How does mining affect the environment?

The major impact of mining on the environment is mainly due to the physical damage of the landscape and the production of a large volume of harmful wastes. In general, only a small fraction of the ore is valuable, the remaining large part is waste (tailings). For example, in the Cu mining industry, only about a kilogram of the metal is extracted from one-half ton rock. (Ore is an economic term for a rock from which a mineral can be extracted profitably).

The figure above summarizes the environmental impact of mining and smelting. It shows that mining and smelting produce solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes/contaminants. These cause serious environmental damage once they are discharged to the land (terrestrial ecosystem) and bodies of water (aquatic ecosystems) or when they are emitted into the ambient air. In particular, they cause soil and water acidification, air, water, soil and plant contamination by trace elements, deterioration of soil biology and fertility, and soil erosion.

Studies have shown that trace metals remain in the soil for a long time ranging from hundreds to thousands of years. Cd, Ni, and Zn have a relatively shorter residence time in the soil than Pb and Cr which may remain for several thousand years. This simply means that it is not easy and cheap to rehabilitate an abandoned mining site. In fact, the physical destruction of the landscape can be irreparable. And more importantly, the health risk of the contaminants that have already entered the food chain can remain for a long time.

Photo: Manicani island, Eastern Samar. Source: www.nickelore.blogspot.com (Feb 2, 2012)

References

Skinner B.J., S.C. Porter, and J. Park. 2004. Dynamic Earth. An introduction to Physical Geology. John Wiley and Sons, NJ.

Dudka S. And D.C. Adriano. 1997. Environmental impacts of metal ore mining and processing: a review. Journal of Envi. Quality 26: 590-602.