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How Does Mining Affect the Environment?

Mining is a process by which the earth is drilled, usually by heavy machinery, to extract minerals and other materials from beneath the soil. Mining is carried out to retrieve a number of substances such as coal, gold, iron, diamonds, potash and uranium. While mining yields important substances for sale and industrial production, mining also affects the natural environment.

Erosion and Sedimentation
- Mining can cause soil erosion. This occurs when a great deal of material, such as rock or soil, is disturbed due to drilling or earth moving. When areas become wet, this sediment can be moved by the water, eroding the original location and depositing sediment in another area. This can affect the quality and safety of water for both human and animal consumption. It can also threaten plant, animal, and human life by affecting the food chain and quality of the soil.
Soil and Water Contamination
- Mining poses a risk of soil, air and water contamination. One major challenge is acid mine drainage (AMD). This water is a metal-rich water that is formed during mining processes. The water becomes toxic and can drain from a site if not controlled properly. This acidic water can dissolve metals including copper, lead and mercury. Once dissolved, these metals can leech into the ground and into surface water, contaminating both.
Air Pollution
- Mining releases particles of various kinds into the air, which has an impact on air quality. Some of these substances are harmless, such as dust particles, while others can be potentially dangerous. Dangerous particles include arsenic, cadmium and lead. Over time, and in sufficient quantities, these dangerous particles can have an effect on human health, especially respiratory health. Emphysema is one potential effect of prolonged inhalation of dangerous particles. These particles can also be ingested or absorbed through the skin.
General Environment Modification
- Due to pollution, the contamination of land and water, and erosion/sedimentation mining can result in changes to the local environment through the upsetting of the ecosystem. A given area can become negatively affected to such a degree that local animals and plants may struggle to survive. In extreme cases, human life can be impacted, too. This effect on the environment is cumulative and can be caused by one or by a combination of these-mentioned factors. Threats to biodiversity and even the survival of some species may result due to the cumulative and prolonged environmental impact of mining.

Nature