Mining

1. Mining

2. Overview

3. Will Site be Profitable? • Price • Amount of ore • Concentration • Mining type • Transportation costs • Reclamation

4. Extraction • Site development • Roads • Equipment

5. Extraction • Surface Mining • Pros: • Safer • Cost effective • Cons • Removal of surface material • Lots of waste material • Ground and surface water issues • Reclamation costs

6. Extraction • Underground Mining • Pros • Less surface destruction • Less waste material • Lower reclamation cost • Cons • Unsafe

7. Processing • Intensive chemical processing • Often uses extreme heat and toxic chemicals • Chemical frequently leak into ground water

8. Environmental Impact • Acid Mine Drainage • Acidic solution formed • All forms of mining • Enters groundwater and surface water • Damaging to fish and plant communities

9. Environmental Impacts • Erosion  Sedimentation • Loosened surface material washes into surface water • Amounts vary: • Amount disturbed, vegetation, soil, slope • Mainly surface mining • Most damaging to surface waters and wetlands • Harmful to plants, fish, and soil organisms

10. Environmental Impact • Toxic Compound Leachate • Compounds used to extract resources • Usually stored in retention ponds • ponds leak into groundwater • Animals attracted to pond • Slag leach • Compounds leak from “treated” rock • Toxic to all organisms – plants, fish, soil organisms

11. Environmental Impact • Habitat Modification • Process requires modification to surrounding areas • Aquatic, terrestrial, wetlands • Water Usage • Often requires massive quantities • Results in drawdown or reduced surface flow • “Treated” water often returned to system

12. Reclamation • Restoring the land to its original contours and replanting vegetation. • Required by law (SMCRA 1977) • Expensive