MINIING AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

2.1 INTRODUCTION

The mining is one of only two resource industries of and occupies one good position in own
society technological, does not have a good general opinion.

The reasons is what is that means of communication they report more negative stories and the
visible consequences associated with mining operations.

At present, it is reported that 80% of Americans consider themselves "Environmentalists".

Clearly, we live in an environmental era, our personal needs are similar to those of other
human beings such as animals and plants, and we should not damage their habitat.

It is important that we mining engineering students be united with others in the protection of
the environment, we must bear in mind that today's mining makes an effort to present to the
public a good image of leadership and protection to the environment and thus give A good
impact on the environment and society.

2.2 GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS APPLIED TO MINING

The laws and regulations that apply to the mining industry are many and varied. However, the
most important of these are the General Mining Law of 1872, which specifies the use of public
lands for mining; the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, which outlines the methods for leasing
certain minerals on federal lands; the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, which
authorizes the health and safety rules for mining coal, the Federal Mine Safety and Health
Admendments Act of 1977, which dictates safety standards for metal and nonmetallic mines;
and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, which regulates the surface
mining of coal and the reclamation of surface coal mines. A long list of other federal statutes
that apply to mining is provided by Schanz (1992) and Marcus (1997a, pp. 31, 45). Many of
these are oriented toward air and water pollution control, antiquities, wilderness lands, and
endangered species. Because of the many statutes that a mining organization must observe in
its daily operations, mining companies often have lawyers or other specialists on their stalls to
interpret and manage compliance with these laws and regulations. Summaries of the
aforementioned five Acts are provided in the following subsections. A more complete review
of the five sets of laws and regulations can be found in Hartman (1992, pp. 123-201).

2.2.1 LAW OF MINES OF 1872

The General Mining Law of 1872 was enacted to provide a means to regulate discovery and
mineral deposits on federal lands. The law has been amended from its original form, but
exists today essentially in the same way as when it was enacted. It applies to claim land for
mining purposes in 19 states where federal lands exist and have not been withdrawn from
mining use. The types of minerals that can be localized according to the law have been
reduced over time to metallic deposits and certain industrial minerals that have
a value different and special.

A claim of vein can be located in vein deposits (vein) and is subject to the definition that the
deposit must be in its original geological location with rock on both sides
Placer's claims they are generally 20 ac (8 ha) in the area and are located in any deposit that is
not in its original point of deposit or in a deposit that has had its surface outcrop distorted by
erosion.

2.2.2 Mineral leasing law of 1920

The Mineral Lease Act of 1920 was passed laying aside oil, gas, coal, potassium, phosphate,
sodium, shale, gilsonite , native asphalt , bitumen bituminous rock and sulfur since the
discovery in the General Mining Law. These RALminas thereafter they became or
exploitable Public lands only on a lease basis When the existing mineral values are known, the
government can periodically offer many mineral lease sales are arranged in 2560 ac lands
(1035 ha) are often offered or r Leases in blocks of land based on a competitive bidding
process. Treat the blocks, but the coal is leased in larger blocks to increase its value for
the Mining company and the public.

2.2.3 Federal Coal Mines Health and Safety Act of 1969

The regulation of coal mining activity in the United States was, for much of the twentieth
century, left mainly in the hands of the states. Most states had reasonably safe mining
practices incorporated into their laws, but their application was not strict enough to overcome
the many dangers inherent in coal mining. Until an explosion killed a more than 78
Americans that the mining company had to establish regulations to control the security
effects and health of coal mining in the United States. MSHA also received the power to
enforce the regulations that were established.

The safety standards for underground coal mining are quite voluminous and should be studied
in detail by anyone involved in underground coal mining. The following general topics are
covered (among others)

2.2.4 Federal Law on Safety and Health Amendments in Mines of 1977

Although work in metallic and non-metallic mines is not usually as dangerous as in coal mines
due to the general absence of explosive strata gases, there are still many dangers inherent in
the extraction of any ore, particularly in underground mines. In 1972, a fire at
the Sunshine Silver Mine in Idaho killed 91 miners. This incident showed the need for better
escape plans and better training of miners in the use of respirators for escape
attempts. There was great impetus for an improved set of regulations for metallic and non-
metallic mines. The Federal Mine Safety and Health Amendments Act of 1977 emerged as a
result of concern for the safety of metal and non-metallic miners. This law, combined with
the previous legislation, establishes the regulations for all metallic and non-metallic mines.

In September of 1999, MSHA promulgated training rules for all by and clay. Phosphate and
surface limestone mines. These regulations became training for new miners and 8 hours of
annual refresher training to keep everyone involved in this industry aware of the hazards they
face at work. In addition, regulations require that a miner assigned to a new task must be
trained in specific safe work procedures for that new task. Every company must have to
enforce these regulations.

2.2.5 Law of Control and Recovery of Surface Mining

This law was adopted in 1977 to establish the Office of Surface Mining, Recovery
and Compliance and to provide a uniform and complete set of surface mine regulations. across
the country. The Law was aimed at previous problems of recovery of coal mines in which the
sites of the mine were not adequately recovered or abandoned when the companies went
bankrupt. A summary of the main aspects of the law can be found in Kaas (1992); A full
text of the law can be requested at http://www.osmre.gov/ (Office ofSurface Mining ,
2000). In this law a series of important measures were instituted to protect the environment
and reclaim the previous sites that had not been reclassified adequately .

First, a permit system was established for all surface coal mines to ensure that mining
companies had an extraction and extraction plan that met the standards of the law.

Second, the states could not to enforce the law unless they had an adequate program that
complied with the federal complaint requirements.

Third, a compliance bond was required as insurance that the recovery could be completed in
the event that a company could not reclaim the mine site according to the required
standards.

2.5 SOCIOENGINEERING

Engineers characteristically, by personal nature and by the nature of their work, may not think
outwardly to the world around them as they perform their jobs. This is more likely to be true in
certain categories of engineering positions than in others. However, the tendency to work
without considering the effect

Of our actions on society should be avoided. Socioengineering is defined as the study of the
interactions between engineering and society and how each affects the other (Hartman, 1970,
1974). All engineering programs have a selection of elective courses. These are often the only
opportunity engineering students have to consider the effects of their profession. It is
important that these courses be used to establish a life-long commitment to understanding
and utilizing the interaction of engineering and society for the joint benefit of both Lacking this
commitment, the potential benefits of engineering and technology cannot be optimized

There have been a number of important developments in this area. Many of higher learning
have established measures to better promote the optimal use of science, engineering, and
technology in society. A number of large s have courses of study that go by the name of
science, technology and society (STS), socioengineering, or some similar combination of words.

Science, which te technology, and society has been defined as the study of the ways in
technical and social phenomena interact and influence each other (McGinn, 1991). These
studies can help engineers understand the effects of their n the general public and how the
general public can endorse a technology work o or doom it to failure. It is important that all
engineers understand the nature this interaction between their work and society so that they
can reap the rewards of acceptance by the public and optimal effects of their engineering work

Modern engineers and managers can use this knowledge in many ways to enhance their image
with the public and pave the way for new technology and new projects. Mining operations are
particularly important in this regard, as they can affect the public even though no direct
individual negative impact can be detected. This can occur because even the thought of a mine
impacting the public is an effect. When people expect a mine to change their everyday
existence, that in itself is an impact Consequently, every informed mining Modern engineers
and managers can use this knowledge in man manager will work with the public to minimize
undesirable effects on s The manager will make certain that members of the public are well
informed about every new project so that they are not surprised by what happens Meetings
with local politicians and concerned citizens will be held prior to every new development so
that everyone involved will have an opportunity to comment. The manager will provide honest
answers about the advantages and disadvantages of the project. In addition, he or she will not
be reticent to trumpet the organization's contributions to the community and to its people
This is how the engineer and the manager can use socioengineering to advantage so that each
project achieves its optimal effect on the mining organization and on society