What are the negatives of mountaintop removal?
Toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, selenium, and arsenic leach into local water supplies, poisoning drinking water. This destructive practice, known as mountaintop-removal mining, sends carcinogenic toxins like silica into the air, affecting communities for miles around.
How does burning coal contribute to climate change it releases?
The burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, increasing levels of CO2 and other gasses, trapping heat, and contributing to global climate change. Coal combustion releases the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) during combustion.
What is an effect surface mining has on streams?
However, even with current regulations, surface mining can affect fish and aquatic resources through erosion and sedimentation, dewatering of wetlands, diverting and channelizing streams, and contaminating surface water and aquifers with toxic chemicals.
Why is strip mining dangerous?
Strip mining destroys landscapes, forests and wildlife habitats at the site of the mine when trees, plants, and topsoil are cleared from the mining area. This in turn leads to soil erosion and destruction of agricultural land. When rain washes the loosened top soil into streams, sediments pollute waterways.
What is the difference between strip mining and subsurface mining?
In STRIP MINING, a type of surface mining, a trench is dug to extract the minerals. SUBSURFACE MINING is the extraction of mineral and energy resources from deep underground deposits.
Which is better surface mining or subsurface?
Surface mining is often preferred to subsurface mining by companies in the industry because it is less expensive, there are fewer complications with electricity and water, and it is safer. However, surface mining can be more environmentally-damaging than subsurface mining.
What are the disadvantages of subsurface mining?
Subsurface mining operations don’t create the visible changes in the landscape that surface mining operations do, but the conditions of subsurface mines are extremely hazardous for the working miners. The potential for accidental cave-ins, explosions, and fires is high.
Which type of mining disturbs the least amount of land?
Generally, less land is disturbed in underground mining as compared to surface mining. Waste rock can include the non-ore-containing rock on top of the ore body (overburden) and rock that contains ore that is not concentrated enough to mine.
Is Surface Mining dangerous?
Surface mining (another name for “strip mining”) can severely erode the soil or reduce its fertility; pollute waters or drain underground water reserves; scar or altar the landscape; damage roads, homes, and other structures; and destroy wildlife.
How much does a surface miner make?
As of Apr 27, 2021, the average annual pay for a Surface Miner in the United States is $47,952 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $23.05 an hour. This is the equivalent of $922/week or $3,996/month.
What does a surface miner do?
Surface miners work on the front lines of the mine, extracting rock and minerals from the ground, use state-of-the-art heavy equipment and machinery to blast and move rock containing minerals and metals.