Ilyaas Farah
1711-60
1-31-16
Word count: 501
Sulfide Mining should be rejected
Sulfide mining has a bad effect on both the economy and the environment. Sulfide mining is the process of removing copper, nickel, and other metals from sulfide ores. Minnesota 's traditional iron ore mining and sulfide mining are two very different types of mining. Sulfide mining has more environmental risks than Minnesota 's traditional iron ore mining. AMD (Acid Mine Drainage) is created from sulfuric acid. It 's created when sulfuric acid makes contact with metals and other chemicals from the disposal site and then it creates AMD. Amd does many terrifying things to the environment like, it contaminates lakes, rivers, ponds, and other bodies of water. It also harms human health, fish, wildlife, and it also damages the entire ecosystem. Even the economy gets affected from sulfide mining. Sulfide mining shouldn 't be allowed in Northern Minnesota.
Sulfide mining should be prohibited
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It would have an impact on the economy. The U.S. Forest Service has estimated that the Superior National Forest contributes $500 million to the regional economy each year, of which $100 million is attributed to the Boundary Waters. Around 2009, Northeastern Minnesota tourism has provided approximately 18,000 jobs and $800 million in revenue. In 2012, tourism has provided 12% of northeastern Minnesota jobs Mining provided only 3.3%. Bankruptcy is very common among mining companies. Local businesses would be destroyed, if sulfide mining would be allowed in their region. Taxpayers would pay millions to clean up the waste from the sulfide mining.
Water is always contaminated because of mining industries. There has never been a sulfide mine that hasn’t polluted nearby water resources.There never was a metallic sulfide mine that hasn’t polluted its watershed. While, the water is contaminated humans, animals, and plants would be ill. If they drink that contaminated water for awhile they could end up
Why? It’s because, the chemicals goes into the soil and makes runoff from the stormwater, and gets into the water, and pollutes it. The chemicals make the water polluted, which also harms the wildlife. Other things including sediments, dirt, and muck also get in the water
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
There is a controversial and intimidating proposal that looms over the heads of not only the many inhabitants of the northwestern area of Minnesota, but as well as the entirety of the state. Polymet wishes to invest a large chunk of money into the construction of a sulfide mine. Upon first consideration, this seems like a fantastic idea. As it would provide jobs, give Minnesota new opportunities, and boost the economy of the towns and cities surrounding the mine site. However, when digging deeper, it is easily said that the negative effects outweigh the positive ones.
When concerning our drinking water it should be considered that pathogenic organisms may contaminate soil, as well as stick on to the sediments in the surrounding area; making it more tricky to clear completely. Nitrate poisoning is another large concern,
Water contamination is one of the most well-known risks caused by hydrofracking, most likely because water is one of the key components of this process. “Each well uses between two and five million gallons of locally-sourced freshwater which will be permanently contaminated” by the toxic chemicals placed into the water during fracking (Fracking: The Dangers). Some of the water returns to earth’s surface and is stored above ground in steel casks. It is finally inserted deep into the ground into “waste wells” (Fracking: The Dangers). Unaccounted water that is not put into waste wells may stay underground; however, its chemicals can make their way into the water supply of the surrounding areas which causes contamination.
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).
Some people say fracking is harmful to the environment by damaging nature and by causing water pollution. Some claim that fracking is damaging nature and the landscape; however, there is actually a new technology that help reduce the amount of wells that have to be made. In addition, some people claim that fracking contaminates the groundwater, even though there is no scientific evidence that fracking contaminates groundwater. As a result the National Groundwater Association and the government agency which represents the states have found no evidence that fracking is ruining the drinking water. (No Evidence of Groundwater Contamination from Fracking)
The bad things that would happen way overcome any of the good things that would happen if the mine was given permission by the government. Some of the problems would be economical, cultural, and environmental. The Bristol Bay Fishing Industry caught about one hundred fifty million dollars worth of sockeye salmon and was still drowning in fish. People have been fishing in Bristol Bay for thousands of years. The fishing corporations employ thousands of people every year which benefits the people by putting money in their pocket, food on the table, and also helps the government.
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
“The Sacred Headwaters is a subalpine basin in northern British Columbia, Canada” (Wikipedia). The Sacred Headwater is ecologically important for several reasons. To begin with, the region has three wild salmon rivers. It also contains many other wild species such as grizzly bears and stone sheep (Wikipedia). More importantly, “The Sacred Headwaters is rich in mineral and energy resources, particularly coal and coalbed methane”(Wikipedia).
Hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as “fracking,” by definition, means the process of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground thousands of feet deep, at a high pressure; in order to fracture shale rocks to release the natural gases inside (Schrope n.d.). A more adequate explanation on to why we perform the method of “fracking” is that it is an easier process to obtain the natural gases inside the rocks. These natural gases are used for many sources of energy throughout the world. Natural gases have also been proven to be more cleaner and more efficient source than coal. The process of fracking involves drilling through deep wells into the shale rocks which breaks up the rock shales releasing these natural gases.
All of this pollution is making it hard to keep people safe considering the water is unsafe to drink or even swim in. Factories using the water do not know that the water is
Drinking water sources have been contaminated with explosive methane, as well as other dangerous substances, such as benzene and arsenic, that can cause cancer and other serious illnesses. Toxic chemicals, as well as erosion and runoff from drilling operations, have fouled
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.
One of the most concerning environmental requirements for human survival is safe and sufficient water.