What are the consequences of moving from underground mining to surface mining?

The consequences of moving from underground mining to surface mining is the increased land degradation, increased water and air pollution, and changes to the landscape.Feb 28, 2018

What is the environmental impact of underground mining?

Underground mining causes huge amounts of waste earth and rock to be brought to the surface – waste that often becomes toxic when it comes into contact with air and water. It causes subsidence as mines collapse and the land above it starts to sink.

Why is surface mining more harmful than underground mining?

Underground mining has the potential for tunnel collapses and land subsidence (Betournay, 2011). It involves large-scale movements of waste rock and vegetation, similar to open pit mining. Additionally, like most traditional forms of mining, underground mining can release toxic compounds into the air and water.

What environmental impacts are caused by both surface mining and underground mining?

Explanation: The mining, be it a surface one or underground one, has several negative impacts on the surrounding area. Two common negative impacts of both types of mining are contamination of the local waters, as well as the destruction of ecosystems.

What are the negative effects of mining?

Across the world, mining contributes to erosion, sinkholes, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, significant use of water resources, dammed rivers and ponded waters, wastewater disposal issues, acid mine drainage and contamination of soil, ground and surface water, all of which can lead to health issues in local …

What are the positive and negative effects of mining?

Mining can impact local communities both positively and negatively. While positive impacts such as employment and community development projects are important, they do not off-set the potential negatives. We have found mining can negatively affect people by: forcing them from their homes and land.

Which type of mining is likely the least harmful to the environment?

Placer mining
Placer mining can be less damaging to the environment than surface mines, as the sediment is returned to the water after the minerals have been extracted.

What is the effect of illegal mining on the environment?

Illegal mining activities were identified as the cause of environmental problems such as water pollution, deforestation, poor soil fertility and limited access to land for agriculture productivity.

What are the environmental impacts of room and pillar mining?

Underground mining for coal by longwall or room-and-pillar mining methods often interrupts and depletes groundwater and can alter its quality. Surface mining can enhance the introduction of surface water with dissolved solids into shallow and then deeper groundwater systems through fractures or other conduits.

Is surface or subsurface mining worse?

Subsurface mining is actually less disruptive to the earth and produces less waste than surface mining, but it’s also much less effective and more dangerous. Many workers die in mine collapses, which then also leaves behind a large hole from caving in of the ground above.

What are the pros and cons of underground mining?

So, in these cases underground mining is more cost effective. The downside is that human health and safety are at greater risk from mine cave-ins, flooding from groundwater or sea water, methane explosions in coal mines, or failure of air ventilation equipment.

Why is surface mining less expensive than subsurface mining?

Discuss one reason why surface coal mining is generally less expensive than subsurface mining. Surface mining requires fewer workers who are paid less than the subsurface miners.

What is one method of lessening the environmental impact of strip mining?

One method of lessening the environmental impact of strip mining is to require that the landscape and vegetation of mined lands be restored.

What environmental impacts are caused by both surface mining and underground mining select the two correct answers?

Answer: Both surface mining and underground mining risk causing severe water pollution. Surface mining causes more destruction of land ecosystems than underground mining.

Which of the following environmental impacts of mining could result in damage to buildings?

Land subsidence is an environmental impact of mining that could result in damage to buildings, including tilting, foundation cracking and disruption of utility lines. This answer has been confirmed as correct and helpful.

What type of pollution does mining cause?

Water-pollution problems caused by mining include acid mine drainage, metal contamination, and increased sediment levels in streams. Sources can include active or abandoned surface and underground mines, processing plants, waste-disposal areas, haulage roads, or tailings ponds.

How does mining affect human health?

Prolong exposure to these dusts by miners could lead to respiratory diseases (asthma, silicosis and tuberculosis) and skin disorders. The concentrations of these dusts present great risks to the health of miners and inhabitants of Mukula community around the mine.

What are the negative effects of mining on humans?

Most of miners suffer from various respiratory and skin diseases such as asbestosis, silicosis, or black lung disease. Furthermore, one of the biggest subset of mining that impacts humans is the pollutants that end up in the water, which results in poor water quality.

What are some positive things about mining?

Mining gives people jobs and helps the economy. Mining allows us to have and use the things we need for daily living and survival. It is impossible to mine without damaging the environment. However, mining companies can strive to use safe mining methods that are more eco-friendly.

Why should we stop mining?

We should stop oil mining because it affects animals and the environment of our world. Mining also causes reduce in oxygen and beautiful areas of natural wonders. It causes global warming, deforestation, extinction with animals and plants and natural erosion.

What does it mean to reclaim land after mining?

Mine reclamation
Mine reclamation is the process of restoring land that has been mined to a natural or economically usable state. Although the process of mine reclamation occurs once mining is completed, the planning of mine reclamation activities occurs prior to a mine being permitted or started.