Effects of mining on the environment

Gullying as a result of panning. Image credit Reuters

• Deforestation and erosion as large areas are cleared when surface methods of mining are used.
• Frequency of open quarries, trenches and pits may cause land degradation.
• Infrastructure development which include the construction of roads, railway lines and processing plants.
• Air pollution from processing/crashing of ores, and use of coal for example smelting of iron ore as well as dust from the dumps and slime dams.
• As asbestos dust cause cancer and other forms of chest disorders such as asbestosis.
• Water flowing from dumps can contaminate drinking water supplies for example dumps containing cyanide from gold processing.
• An example is the How Mine accident where seven miners lost their lives
• Large areas of waste land.
• Blasting causes structural damage to building and surface subsidence in areas of worked out seams.
• Noise pollution from blasting and processing.
• Lowering of the water table due to excessive pumping of ground water.
• Soil erosion and siltation of rivers from unstable dumps, gold panning.
• Land pollution from mine dumps.

To access more topics go to the O Level Geography Notes page