Mining and Fracking
By: Daisy Lane & Mack Hopkins
Types of Mining
Where soil and rock over the mineral deposit are removed
Includes…
Strip mining- when the rock and soil that's on top of the layer or seam followed by the minerals being removed from the Earth. It affects the environment because when all the vegetation is removed the air quality is effected because the plants are no longer there to produce clean oxygen and take in the carbon dioxide it releases. The removal of soil causes less wildlife, and when the environment tries to regrow it is usually unable to succeed in the effort because of all the damage caused.
Open pit mining- a cut made at the surface of the ground for the purpose of removing ore. It affects the environment because making it hard for plants to grow normally, due to uneven land.
Mountain top mining- the mining of the summit or summit ridge of a mountain this effects the environment because the dust from the explosions may settle into private property and it can contain sulfur compounds which eats away structures and is a health hazard.
Subsurface…
Digging tunnels or shafts into the Earth to reach buried deposits
Includes…
Slope- when a sloping access shaft travels down towards the desired materials, this effects the environment because to keep the shafts dry water must be pumped out, which is usually acidic and affects the groundwater.
Drift- a horizontal or near horizontal tunnel made in the mine, this affects the environment because poor ventilation in the mines can cause lung problems.
Shaft- a process when vertical shafts are sunk into the earth to gain access to underground resources, this affects the environment because huge amounts of waste rock and water are brought to the surface and becomes toxic.
So Whats the Difference?
Subsurface mining is when minerals and resources are removed in various ways from beneath the earths surface.
Fracking
The process of drilling down into the earth before a high- pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside.
Effects on the Enviornment…
The groundwater can be contaminated
Methane pollution
Air pollution