Mining
What is mining?
Mining is the extraction of resources from the earth, usually extracting ore, body, lode, vein, seam, reef or placer deposit.
What are the consequences?
Mining can negatively impact the environment on small and large scales. These impacts include erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by the chemicals emitted from mining processes. Digging out resources in the Earth creates unstable land and allows for more sinkholes to appear. Also in order to reach the valuable materials deep in the Earth, it’s a must break the ground. This breaking of the ground creates smaller pieces of rubble that are easily moved around, allowing water to erode land masses. Digging out the ground also leads to less biodiversity by destroying plants and trees that animals inhabit, effectively destroying the ecosystem. Large scale mining uses chemicals to isolate valuable minerals and these chemicals leak into rivers and pipelines, making the water contaminated.
Solutions
Reduce Inputs - The mining industry uses a large amount of water and land in their operations. One solution to becoming more environmentally sustainable is to reduce the input of the mine. By diverting surface water and pumping groundwater, mines can reduce both the quantity and quality of water available downstream for aquatic ecosystems and other use.With regard to energy, a mining company can look into alternative energy sources such as solar or wind power. By reducing the energy usage, a mine can reduce greenhouse gases and extend the life of fossil fuel reserves. You will also be able to reduce the cost to produce the product and thus reduce the cost of the commodity itself.
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Proper Waste Disposal - Correct waste disposal is vital to curbing the environmental impact of mines, as some mining companies do not dispose of their waste according to guidelines. Companies can invest in equipment that helps in turning waste into reusable material, as well as adopting policies that allow for a more eco-friendly waste disposal routine. Water can be reused on mining sites aggs grey water for washing equipment or flushing staff toilets. Mining companies should aim to reuse and recycle water as much as possible, and be sure that all unusable water is disposed of safely and responsibly. Scrap materials can be recycled or sold to companies who can reuse them in order to reduce the amount of waste produced on site.
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Improving The Manufacturing Process - The efficiency of the mining process can often leave much to be desired, but improving the efficiency of this process can help towards lessening the environmental impact. This also allows companies to regulate processes which may be lacking in environmental friendliness. Supervising the manufacturing processes will allow mining companies to change elements that are inefficient or that use too many natural resources. Conducting a material flows analysis will track the physical flows of natural resources through extraction, production, fabrication, use and recycling, and final disposal. This data will allow supervisors to develop new processes that are more efficient and sustainable than previous ones.