Gold Mining's Environmental Impact: Pollution And Devastation

Gold mining is one of the most destructive industries in the world. It can displace communities, contaminate drinking water, hurt workers, and destroy pristine environments. It is a major cause of pollution, including water, air, and land pollution, and can have severe environmental and human health impacts. The use of toxic chemicals such as mercury and cyanide in gold mining contaminates water sources, endangers aquatic life, and poses risks to human health. The release of heavy metals and the creation of acid mine drainage further contribute to the pollution associated with gold mining. The environmental impacts of gold mining have fuelled debates and led to campaigns urging the industry to adopt more sustainable practices.

Gold mining and water pollution

Gold mining is a highly destructive industry. It can contaminate drinking water, hurt workers, and destroy pristine environments, along with causing land destruction, soil erosion, and ecosystem destruction. The process of gold mining can result in dangerous pollutants being released into nearby water sources, including cyanide and various toxic chemicals.

Gold mining can affect water quality in several ways. Firstly, the heavy use of water in processing ore can have an impact. Secondly, water pollution can occur due to discharged mine effluent and seepage from tailings and waste rock impoundments. The waste rock and exposed bedrock from which it is excavated are often the source of most of the metals pollution caused by mining. In regions of North America, tailings also represent a major source of heavy metals contamination of waterways.

The process of gold mining can also result in acid mine drainage (AMD), which is a natural process whereby sulphuric acid is produced when sulphides in rocks are exposed to air and water. AMD is considered one of the most serious environmental threats posed by mining and can devastate aquatic resources for generations. The resulting contaminated water is a toxic cocktail that is uniquely destructive to aquatic life. The effects of AMD are so varied that community structure collapses rapidly and totally, even though very often no single pollutant on its own would have caused such a severe ecological impact.

In addition, gold mining can result in the release of dangerous chemicals such as cyanide, arsenic, mercury, and other heavy metals. These chemicals can contaminate drinking water and work their way into the food chain, causing sickness in people and animals for generations. Mining companies routinely dump toxic waste into rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans, and even if they do not, such toxins often contaminate waterways when infrastructure such as tailings dams, which hold mine waste, fail.

The environmental impacts of gold mining have been well-documented in various parts of the world. For example, in Ethiopia's Shekiso district, gold mining has resulted in land degradation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution. In West Papua, Indonesia, the Freeport McMoRan and Rio Tinto's Grasberg mine has contaminated the coastal estuary and Arafura Sea and possibly the Lorentz National Park. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that abandoned hardrock mines have contributed to the contamination of 40% of the country's rivers and 50% of all lakes.

Gold mining and air pollution

Gold mining is one of the most destructive industries in the world. It has a devastating impact on ecosystems and releases hundreds of tons of airborne elemental mercury every year. Mercury is used in the extraction process, alongside cyanide, and these toxic chemicals then leach into the soil and groundwater. The smelting of gold also releases arsenic emissions and other toxins, and smelters release tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

During the mining process, harmful aerosols are generated, including arsenic, diesel, and particulate matter. These particles are released into the air and can be inhaled by people living near mines, causing health issues. The dust and particles released during blasting, excavation, and transport of minerals can also affect air quality and the respiratory health of nearby residents.

The majority of the world's gold is extracted from open-pit mines, where huge volumes of earth are scoured away and processed for trace elements. This process generates large quantities of heavy metal-laden wastes, which are often released in an uncontrolled manner, causing widespread contamination of the ecosystem. The waste also carries mercury and cyanide, which are used to extract gold from rock. The resulting erosion clogs streams and rivers and can eventually taint marine ecosystems far from the mine site.

The exposure of deep earth to air and water during mining causes chemical reactions that produce sulfuric acid, which can leak into drainage systems. This is known as acid mine drainage and is one of the biggest contributors to mine pollution. It occurs when sulphide minerals, such as pyrite, are exposed to air and water, releasing sulphuric acid. This not only pollutes water bodies but also negatively affects aquatic life.

The impact of gold mining on air quality is a significant issue that requires responsible and sustainable management of mining activities.

Gold mining and land destruction

Gold mining is a highly destructive industry. It is a major contributor to land degradation, ecosystem destruction, water pollution, and biodiversity loss. The process of extracting gold involves displacing vast quantities of land, resulting in soil erosion and the destruction of pristine environments.

One of the most significant issues associated with gold mining is the release of toxic chemicals, such as mercury and cyanide, which contaminate water resources. Mercury, a liquid metal, is commonly used in artisanal and small-scale gold mining to extract gold from rock and sediment. For every gram of gold produced, two grams of mercury are released into the environment. This toxic substance not only wreaks havoc on the health of miners but also on the surrounding ecosystems. It contaminates waterways, endangers aquatic life, and poses risks to human health, with unsafe mercury levels recorded in 80% of local residents in one city in the Peruvian Amazon.

Gold mining activities also contribute to air pollution, releasing hundreds of tons of airborne elemental mercury each year. This atmospheric mercury pollution can travel across great distances, affecting regions far beyond the immediate vicinity of the mine site. Additionally, the exposure of deep earth to air and water during mining can lead to the formation of sulfuric acid through chemical reactions. This acidic water can then run over rocks, leaching out heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, and iron, further contaminating rivers and streams.

The impacts of gold mining on land destruction are evident in the Amazon rainforest, where artisanal and small-scale gold miners are tearing down the forest to access the rich gold deposits beneath. Deforestation rates in the Madre de Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon have increased sixfold due to gold mining, threatening this biologically diverse ecosystem that plays a crucial role in mitigating global warming.

The consequences of gold mining extend beyond environmental degradation. It can also displace communities, endanger workers, and affect the health and well-being of society. The toxic chemical pollution resulting from unsustainable mining operations has severe impacts on individuals and the public, with pollutants such as mercury and heavy metals working their way into the food chain and sickening people and animals for generations.

Gold mining and human health

Gold mining has serious effects on human health in several ways. Firstly, it causes direct harm to the health of workers in the industry. Miners who work underground face a range of health issues, including decreased life expectancy and increased frequency of cancer of the trachea, bronchus, lung, stomach, and liver. They also suffer from a higher prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis, silicosis, pleural diseases, and insect-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever. Noise-induced hearing loss, bacterial and viral diseases, and musculoskeletal issues are also more common among gold miners.

Secondly, gold mining contaminates water resources with toxic chemicals, threatening the health of people and animals who rely on these water sources. Mining companies dump toxic waste containing dozens of dangerous chemicals, including mercury and cyanide, into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Even when this waste is contained in tailings dams, it can still contaminate waterways when these structures fail. This contaminated water, known as acid mine drainage, is highly destructive to aquatic life and can work its way into the food chain, endangering people and animals alike.

The impact of gold mining on water resources is evident in the case of the Grasberg mine in West Papua, Indonesia. This mine has contaminated the coastal estuary, the Arafura Sea, and possibly the Lorentz National Park. Similarly, the Questa mine in northern New Mexico contaminated local groundwater with lead, arsenic, and other pollutants, threatening the nearby village of Questa.

In addition to the direct health impacts on miners and the contamination of water resources, gold mining also contributes to land destruction, soil erosion, and ecosystem destruction. This degradation of the environment has indirect effects on the health and well-being of society and the public at large.

To address these issues, interventions have been implemented, such as improved amalgamation centres, use of retorts, water re-circulation in closed systems, and secure disposal of amalgamation residue. While these interventions have shown some success in reducing mercury levels, atmospheric mercury levels still exceed WHO-recommended levels in some cases.

To summarise, gold mining poses significant risks to human health, both directly to miners and indirectly to surrounding communities through environmental contamination, particularly of water resources. Efforts to mitigate these impacts have been made, but further action is needed to ensure the safety and well-being of those affected by the gold mining industry.

Gold mining and biodiversity loss

Gold mining, in particular, has been identified as one of the most destructive industries in the world, with the potential to displace communities, contaminate drinking water, hurt workers, and destroy pristine environments. It is a major threat to biodiversity and "frontier forests" (large tracts of relatively undisturbed forest).

Gold mining can cause biodiversity loss through direct and indirect processes. Direct processes include the mineral extraction phase, which can lead to habitat loss and degradation. For example, in the Shekiso district of Ethiopia, surface mining activity has caused rock and mineral crystals to dissolve into water, resulting in water pollution. This has led to an increase in chemical elements such as arsenic and sulphuric acid, which can be toxic to both humans and animals.

Indirect processes include the industries that support mining operations and the external stakeholders who gain access to biodiversity-rich areas as a result of mining. For instance, the construction of transport or energy infrastructure can contribute to deforestation and the loss of vegetation and forest cover.

In addition, gold mining often involves the use of toxic chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, which can contaminate soil and water bodies. Mercury, in particular, is considered a major driver of biodiversity loss. It can be deposited in terrestrial ecosystems, where it can bioaccumulate in the food web. If forests are cleared to expand mining activities, mercury can pass into aquatic systems, where it can biomagnify and further bioaccumulate, causing even more damage to the surrounding ecosystems.

The impact of gold mining on biodiversity is not limited to the immediate site of extraction but can be felt at the landscape, regional, and global levels. For example, the Grasberg mine in West Papua, Indonesia, has contaminated the coastal estuary and Arafura Sea and possibly the Lorentz National Park. The Akyem mine in Ghana, an open-pit mine, will destroy 183 acres of protected forests.

While mining can have devastating effects on biodiversity, it is important to recognize that it can also provide an opportunity to finance alternative livelihood paths that may, in the long term, prevent biodiversity loss.

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