Managing the Impacts of Extraction

• Managing a mining operation starts with plans for waste disposal and end with restoration
• Stable waste piles placed on top of waterways can pollute it with toxic chemicals
• Waste piles can become unstable and collapse which causes loss of life and land & water pollution
• Safe storage and disposal of mineral waste is important for a mining licence

  • need to have a detailed plan to show how mine waste is stored to prevent collapse
  • need to show that the site of the mine waste prevents water pollution
  • plan needs to show how waste is monitored to detect movement or water pollution
• Mine waste can be reshaped to blend in with surrounding land forms - often used to manage waste of coal mining

  • waste is covered by a layer of soil which can be enriched by fertiliser
  • trees are then planted which helps other plants and animals to return and colonise the area - creates habitats fairly quickly even if trees grow slowly
  • as time passes, the soil improves by the addition of organic matter from plant and animal wastes
• Waste can be removed from a site to a treatment plant
• Bioremeditation - a process where living things are used to to remove toxic chemicals from a natural site

  • used to treat contaminated waste
  • helps allow plant growth in toxic mineral waste
• Many organisms are able to break down toxic substances into less hazardous substances - happens slowly in natural environments

  • microorganisms e.g. bacteria found in soils can absorb pollutants and process them via metabolic pathways into less harmful subsatnces
  • microorganisms can remove and process pollutants at a fast rate if the environment produces oxygen + nitrogen
  • bacteria that takes in pollutants can gain energy or nutrients from it
• Plants are also naturally able to bioaccumulate toxic metals

  • can be sped up with the addition of fertilisers
  • plants are grown on contaminated waste and it absorbs toxic metals, the parts of the plant above ground are then removed so waste left in the ground becomes less toxic
• After treatment, land is turned into a nature reserve - the ground may be less toxic but still not able to be used for farming or building houses

  • trees and herb species are introduced to the and as the plants grow, they create habitats for many animals
  • become valuable green spacces for human recreation and maintaining biodiversity
• Mineral extraction creates large holes in the landscape

  • if the rock lining doesn’t allow water to pass and is non-toxic, it can be used to create a reservoir that could be used for irrigation and become potable water
  • can be filled with household waste until they are full and the waste is then covered with soila and planted with trees aka landfill
• Scientists believe that the best method is to return the site to as close as possible to the native ecosystem before the mining began

  • done through reclamation to reduce landslides and erosion and then allowing slow change to achieve complete ecosystem recovery