APES 1/5 Get a computer

Mental Warm-Up What do the terms over-burden, tailings, mitigation, and reclamation mean, in terms of mining? Give an example of each from the virtual lab/videos.

Mining Lab

Minerals and Ores Earth’s crust is 88% iron, silicon, aluminum, and oxygen Valuable, rarer elements are found in uneven clusters because of variable distribution of rock types Mineral = naturally occurring, crystalline solid Ore = valuable, concentrated accumulation of minerals in rocks

Important Ores Metallic minerals- valuable for ability to conduct electricity, structural purposes, etc. (i.e, copper, gold, lead, rare earth metals for batteries) Salt, sand Fossil fuels (carbon-based)

MANGANESE COAL IRON MICA

What do we mine for? Energy Metallic Non-metallic Ferrous Non-ferrous Limestone Coal Iron Gold Nitrate Petroleum Manganese Silver Potash Natural Gas Chromite Copper Dolomite Pyrite Lead Mica Tungsten Bauxite Gypsum Nickel Tin Cobalt Magnesium

Mining Simulation Lab Materials Group Roles Field Geologist (looks for ore) Accountant (keeps track of $$$) Miner (digger/transporter) 2 Process engineers (deshell ore) 2 Env. Engineers (clean up) Bucket with your mining site Small cup (your truck) Forceps Wooden skewers Paintbrushes Data table

Due Next Time Cancer in Kentucky (on Google classroom)

Mining Basics How are sites selected? consider env. cost, potential profits, amt. and stability of overburden (materials that must be removed to reach the mineral) Types of Mining Surface Mining (strip mining, open-pit mining, mountaintop removal, placer mining( Subsurface mining

Surface Mining Strip Mining: removal of mineral deposits in horizontal strips Land is clear-cut and overburden is removed by explosives/heavy equipment Mineral deposits removed by huge power shovels Overburden is replaced Land cannot be returned to original state, and heavy equipment compacts soil. Long-term damage.

Iron-Ore Mine, Liberia Iron-ore mines like this one have altered the landscape of Liberia. The Liberian Civil War (1989-1996) and the declining world demand for iron ore led to the complete shutdown of Liberian iron-ore mining in the early 1990s. Coal Mine in Appalachia

Surface Mining 2. Mountaintop removal Entire top of a mountain is removed by explosives, causing it to fall into surrounding valleys Common in coal mining in Eastern U.S. Permanently buries streams, alters topography

Surface Mining 3. Open-Pit Mining A huge hole is dug using explosives and heavy equipment; ore is removed Pit is abandoned and often fills with water Pit becomes acidic and polluted with heavy metals due to mine waste left behind Acid Mine Drainage: Sulfur compounds are oxidized by air, dissolve in rain water to form sulfuric acid run-off!

One of North America’s largest open-pit copper mines, located in Kennecott, Utah.

Surface Mining 4. Placer Mining Searching for ores in river sediments (i.e. California Gold Rush of mid-1800’s Rivers are diverted, dammed to make extraction easier Mercury is used to chemically remove gold from ores, polluting rivers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbI_ZArJ22U

Subsurface Mining Deep, vertical shafts are drilled with horizontal branches Less surface env. degradation, but can cause collapse, explosions (methane and coal dust) Not just for coal!- any ore too far down to remove overburden

Types of Coal Mining Often called mountaintop removal

Downsides of Subsurface Mining Labor Intensive Filling in mines after they are empty Health of workers  Black lung disease, high rates of cancer from particulate matters Danger of accidents

Major Coal Mining Accidents http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/13/us/u-s-mine-disasters-fast-facts/ China is by far the most dangerous! 2010 collapse in Chile

Environmental Impacts Clear-cutting of forests Destruction of soil horizons Soil compaction Stream/river destruction, diversion, pollution Acidic and metallic waste-water pollution Solid waste, toxic dust and emissions 75% if all solid waste in U.S. comes from mines! This waste is called “tailings” or mining spoils- unwanted waste material

Animas River Spill (8/2015) https://www.rt.com/usa/319439-epa-caused-colorado-mine-spill/

Important Legislation in U.S. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/319938-trump-signs-bill-undoing-obama-coal-mining-rule 1. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) Land must be reclaimed after surface mining Clean up any pollution **Various levels of enforcement** 2. General Mining Law of 1872 Encourages exploration of mineral resources Corporations can buy large tracts of public land for cheap! Minor modifications, but critics argue companies aren’t paying enough taxes on royalties or cleaning up well.