Economy,Natural gas • Disadvantages: Health and Environmental Impacts

  5. Fast expansion • 2010 5 mines • 2011 16 mines, 25 proposed • 2012 60-80 mines, 20 proposed • Low demand; possible overseas shipments

  6. What Makes Fracking Fluid Bad? • Up to 600 chemicals are used in fracking fluid such as lead, uranium, mercury, radium, and methanol.

  7. How Do Contaminations from Fracking Get into the Environment? • Chemical leakage from wells during the process gets into nearby ground water. • Mishandling of fluid waste evaporates and releases harmful VOC’s into the atmosphere.

  8. What does this Impact? • Humans. Chemicals leak into drinking water and go unnoticed to the naked eye. The chemicals also do not smell abnormal. • Fracking requires a lot of water in the processes. • Fracking well pads are much larger than conventional oil and gas drilling pads. These well pads can fragment forests and impact other habitats.

  9. Why Fracking and Farming Don’t Mix • Fracking farm land has the potential to disrupt farming productivity, endanger livestock health and affect produce and livestock quality.  It presents a huge danger to our food supply. • Fracking chemicals contaminate the soil. The plants absorb the toxins and these plants are being consumed by animals which lead to build-up of toxins in the food chain.

  10. Fracking study: Gordalla et al. 2013 • 3 German fracking sites • Fracking fluid and flowback • Compared to ground, drinking water standards • Possible spill scenarios • Alternatives and Recommendations

  11. Composition of fracking fluid • What’s pumped into the ground • Water, sand or ceramic, chemicals • 1.3-3% chemical • Not hazardous levels, but too high for drinking • Some chemicals have unknown effects, safe levels for drinking water

  12. If fracking fluid leaked… • Study assessed likely amount to leak before noticed • Accidents are pretty unpredictable • Up to 1:103-105 dilution required for initial fracking fluid • Up to 1:106 dilution required for flowback • Hydrocarbons, especially PAHs

  13. What can be done? • Safer alternatives available • “Environmentally friendly” gel agents, biocides, etc. • May even be cheaper! • Fracking indicators • Flowback worse than fluid • Pick up hydrocarbons, heavy metals from below

  14. Recommendations • Switch to more environmentally friendly additives • Keep flowback in secure, closed systems • Keep a distance from wells and drinking water facilities • Gordalla, Birgit C., Ulrich Ewers, and Fritz H. Frimmel. "Hydraulic Fracturing: A Toxicological Threat for Groundwater and Drinking-Water?" Environmental Earth Sciences70.8 (2013): 3875-93. Print.

  15. Questions? • Thank you!

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