Side effect of mining

Mining refers to the process of extracting metals and minerals from the earth. Gold, silver,
diamond, iron, coal, and uranium are just a few of the vast array of metals and minerals that are
obtained by this process. In fact, mining is the source of all the substances that cannot be
obtained by industrial processes or through agriculture. Mining reaps huge profits for the
companies that own them and provides employment to a large number of people. It is also a huge
source of revenue for the government. Despite its economic importance, the effects of mining on
the environment is a pressing issue.

Effects of Mining on Environment

Rainforests are the biggest source of oxygen, wood and medicines on this earth. Amazon
rainforest is known for its alluvial gold deposits. Gold is found both in river channels and at the
banks of the river after floods (floodplains). Hydraulic mining techniques are used for mining
gold. The method involves blasting at the banks of the river. This has caused irreversible damage
to trees, birds and animals. While separating the sediment and mercury from the gold-yielding
gravel deposits, small-scale miners who are less equipped than industrial miners, may ignore
release of some mercury into the river. This mercury enters the food chain through aquatic
animals and their predators. Highly poisonous compound 'cyanide' is also used to separate gold
from sediment and rock. In spite of all precautionary measures, it sometimes escapes into the
surrounding environment. Those who eat fish are at greater risk of ingesting such toxins.

Effect on Land
Deforestation: Mining requires large areas of forest area to be cleared so that the land could be
dug into by the miners. For this reason, large-scale deforestation is required to be carried out in
the areas where mining has to be done. Besides clearing the mining area, vegetation in the
adjoining areas also needs to be cut in order to construct roads and residential facilities for the
mine workers. The human population brings along with it other activities that harm the
environment. For example, various activities at coal mines release dust and gas into the air. Thus,
mining is one of the major causes of deforestation and pollution.

Loss of Biodiversity: The forests that are cleared for mining purposes are home to a large
number of organisms. Indiscriminate clearing of the forests leads to loss of habitat of a large
number of animals. This puts the survival of a large number of animal species at stake. The
cutting down of trees in itself is a big threat to a number of plants, trees, birds and animals that
dwell in the forests.

Pollution: Despite measures being taken to release the chemical waste into the nearby rivers
through pipes, a large amount of chemicals still leak out onto the land. This changes the chemical
composition of the land. Besides this, since the chemicals are poisonous, they make the soil
unsuitable for plants to grow. Also, the organisms that live in the soil find the polluted
environment hostile for their survival.

Effect on Water
Pollution: Chemicals like mercury, cyanide, sulfuric acid, arsenic and methyl mercury are used
in various stages of mining. Most of the chemicals are released into nearby water bodies, and are
responsible for water pollution. In spite of tailings (pipes) being used to dispose these chemicals
into the water bodies, possibilities of leakage are always there. When the leaked chemicals
slowly percolate through the layers of the earth, they reach the groundwater and pollute it.
Surface run-off of just soil and rock debris, although non-toxic, can be harmful for vegetation of
the surrounding areas.

Loss of Aquatic Life: Release of toxic chemicals into the water is obviously harmful for the flora
and fauna of the water bodies. Besides the pollution, mining processes require water from nearby
water sources. For example, water is used to wash impurities from the coal. The result is that the
water content of the river or lake from which water is being used gets reduced. Organisms in
these water bodies do not have enough water for their survival.

River dredging is a method adopted in case of gold mining. In this method, gravel and mud is
suctioned from a particular area of the river. After the gold fragments are filtered out, the
remaining mud and gravel is released back into the river, although, at a location different from
where they had been taken. This disrupts the natural flow of the river that may cause fish and
other organisms to die.

Previously buried metal sulfides are exposed during mining activities. When they come in
contact with the atmospheric oxygen, they get converted into strong sulfuric acid and metal
oxides. Such compounds get mixed up in the local waterways and contaminate local rivers with
heavy metals.

Spread of Diseases
Sometimes the liquid waste that is generated after the metals or minerals have been extracted is
disposed in a mining pit. As the pit gets filled up by the mine tailings, they become a stagnant
pool of water. This becomes the breeding ground for water-borne diseases causing insects and
organisms like mosquitoes to flourish.

Examples of the Environmental Impact of Mining

In 1995, in Guyana, more than four billion liters of waste water that contained cyanide, slipped
into a tributary of the Essequibo; when the tailings dam, which was filled with cyanide waste,
collapsed. All the fish in the river died, plant and animal life was completely destroyed, and
floodplain soils were heavily poisoned, making the land useless for agriculture. The main source
of drinking water for the local people was also polluted. This was a major set-back for the eco-
tourism industry on the river. When trees are cut (forest clearing for the construction of roads
and mines, wood for the immigrated people, workers, etc.) and water sources are contaminated,
animal populations migrate or die. Moreover, hunters are hired to feed the people working at the
mining sites.

The Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Congo, was declared as 'World Heritage Site' in 1980 because
of its rich bio-diversity. Conservation of several types of animals and plants was the aim behind
this. As thousands of people started extracting tantalum and cassiterite at hundreds of sites
throughout the park, most of the large animals were killed within 15-20 years. The number of
Grauer's gorilla, the species which is found in this area only, decreased significantly. Statistics
show that now, there are only 2-3 thousand Grauer's gorillas left.

The Indonesian government has sued a gold mining company for throwing away poisonous
waste, such as arsenic and mercury, into the Buyat Bay. Fish in the bay was killed. People in the
surrounding area can no more eat fish. They are already suffering from various illnesses like
constant headache, skin rashes, tumors and breathing difficulty.

Effects of mining on the environment may not be evident immediately, they are usually noticed
after some years. Although the developed countries have tight norms regarding mining, such
rules can be easily flouted in countries which lack strict monitoring of the procedures being
followed for mining. The effects in such cases can be devastating for the environment. Be it due
to ignorance of the regulations or just a freak accident, incidents like the Guyana spill of 1995
may occur again. This highlights the fact that issues like mining's effect on the environment are
worth some serious deliberation.

Side effect of tourism

Tourism can bring many economic and social benefits, particularly in rural areas and developing
countries, but mass tourism is also associated with negative effects. Tourism can only be sustainable if it
is carefully managed so that potential negative effects on the host community and the environment are
not permitted to outweigh the financial benefits.
Economic Effects -- Positive
Tourism creates jobs, both through direct employment within the tourism industry and indirectly
in sectors such as retail and transportation. When these people spend their wages on goods and
services, it leads to what is known as the "multiplier effect," creating more jobs. The tourism
industry also provides opportunities for small-scale business enterprises, which is especially
important in rural communities, and generates extra tax revenues, such as airport and hotel taxes,
which can be used for schools, housing and hospitals.
Economic Effects -- Negative
Successful tourism relies on establishing a basic infrastructure, such as roads, visitor centers and
hotels. The cost of this usually falls on the government, so it has to come out of tax revenues.
Jobs created by tourism are often seasonal and poorly paid, yet tourism can push up local
property prices and the cost of goods and services. Money generated by tourism does not always
benefit the local community, as some of it leaks out to huge international companies, such as
hotel chains. Destinations dependent on tourism can be adversely affected by events such as
terrorism, natural disasters and economic recession.
Social Effects -- Positive
The improvements to infrastructure and new leisure amenities that result from tourism also
benefit the local community. Tourism encourages the preservation of traditional customs,
handicrafts and festivals that might otherwise have been allowed to wane, and it creates civic
pride. Interchanges between hosts and guests create a better cultural understanding and can also
help raise global awareness of issues such as poverty and human rights abuses.
Social Effects -- Negative
Visitor behavior can have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of the host community. For
example, crowding and congestion, drugs and alcohol problems, prostitution and increased
crime levels can occur. Tourism can even infringe on human rights, with locals being displaced
from their land to make way for new hotels or barred from beaches. Interaction with tourists can
also lead to an erosion of traditional cultures and values.
Environmental Effects -- Positive
Tourism -- particularly nature and ecotourism -- helps promote conservation of wildlife and
natural resources such as rain forests, as these are now regarded as tourism assets. It also helps
generate funding for maintaining animal preserves and marine parks through entrance charges
and guide fees. By creating alternative sources of employment, tourism reduces problems such as
over-fishing and deforestation in developing nations.
Environmental Effects -- Negative
Tourism poses a threat to a region's natural and cultural resources, such as water supply, beaches,
coral reefs and heritage sites, through overuse. It also causes increased pollution through traffic
emissions, littering, increased sewage production and noise.