Kiera Jefferson
Water pollution is a significant concern in the mining industry, as mining operations threaten all kinds of waterways, from rivers and lakes to drinking water supplies. Mining activities deteriorate water quality and quantity, and can cause disfiguration of streams and river channels, which results in flooding. Contamination occurs when toxic chemicals used in the mining process leach, leak, or spill from the mining area into the nearby bodies of water. These chemicals can lead to loss of life on wildlife species and severe health concerns on the human body.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Water pollution is primarily associated with mining operations | Threatens all kinds of waterways, from rivers, lakes to drinking water supplies |
| Acid rock drainage | Natural process where sulfides in rocks from an open-pit reacts with water and air to produce sulfuric acid |
| Contamination | Leaching, leaking, or spilling of toxic chemicals from the mining area into the nearby bodies of water |
| Heavy metal pollution | Exposure of heavy metals such as cobalt, arsenic, copper, zinc, lead, cadmium, and silver in an underground mine or contained in an excavated rock |
| Erosion and sedimentation | Disturbance of local soil and rocks during construction and maintenance of roads, waste impoundments, and open pits |
| Pollution from processing chemicals | Use of chemical agents such as sulfuric acid or cyanide to separate target minerals in ore |
What You'll Learn
- Chemical compounds used in mining leach, leak or spill into local bodies of water
- Metals leach from the material as water rushes over the surface of the rocks
- Erosion and sedimentation occur during construction and maintenance of mining sites
- Sulfur and sulfide in rocks from an open-pit reacts with water and air to produce sulphuric acid
- Heavy rain at mining sites carries sediments that may pollute the streams, lakes, and rivers
Chemical compounds used in mining leach, leak or spill into local bodies of water
Mining operations are a major cause of water pollution, threatening all types of waterways and drinking water supplies. Chemical compounds such as sulphuric acid or cyanide are used to separate target minerals from the ore and can leach, leak or spill from the mine site into local bodies of water. These chemicals are highly toxic and can lead to the loss of life on wildlife species and severe health concerns for humans.
Erosion and sedimentation are other effects of mining that can pollute local water sources. During construction and maintenance of roads, waste impoundments, and open pits, local soil and rocks are disturbed. When adequate control strategies and prevention systems are not in place, exposed earth can suffer from erosion, carrying sediment into local water sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams.
Mining sites can also experience heavy rain, which can wash away the loosened topsoil, carrying sediments that may pollute the streams, lakes, and rivers. Excessive residue can harm aquatic organisms and watershed vegetation downstream. It can also cause disfiguration of streams and river channels, which results in flooding.
Acid rock drainage (ARD) or acid mine drainage (AMD) is a natural process where sulfides in rocks from an open-pit reacts with water and air to produce sulphuric acid. Once the water reaches a certain level of acidity, the process is enhanced by a bacteria called Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, accelerating both the acidification and oxidation processes.
Heavy metal pollution is caused when such metals as cobalt, arsenic, copper, zinc, lead, cadmium, and silver exposed in an underground mine or contained in an excavated rock come in contact with water. Non-essential heavy metals like gold and mercury are of no biological significance to living organisms.
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Metals leach from the material as water rushes over the surface of the rocks
Water pollution is primarily associated with mining operations as mining threatens all kinds of waterways, from rivers and lakes to drinking water supplies. Water pollution from mining is a significant concern as all lifeforms are dependent on water, and in order to sustain life, there must be fresh and potable water. Mining operations deteriorate water quality and quantity.
Mining companies generally use chemical compounds such as sulphuric acid or cyanide to separate their respective target minerals from the ore. Contamination occurs when these chemicals are leached, leaked, or spilled from the mining area into the nearby bodies of water. These chemicals are highly toxic and could lead to loss of life on wildlife species and severe health concerns on the human body.
Erosion And Sedimentation During the course of the construction and maintenance of roads, waste impoundments, and open pits, local soil and rocks are disturbed. When there are not adequate control strategies and prevention systems in place, exposed earth suffers from erosion, which can carry off a substantial amount of sediment into local water sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams.
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Erosion and sedimentation occur during construction and maintenance of mining sites
Erosion and sedimentation occur during the construction and maintenance of mining sites. Local soil and rocks are disturbed during this process. When there are not adequate control strategies and prevention systems in place, exposed earth suffers from erosion, which can carry off a substantial amount of sediment into local water sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams.
When these mining sites experience heavy rain, the loosened topsoil is washed away, carrying sediments that may pollute the streams, lakes, and rivers. Excessive residue can harm aquatic organisms and watershed vegetation downstream. Moreover, it can also cause disfiguration of streams and river channels, which results in flooding.
Metals leach from the material as water rushing over the surface of the rocks and carries the metals downstream. Pollution From Processing Chemicals This is a type of pollution that happens when chemical agents like sulphuric acid or cyanide, which are used to separate target minerals in ore, leach, leak or spill from a mine site into local bodies of water. Such chemicals are highly toxic for both wildlife and humans in the area.
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Sulfur and sulfide in rocks from an open-pit reacts with water and air to produce sulphuric acid
Water pollution is primarily associated with mining operations as mining threatens all kinds of waterways, from rivers and lakes to drinking water supplies. It is of significant concern as all lifeforms are dependent on water, and in order to sustain life, there must be fresh and potable water. Unfortunately, the activities of mining deteriorate water quality and quantity.
Acid rock drainage (ARD) or acid mine drainage (AMD) is a natural process where sulfides in rocks from an open-pit reacts with water and air to produce sulphuric acid. When these mining sites experience heavy rain, the loosened topsoil is washed away, carrying sediments that may pollute the streams, lakes, and rivers. Excessive residue can harm aquatic organisms and watershed vegetation downstream. Moreover, it can also cause disfiguration of streams and river channels, which results in flooding.
The resulting fluids are hugely toxic, and when combined with groundwater, there is a high risk of loss of aquatic life and restriction of stream use for recreation, public drinking water, and industrial water supplies, making the water virtually unusable. AMD usually comes from currently active mining and abandoned coal mines. It is also considered as one of the significant water contaminants in the mid-Atlantic region.
Metals leach from the material as water rushing over the surface of the rocks and carries the metals downstream. Pollution From Processing Chemicals This is a type of pollution that happens when chemical agents like sulphuric acid or cyanide, which are used to separate target minerals in ore, leach, leak or spill from a mine site into local bodies of water. Such chemicals are highly toxic for both wildlife and humans in the area.
Erosion And Sedimentation During the course of the construction and maintenance of roads, waste impoundments, and open pits, local soil and rocks are disturbed. When there are not adequate control strategies and prevention systems in place, exposed earth suffers from erosion, which can carry off a substantial amount of sediment into local water sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams.
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Heavy rain at mining sites carries sediments that may pollute the streams, lakes, and rivers
When mining sites experience heavy rain, the loosened topsoil is washed away, carrying sediments that may pollute the streams, lakes, and rivers. Excessive residue can harm aquatic organisms and watershed vegetation downstream. Moreover, it can also cause disfiguration of streams and river channels, which results in flooding.
Mining companies generally use chemical compounds such as sulphuric acid or cyanide to separate their respective target minerals from the ore. Contamination occurs when these chemicals are leached, leaked, or spilled from the mining area into the nearby bodies of water. These chemicals are highly toxic and could lead to loss of life on wildlife species and severe health concerns on the human body.
The resulting fluids are hugely toxic, and when combined with groundwater, there is a high risk of loss of aquatic life and restriction of stream use for recreation, public drinking water, and industrial water supplies, making the water virtually unusable.
Erosion And Sedimentation During the course of the construction and maintenance of roads, waste impoundments, and open pits, local soil and rocks are disturbed. When there are not adequate control strategies and prevention systems in place, exposed earth suffers from erosion, which can carry off a substantial amount of sediment into local water sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams.
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Frequently asked questions
Water pollution is primarily associated with mining operations as mining threatens all kinds of waterways, from rivers and lakes to drinking water supplies. It is of significant concern as all lifeforms are dependent on water, and in order to sustain life, there must be fresh and potable water. Unfortunately, the activities of mining deteriorate water quality and quantity.
Acid rock drainage (ARD) or acid mine drainage (AMD) is a natural process where sulfides in rocks from an open-pit reacts with water and air to produce sulphuric acid. The resulting fluids are hugely toxic, and when combined with groundwater, there is a high risk of loss of aquatic life and restriction of stream use for recreation, public drinking water, and industrial water supplies, making the water virtually unusable. AMD usually comes from currently active mining and abandoned coal mines. It is also considered as one of the significant water contaminants in the mid-Atlantic region. Heavy metal pollution is caused when such metals as cobalt, arsenic, copper, zinc, lead, cadmium, and silver exposed in an underground mine or contained in an excavated rock come in contact with water.
When these mining sites experience heavy rain, the loosened topsoil is washed away, carrying sediments that may pollute the streams, lakes, and rivers. Excessive residue can harm aquatic organisms and watershed vegetation downstream. Moreover, it can also cause disfiguration of streams and river channels, which results in flooding. Mining companies generally use chemical compounds such as sulphuric acid or cyanide to separate their respective target minerals from the ore. Contamination occurs when these chemicals are leached, leaked, or spilled from the mining area into the nearby bodies of water. These chemicals are highly toxic and could lead to loss of life on wildlife species and severe health concerns on the human body.
Acid rock drainage (ARD) or acid mine drainage (AMD) is a natural process where sulfides in rocks from an open-pit reacts with water and air to produce sulphuric acid. Once the water reaches a certain level of acidity, the process is enhanced by a bacteria called Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, accelerating both the acidification and oxidation processes.
Erosion And Sedimentation During the course of the construction and maintenance of roads, waste impoundments, and open pits, local soil and rocks are disturbed. When there are not adequate control strategies and prevention systems in place, exposed earth suffers from erosion, which can carry off a substantial amount of sediment into local water sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams.
