Chidester

Jessica Chidester
Proposal Final
Professor Miner
5/3/2015

Mining and You: How Meeting our Energy Needs Might be Harming our Future

Why clean mining matters:

To protect the life on our earth, both human and nonhuman, we must find a way to gather
resources without a great negative impact on the environment. As it is now, mining practices
pollute the earth and make the abandoned areas of a mining site unstable and dangerous. These
sites are no longer suitable for fauna or flora to live. If we push mining companies to practice
greener mining techniques we might be able to greatly reduce the impact we have on an area
after they have mined it of its valuable minerals.

How are we mining right now?

There are two major mining techniques used today that gather resources to power our
modern world. These techniques are open pit mining, which yields metals and coal, and
hydraulic fracturing, which supplies us with natural gas and other gasses trapped in the earth.

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You might have hear these techniques called by their nicknames, open pit mining is referred to as
strip mining and hydraulic fracturing is called fracking.
With fracking, a mixture of water and chemicals is pumped into the earth through a
drilled hole in the ground. This mixture forces up trapped gasses to be collected for human use.
The gasses travel to the surface through tiny hair sized fractures in the rock created by the
pressurized water mixture.
Fig. 1

Image courtesy of publichealthwatch.files.wordpress.com

The idea behind fracking is sound, but with time we have come to find it can also lead to
many environmental problems. The first issue we encounter comes from the waste water. If this
water is left behind at the site in what is called a waste well, it can seep into the surrounding

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waterways and pollute the natural water table. Another issue caused by fracking is with the
fracturing itself. Recent reports show fracking may be linked with an increase in seismic activity.
It is theorized that the hairline cracks in the ground make the ground unstable and earthquake
prone. This damage to the stability of the land could have a negative impact on the surrounding
animal and plant life. If the well is located near humans it would also pose a danger to the people
in that area.
Open pit mining is a slightly less elegant mining technique when compared to fracking,
however the environmental dangers posed by strip mining are just as devastating. With strip
mining the top layer of earth is removed to expose the valuable minerals hidden beneath. The
miners slowly excavate deeper into the earth to gather more and more resources. These pits can
become very wide and very deep. A local mine using this technique is the Kennecott Copper
Mine.

Fig. 2

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Image courtesy of chuitna.org

Why are companies resistant to green practices?

The ugly truth about mining cleans up comes down to profit. It costs companies revenue
to practice clean mining. It is in human nature to be selfish and this can lead to cutting corners to
increase gains. But not all companies fall into this trap. Some companies practice responsible
mining techniques for the good of their communities. Kennecott is a local mountain top removal
mine in Utah which employs some of the environmental saving practices Im arguing for in this
paper. From the Kennecott website:
Environmental stewardship is at the heart of Rio Tinto Kennecotts
commitment to sustainable development. Wherever possible, we prevent, or
otherwise minimize, mitigate or remediate any potentially harmful effects of our
operations on the environment. This practice creates and sustains our business
value and reputation.
We set self-imposed environmental targets to drive continual
improvement. Through our commitment and actions, we strive to be a leader in
environmental performance by demonstrating good management of natural
resources, responsibly reducing our environmental footprint and exceeding
community expectations for sustainable development. (kennecott.com)

The issues unsafe mining leads to:

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There are several problems created with most open pit mining. If the mine is located at
the top of a mountain and becomes used up, the earth that was excavated which was once solid
rock is now rubble, and is very unstable and prone to landslides. When they removed the top soil
they took with it the former flora that was growing on the mountainside. Plant roots help to
stabilize and hold together patches of land, without the plants, the rubble is unstable and
dangerous. This is less of an issue when filling in a strip mine that started on flat land.
You might suggest not filling in the land and letting the pit remain exposed. When this is
allowed to happen rain water will build up in the bottom of the pit eventually filling it with
water, creating an artificial lake. The only problem posed by these artificial lakes is the water
will pick up all the minerals left behind from the mining operation. This leads to toxic water,
creating a caustic lake that is dangerous to the life around it. In some cases the lakes are even
acidic.

Proposed solutions:
What can we do to help prevent the damages from mining? By using prevention methods
and meticulous cleanup programs to help curb the destruction, we can help to save our land and
wildlife from harm. If mining companies take special steps along the way they can minimize
harmful impact to the earth.
With fracking, there are a few ways to help reduce the ruinous effects of gathering our
natural gas. Firstly, the companies drilling and mining need to be made to be in charge of
cleaning up their site. If the waste water from fracking is contained it will help stop the pollution

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from seeping out of waste wells and into the ground water. Secondly filling in the drill holes will
help with ground stability.
With strip mining there are a few steps we can take to dampen the harm created when we
gather coal and minerals. When filling in the land we can repurpose it for human needs if the
land is too unfit for wildlife. We can use this land for our means instead of utilizing an untouched
piece of wilderness. We can be careful as we extract our goods to avoid leaving behind caustic
substances that will pollute the ground. We can be mindful when leaving a mountaintop mine not
to create any dangerous slopes with the crushed leftover rocks.

How can I help?

If we put a little more time and care into what we do we could protect ourselves and
wildlife from the harm associated with mining. If you feel mining companies in your area are
handling their cleanup in a way which is unsafe for the future, please write or email your local
congressman and urge stricter reforms for mining clean up and waste management. Through our
influence we can make the world a better place for the people and wildlife that will live long
after we are gone.

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Works Cited

Hoffman, Joe Potential Health and Environmental Effects of Hydro-fracking in the Williston
Basin, Montana.
Serc.carleton.edu Carleton College. June 26, 2014. Web. April 24, 2015.

Schneider, David A. Strip Mining in Kentucky.

Heinonline.org Hein Online. ND. Web. April 24, 2015.

Fracking at Issue Environment. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Print.