Impacts of Mining

Question 1

Strip Mining

Answer 1

The removal of overlying vegetation and strips of soil and rocks (overburden) to expose underlying ore that is relatively close to Earth’s surface.

Question 2

Strip mining makes soil more susceptible to

Answer 2

erosion

Question 3

Open-pit mining

Answer 3

Creates a large visible pit or hole in the ground

Question 4

Overburden

Answer 4

The rock and soil above a desired ore.

Question 5

What do strip miners do with sedimentary rocks?

Answer 5

Remove a large volume of material, extract the resource, and return the unwanted waste material, called mine tailings, to the hole created during mining.

Question 6

Mine tailings

Answer 6

The chemical compounds and rock residues that are left behind after the desired metal or metals are removed from the ore. Often contain trace quantities of the metals or compounds that are the desired resources.

Question 7

Coal and sand are often deposited…

Answer 7

parallel to the ground (sedimentary) and strip mined.

Question 8

When is open-pit mining used?

Answer 8

When the resource is close to the surface but extends beneath the surface both horizontally and horizontally.

Question 9

Copper mines are usually

Answer 9

open-pit mines

Question 10

Mountain Top Removal

Answer 10

Miners remove the entire top of a mountain with explosives. Large earth moving equipment removes the resources and deposits the tailings in nearby streams and rivers.

Question 11

Impact of mountain top removal

Answer 11

Large equipment deposits tailings in lower elevation regions, including nearby streams and rivers.

Question 12

Placer Mining

Answer 12

Process of looking for minerals, metals and precious stones in river sediments.

Question 13

How does placer Mining work?

Answer 13

heavier items, such as diamonds, tantalum and gold are separated from lighter items (sand and mud) in the river water. Used in California during gold rush.

Question 14

Surface Mining Impacts on Air

Answer 14

Large quantities of dust released into atmosphere, and fossil fuels released from machinery. Methan also released from coal mining.

Question 15

Mountain top removal is primarily in

Answer 15

coal mining

Question 16

Reclamation does not always

Answer 16

rectify damage to groundwater and nearby streams from mountaintop removal.

Question 17

Placer Mining impact

Answer 17

Contaminates rivers with sediments and chemicals (including toxic chemicals like mercury).

Question 18

Surface mining effects on water

Answer 18

Mine tailings contaminate any water that percolate through it, and are deposited into nearby waterways.

Question 19

Surface mining effects on soil

Answer 19

Most soil is completely removed above the mining site. Even if put back, very hard to grow new ecosystem.

Question 20

Surface mining effects on biodiversity

Answer 20

Destroys and alters habitats over the surfaces being mines

Question 21

Effects on humans

Answer 21

Not many direct effects on workers, but pollutants decrease quality of air and water leading to possible health affects near mining operations.

Question 22

Subsurface mining effects on Air

Answer 22

Not as much dust and particulate matter directly released into the air, but fossil fuels emmited from mining equipment can be significant.

Question 23

subsurface mining effects on water

Answer 23

water that percolates through mine tailings is contaminated, and acid drainage… pumps continuously remove water and create a form of acid drainage. This drainage lowers the PHof nearby soils and streams.

Question 24

When is subsurface mining used?

Answer 24

When desired resources is more than 100m (328ft) below surface of the earth.

Question 25

What resources does subsurface mining usually extract?

Answer 25

Coal and metal ore, such as gold, and diamonds.

Question 26

Acid mine drainage

Answer 26

General term for water that passes through mine tailings. The water reacts chemically with mine tailings and becomes acidic and may contain metals that are leached from the tailings.

Question 27

subsurface mining effects on soil

Answer 27

none

Question 28

subsurface mining effects on biodiversity

Answer 28

acid drainage can affect habitats nearby. Roads also create habitat fragmentation.

Question 29

Subsurface mining effects on humans

Answer 29

Hazards include: Collapse, explosions, and fires. Miners also face respiratory issues, such as black lung disease and chronic diseases.

Question 30

Which mining technique is most expensive?

Answer 30

Subsurface mining

Question 31

What specific mineral is dangerous to mine underground?

Answer 31

Coal. Methane deposited normally interspersed with coal beds. Released, and causes potential explosions/suffocation from lack of oxygen.

Question 32

Which chemical composition is dangerous when released from mining?

Answer 32

Methane. A potent greenhouse gasses.

Question 34

What is part of reclamation?

Answer 34

Revelation/replanting, controlling erosion and sedimentation, and stabilizing slopes.

Question 35

What is spoil?

Answer 35

When mine tailings are piled into heaps

Question 36

Which element contributes to acid mine drainage?

Answer 36

Sulfur

Question 37

Which metals is most abundant in earths crust?

Answer 37

Aluminum! (Then iron)

Question 38

Which metal has the highest US reserve?

Answer 38

Cobalt

Question 39

Mining of this material will lost likely release

Answer 39

Coal will release methane

Question 40

The resource that the US has the most urgency to recycle and reuse is

Answer 40

Aluminum

Question 41

What kind of minerals are in metal target ores?

Answer 41

Sulfide minerals

Question 42

Tailings are

Answer 42

The waste that remains when the minerals have been removed from the ore.

Question 43

Coal is the

Answer 43

Most mined commodity in the Us

Question 44

Current largest mine, or the state that produced most coal currently

Answer 44

Wyoming

Question 45

Historically this state produced most coal

Answer 45

West Virginia, but reserves are being depleted and abandoned