Effect of Coal Mining On
Air Quality Water Quality Land Noise Pollution
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF COAL MINING
Mining activities like borring, exploding, extraction, transportation, crushing cause damage to environment as well as ecology, unless carefully planned and controlled. The various impacts of mining on environment and their mitigation measures are mentioned below:
(I) Effect of Mining on Air Quality
Air pollution results due to the emissions of particulate matter and gases including SO2, CH4, NOX and CO. Dust is produced in most of the mining operations. The remissions contribute towards global warming .Dust at uncontrolled level leads to poor visibility, breakdown of equipment, increased maintenance
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Opencast mining results in large-scale land disturbance whereas underground mining causes enough damage through subsidence. The surface subsidence inflicts severe damages to engineering structures such as bridges , drainage , buildings and highways, besides interfering with ground water regime. The removal of mountaintops is an extreme form of coal mining (V) Impact of Vibrations and Noise from Mining
A cumulative effect of all mining activities produces enormous noise and vibrations in the mining area, which constitutes a source of disturbance. The consequence of noise pollution in and around the mining area leads to noise-induced hearing loss which influences work performance and makes communications uneasy. Besides, the forest fauna the surrounding areas to the mines/industrial complexes are also affected by noise .
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Coal India Limited implemented the Environmental and Social Mitigation Project (ESMP) in 25 selected opencast mines with World Bank funding during 1996 to 2002. ESMP consisted of two components:
(I) Environmental component - executed through Environmental Action Plan (EPA).
(II) Social component - executed through Rehabilitation Action Plan (RAP) and Indigenous Peoples’ Development Plan
Kalgoorlie Gold Mine The Kalgoorlie Mine, also known as the Super Pit due to its impressive depth of 600m ( Figure 1.), is a mine situated in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia ( Figure 2.) that primarily extracts gold. Often considered to be the largest open-cut mine in the nation (goldsfieldtourism.com, article 62), Kalgoorlie extracts a tremendous 22 000 grams of gold each year. The gold rush that happened in Australia (during 1851-1914) was a result of the discovery of many mining sites like the Kalgoorlie gold mine.
Giant mine: social impacts and remediation Over the fifty-four years of operation, Giant Mine produced over seven million ounces of gold worth a massive two billion dollars. Located just outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Giant Mine, mined and processed gold, which entailed several processes that leaves behind a very toxic chemical dust called arsenic trioxide (Sandlos, J., & Keeling, 2012). However, with many growing cities, recourse extraction was the most beneficial way to turn what they had into money. Mining can provoke serious change within a community; while this can help fund local infrastructure such as building roads and schools, mining will always leave the land devastated when the resource runs dry. Before Giant Mine was
Throughout the centuries, humans have been attempting to find a way to power homes, cars, and other luxuries in the most efficient way possible. Coal and oil were two major sources that begin being exploited during the industrial revolution. Both have caused great controversy over the years from lawsuits to strikes. A new way to drill oil, hydraulic fracturing, was discovered and was an efficient means of drilling until its effects became prevalent. Also, when coal began to run out, a new method called mountaintop removal took hold, but continues to damage the earth.
In the following article, the author, George Will, stresses that here in America cutting back on coal will not change the burning of coal around the world such as China, Russia, India, and other countries. For instance, China had signed a 60 billion dollar contract to supply power plants with Australian coal. The Times says that in China, their ships hauled about 690 million tons of thermal coal this year; up from 385 million in 2001 and 150 million tons in 2009. He addresses to counterargument by including a spokesman in the Sierra club who mentions that mining is "everything we 've accomplished, ' ' but environmentalists in America protested that mining shall also export global warming, if continues. Because of China 's enormous coal
The daily chances of severe injury or death were much greater than aboveground. Poisonous gases, especially methane, which was released naturally by the process of coalmining, were always present underground. A buildup of methane and carbon monoxide usually led to an explosion that killed many of the miners. Mining tunnels often collapsed, either paralyzing or crushing the workers to death. Sometimes a young miner would be crushed to the ground so severely that his body would have to be scraped from the floor of the mine with a shovel.
This shows how fracking can spread the contaminated water into the drinking supply and cause economic loss from civilian sickness. On the other hand, the amount of earthquakes recorded have been minor in number in areas affected by shale drilling. However, that point is not important because of the overall increase in earthquakes in the area has increased to a number beyond what that area has
During this time, rises in the demand of coal-powered steam engines led to a rapid increase of coal mining (Wrigley 54). As the evolution of the market system took place, the small scale techniques that the industry had been using were not supplying a sufficient level of coal output needed to maintain the high demand in the manufacturing and transportation sectors. This deficiency prompted a transition for the coal mining industry that involved dangerous mining techniques and labor
1. Even though fracking reduces carbon emissions, it is still harmful to the environment. For example: water pollution/contamination. There can be accidental seeping of the chemicals (possibly carcinogenic) and can contaminate groundwater around the site due to bad practice (this imposes harm to both the ecosystem and people 's health).
Coal is king, it controls the economy, and many states rely on it for electricity. Yet, many families involved in the gathering of coal are experiencing profound economic difficulty. This must be resolved to improve the economic disparity in West Virginia. Many mining families experience this difficulty, due to health risks and job situations. “In just the past twenty years, air pollution from coal plants have shortened the lives of more than half a million Americans.”
“A painting showing an early factory plant shows that the smoke rising from the factory was black and full of coal ashes, affecting the air. Also, because the factory is next to water, it can be assumed that the factory has dumped into this water, causing it also to become polluted”(Document 3). Yes, wonderful products came from these factories; things like clothing and cars, but coal was being used to power these machines that produced. Black coal ash rose up into the sky and was being breathed in by the people and animals. Coal is not the best thing for people’s lungs.
The negative results of mining proves that it posed a threat towards Canada’s environment. The effects resulted in the Environmental Movement in Canada to target mining processes that could be harmful of the environment. Mining in Canada created an environmental challenge that Canada had to posses because of the harmful side effects produced in the process. This resulted in Canada rethinking the mining process in order to conserve the natural
There’s a vast amount of issues going on in the state of Texas and no one seems to make an innovation. One of the biggest issue in the state of Texas is pollution in our cities. Based on my outside knowledge, no person seems to bother to make a change in our ecosystem. People seem to care less on how our environment’s health is and focus more in themselves, which is causing a more serious problem. Maybe not in that same time, but thorough the years, it’ll not just cause an issue in our environment, but also among ourselves.
The mine wastes were deposited along the 620 stretch of the river, leading to great loss of animal life and vegetation. The pollution is regarded as the most destructive environmental disaster. The main type of depletion at the mine is the loss of minerals and other natural resources such as vegetation. Compare and contrast the views of (a) an ecological ethic, (b) Blackstone's ethic of environmental rights, and (c) a utilitarian ethic of pollution control.
This article refers to the criteria for determining whether works would or would not be likely to have significant effects on the environment set out in Annex III to the EIA Directive, as amended. The criteria, as per Schedule 7 of the Planning and Development Regulations are grouped under three headings: (i) Characteristics of Proposed Development, (ii) Location of the Proposed Development and (iii) Characteristics of Potential Impacts. Consent authorities must have regard to these criteria in forming an opinion as to whether or not a sub-threshold development such as the proposed development, are likely to have significant effects on the environment. Environmental impact statement When an EIS is required it should formatted in a clear and precise way to assist assessment by the necessary parties. The report should be systematically organised (see figure 1) and have sections on: • The Proposed Development • The Existing
The treatment of such coal reduces its sulphur content avoiding excessive atmospheric pollution. Through surface mining methods such as stripping and open-pits, leave the land sterile, losses of vegetation and habitats for fauna results. However land reclamation initiatives which restore vegetation cover and soils reduce the negative. Impact of surface coal mining. Acid mine drainage is another negative impact of coal mining especially in wet environments.