Academic literature on the topic 'Environmental impact of gold mines and mining'
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Journal articles on the topic "Environmental impact of gold mines and mining":
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Fritz, Benjamin, Carin Aichele, and Mario Schmidt. "Environmental impact of high-value gold scrap recycling." International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 25, no. 10 (August 25, 2020): 1930–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01809-6.
Abstract:
Abstract Purpose The gold routes satisfying the global gold supply are mining (74%), recycling of high-value gold (23%), and electronic scraps (3%). Besides its applications in the investment, jewelry, and industrial sector, gold also has a bad image. The gold production in industrial as well as artisanal and small-scale mines creates negative impacts such as resource depletion, extensive chemical use, toxic emissions, high energy consumption, and social concerns that are of great importance. On the other hand, almost all gold is recycled and has historically always been. In common life cycle assessment (LCA) databases, there is no data on recycling of high-value gold available. This article attempts to answer the question what the ecological benefits of this recycling are. Method In this study, we were able to collect process data on the most commonly used high-value gold scrap recycling process, the aqua regia method, from several state-of-the-art German refineries. With this data, life cycle inventories were created and a life cycle model was produced to finally generate life cycle impacts of high-value gold scrap recycling. Results This study contains the corresponding inventories and thus enables other interested parties to use these processes for their own LCA studies. The results show that high-value gold scrap recycling has a considerably lower environmental impact than electronic gold scrap recycling and mining. For example, high-value gold scrap recycling in Germany results in a cumulative energy demand (CED) of 820 MJ and a global warming potential (GWP) of 53 kg-CO2-Eq. per kg gold. In comparison, common datasets indicate CED and GWP levels of nearly 8 GJ and 1 t-CO2-Eq. per kg gold, respectively, for electronic scrap recycling and levels of 240 GJ and 16 t-CO2-Eq. per kg gold, respectively, for mining. Conclusion The results show that buying gold from precious metal recycling facilities with high technological standards and a reliable origin of the recycling material is about 300 times better than primary production.
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Usman Kaku, Dawuda, Yonghong Cao, Yousef Ahmed Al-Masnay, and Jean Claude Nizeyimana. "An Integrated Approach to Assess the Environmental Impacts of Large-Scale Gold Mining: The Nzema-Gold Mines in the Ellembelle District of Ghana as a Case Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 13 (July 1, 2021): 7044. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18137044.
Abstract:
The mining industry is a significant asset to the development of countries. Ghana, Africa’s second-largest gold producer, has benefited from gold mining as the sector generates about 90% of the country’s total exports. Just like all industries, mining is associated with benefits and risks to indigenes and the host environment. Small-scale miners are mostly accused in Ghana of being environmentally disruptive, due to their modes of operations. As a result, this paper seeks to assess the environmental impacts of large-scale gold mining with the Nzema Mines in Ellembelle as a case study. The study employs a double-phase mixed-method approach—a case study approach, consisting of site visitation, key informant interviews, questionnaires, and literature reviews, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis method. The NDVI analysis shows that agricultural land reduced by −0.98%, while the bare area increases by 5.21% between the 2008 and 2015 periods. Our results show that forest reserves and bare area were reduced by −4.99% and −29%, respectively, while residential areas increased by 28.17% between 2015 and 2020. Vegetation, land, air, and water quality are highly threatened by large-scale mining in the area. Weak enforcement of mining policies, ineffective stakeholder institution collaborations, and limited community participation in decision-making processes were also noticed during the study. The authors conclude by giving recommendations to help enhance sustainable mining and ensure environmental sustainability in the district and beyond.
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Marshall, Bruce Gavin, Arlette Andrea Camacho, Gabriel Jimenez, and Marcello Mariz Veiga. "Mercury Challenges in Mexico: Regulatory, Trade and Environmental Impacts." Atmosphere 12, no. 1 (December 31, 2020): 57. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/atmos12010057.
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Primary artisanal mercury (Hg) mining in Mexico continues to proliferate unabated, while official Hg exports have declined in recent years amid speculation of a rising black market trade. In this paper, an assessment of primary Hg mining in Mexico was conducted, with a focus on four sites in Querétaro State. Atmospheric Hg concentrations were measured at two of those sites. In addition, trade data was examined, including Hg exports from Mexico and imports by countries that have a large artisanal gold mining (AGM) sector. Results showed that while annual Hg production in Mexico has ramped up in recent years, official Hg exports reduced from 307 tonnes in 2015 to 63 tonnes in 2019. Since 2010, mercury exports to Colombia, Peru and Bolivia have represented 77% of Mexico’s total Hg trade. As the large majority of Hg trade with these countries is apparently destined for the AGM sector, which is contrary to Article 3 of the Minamata Convention, there is evidence that increased international scrutiny has led to an increase in unregulated international transfers. Atmospheric Hg concentrations at the mines show dangerously high levels, raising concern over the risk of significant health impacts to miners and other community members.
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Ralph, Obase, Ngoran Gilles, Nde Fon, Henry Luma, and Ngwane Greg. "Impact of Artisanal Gold Mining on Human Health and the Environment in the Batouri Gold District, East Cameroon." Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 7, no. 1 (March 1, 2018): 25–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/ajis-2018-0003.
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Abstract There is no Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) system for the mining sector in Cameroon, and miners are exposed to numerous health and safety risks inherent from Artisanal Gold Mining (AGM) activity. Also very few studies have addressed the health problems in AGM in Cameroon. This study seeks to create an awareness of the health and environmental issues surrounding the mining sector in Cameroon so as to foster its development. It was a cross-sectional, observational, and communitybased study involving 273 respondents from three different communities. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. OHS risk assessment was conducted through direct observation and inspection of five different workplaces. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for the presence of mercury and lead. Gold miners in Batouri are exposed to the risk of physical injuries, respiratory conditions, diarrheal conditions, psychotic disorders, dermatophyte infections, helminthic infestations, malaria and musculoskeletal problems. The most common health problems among miners are musculoskeletal disorders (35.6%), malaria (26.4%) and hernias (14.9%), while malaria (18.7%) and musculoskeletal disorders (15.4%) are common among stakeholders. The mean blood mercury and lead levels among miners is 2.27 ± 8.85 μg/L and 12.73 ± 32.73 μg/L respectively, and 9.1% of them are chronically intoxicated with mercury, reporting ≥ 4 symptoms possibly related to mercury intoxication. The major environmental problems are deforestation, land degradation, water pollution, air pollution and water-logged pits. AGM in Batouri, therefore, has a negative impact on human health and environmental sustainability.
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Kimijima, Satomi, Masayuki Sakakibara, Masahiko Nagai, and Nurfitri Abdul Gafur. "Time-Series Assessment of Camp-Type Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sectors with Large Influxes of Miners Using LANDSAT Imagery." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 18 (September 7, 2021): 9441. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189441.
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Mining sites development have had a significant impact on local socioeconomic conditions, the environment, and sustainability. However, the transformation of camp-type artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sites with large influxes of miners from different regions has not been properly evaluated, owing to the closed nature of the ASGM sector. Here, we use remote sensing imagery and field investigations to assess ASGM sites with large influxes of miners living in mining camps in Bone Bolango Regency, Gorontalo Province, Indonesia, in 1995–2020. Built-up areas were identified as indicators of transformation of camp-type ASGM sites, using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, from the time series of images obtained using Google Earth Engine, then correlated with the prevalent gold market price. An 18.6-fold increase in built-up areas in mining camps was observed in 2020 compared with 1995, which correlated with increases in local gold prices. Field investigations showed that miner influx also increased after increases in gold prices. These findings extend our understanding of the rate and scale of development in the closed ASGM sector and the driving factors behind these changes. Our results provide significant insight into the potential rates and levels of socio-environmental pollution at local and community levels.
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Eshun, P. Arroja, and E. Okyere. "Assessment of the Challenges in Policy Implementation in the Small Scale Gold Mining Sector in Ghana – A Case Study." Ghana Mining Journal 17, no. 1 (June 30, 2017): 54–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gm.v17i1.6.
Abstract:
In recent times, stakeholders in the mining sector have expressed concerns about the environmental degradation and the social impacts of uncontrolled Small Scale Mining (SSM) activities in Ghana despite the existence of legislative instruments that define the procedures required for the acquisition of licences and operations of SSM activities in the country. This paper assesses the challenges in policy implementation in the small scale gold mining sector of Ghana by reviewing policies on regularisation and environmental management. It further identifies challenges faced by small scale mining operators in adhering to laid down policies for the smooth operation of the sector and furthermore assesses the views of some principal stakeholders on the benefits and challenges of small scale mining using the Dunkwa mining district as a test case. The methods employed include: field visits to some small scale mining sites within the Dunkwa mining district; interviews and questionnaire administration; and statistical and content analysis of data. The study reveals the following factors, among others, to have contributed largely to the difficulty in regularisation, environmental and social challenges that have plagued the SSM sector: low level of education of majority of miners; bureaucracies and centralisation of licence acquisition processes; lack of sources of finance for SSM projects; lack of geological information on mineable areas; and lack of adequate knowledge of the laws and regulations on mining and environment. In addressing the challenges the following recommendations are made: decentralisation of the regularisation processes to simplify licence acquisition; adequate geological investigations should be undertaken on SSM blocked-out areas to reduce the try and error mining approach adopted by miners; and continuous education and training of miners on good mining and environmental practices. Keywords: Small Scale Mining, Mineral Policies, Environmental Impact, Regularisation, Challenges
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Orihuela, José Carlos, and Victor Gamarra-Echenique. "Fading local effects: boom and bust evidence from a Peruvian gold mine." Environment and Development Economics 25, no. 2 (October 18, 2019): 182–203. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1355770x19000330.
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AbstractThe local effects of mining might simply come and go with mine production. In this paper we revisit Aragón and Rud's (2013) study of the Yanacocha mine, frequently cited to account for local economic effects and backward linkages, but we offer a more nuanced interpretation: first, effects fade with the mine exhaustion; and second, impacts are the result of consumption boom-and-bust dynamics. While we find it more conceptually accurate to reserve the concept of backward linkages for effects of a productive nature, our evidence reveals that unskilled services is the one sector that benefits, in contrast to manufactures and skilled services. We stress that impact evaluations of mines are contingent to time and place, and contend that exploring the extent to which multipliers generate spillovers is central. The short-run effects of a mine might in fact give little indication of how to tell or make a blessing from a curse.
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Jorgenson, Mica, and John Sandlos. "Dust versus Dust: Aluminum Therapy and Silicosis in the Canadian and Global Mining Industries." Canadian Historical Review 102, no. 1 (March 2021): 1–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/chr-2019-0049.
Abstract:
By the 1930s, silicosis – a debilitating lung disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust – had reached epidemic proportions among miners in the gold-producing Porcupine region of northern Ontario. In response, industrial doctors at the McIntyre Mine began to test aluminum powder as a possible prophylactic against the effects of silica dust. In 1944, the newly created McIntyre Research Foundation began distributing aluminum powder throughout Canada and exported this new therapy to mines across the globe. The practice continued until the 1980s despite a failure to replicate preventative effects of silicosis and emerging evidence of adverse neurological impacts among long-time recipients of aluminum therapy. Situated at the intersection of labour, health, science, and environmental histories, this article argues that aluminum therapy represents an extreme and important example where industry and health researchers collaborated on quick-fix “miracle cures” rather than the systemic (and more expensive) changes to the underground environment necessary to reduce the risk of silicosis.
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Macera, Margarita, Bruno De Meulder, and Kelly Shannon. "Cajamarca: Mapping (Post)Mining Palimpsests of the Peruvian Andes." Urban Planning 5, no. 2 (June 30, 2020): 172–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.17645/up.v5i2.2797.
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Mining, in addition to other human activities and natural phenomena, has repeatedly reshaped the landscapes of the Peruvian Andes. Long-standing, significantly modified and new Andean landscapes have resulted in a complex reading of the ‘land as palimpsest’ (Corboz, 1983). In recent decades, large-scale modern mining has disturbed headwater landscapes and broader Andean ecologies, as exemplified in Cajamarca’s gold mines. This article critically reads past and present spatial transformations induced by gold mining in the headwaters of the Cajamarca Basin. Through archival documentation, fieldwork and interpretative cartography, it analyses the large-scale surface mining operations in Cajamarca from 1993 to 2020, as well as their impact on downstream rural and urban ecologies. A cross-scalar mapping investigation discloses the spatial-ecological outcomes of twenty-seven years of mining (and closure) operational procedures. As a conclusion of the palimpsest reading, a design-research question is posed as to how Cajamarca’s post-mining landscapes can be opportunely premeditated. It hypothesizes that, already during exploitation, the post-mining landscapes can be consciously constructed by an intelligent manipulation of mining procedures and create a layer of the territory that is more robust. Environmental reconstruction after mining closure recreates a pseudo-natural environment that supposedly erases the traces of mining and restores natural condition—literally back to nature, with no cultural trace. In this regard, reconstruction is merely theoretical since the repairing to a natural state would mean no palimpsests. However, despite the most imaginative and ecological repair, the territory remains a mega palimpsest, cruelly violated and disrupted. Therefore, at best, the proposition can be to build a cultural, consciously conceived and tailored post-mining landscape, merging mining and post-mining landscape construction into one movement, where the remaining (palimpsest) is part-and-parcel of the newly constructed.
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Demers, Paul A., Colin Berriault, Avinash Ramkissoon, Minh T. Do, Nancy Lightfoot, Xiaoke Zeng, and Victoria Arrandale. "O6B.2 Cancer risk by ore type in a mixed miners cohort." Occupational and Environmental Medicine 76, Suppl 1 (April 2019): A53.2—A53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oem-2019-epi.143.
Abstract:
Background and objectivesMining may involve exposure to many carcinogens, including respirable crystalline silica (RSC), diesel engine exhaust (DEE), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), radon (Rn), and arsenic (As), which vary by ore being mined. The province of Ontario, Canada has a diverse mining sector with associated exposures including gold (RSC/DEE/As/Cr), uranium (RSC/DEE/Rn), and nickel-copper (DEE/Ni), and other ores (RSC/DEE). The study aim was to examine the risk of cancer by ore type in a mixed mining cohort.MethodsFrom 1928–1987 workers in the Ontario minerals industry were required to undergo an annual physical examination and chest x-ray, as well as record their mining work history in order to receive certification. Data from these exams was used to create the Mining Master File (MMF) cohort. Cancers were identified through linkage of the MMF with the Ontario Cancer Registry (1964–2017). Cancer risk among miners was compared to provincial rates using Standardized Incidence Ratios (SIR); internal analyses were conducted using Poisson regression.ResultsIndividuals who died or were lost before 1964, had missing or invalid data, or employment of less than two weeks were excluded. Too few women (n=161) were available for analysis. In total, 61 397 men were included in the analysis. Gold miners had excesses of lung (SIR=1.30, 95%CI=1.23–1.38) and nasopharyngeal cancer (SIR=2.34, 95%CI=1.39–3.70). Uranium miners had excesses of lung (SIR=1.57, 95%CI=1.45–1.70), bladder (SIR=1.20, 95%CI=1.02–1.40), and bone (SIR=2.45, 95%CI=1.30–4.19) cancers. Nickel-copper miners had excesses of lung (SIR=1.13, 95%CI=1.08–1.19), bone (SIR=2.02, 95%CI=1.32–2.96), and sinonasal cancer (SIR=1.73, 95%CI=1.12–2.56).ConclusionsIncreased risks for specific cancers were observed among people who mined many different ore types. Most of the associations were as expected, but several (e.g., bone cancers) will undergo further investigation. Future analyses will examine the impact of combined exposures among miners of multiple ore types.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Environmental impact of gold mines and mining":
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Rademeyer, Brian. "The influence of environmental impacts on tailings impoundment design." Thesis, Pretoria : [s.n.], 2007. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-01292008-172436.
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Morse, Kathryn Taylor. "The nature of gold : an environmental history of the Alaska/Yukon gold rush /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/10468.
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Carr, Frank. "Government decision-making and environmental degradation : a study relating to mining activities in Papua New Guinea /." Carr, Frank (2007) Government decision-making and environmental degradation: a study relating to mining activities in Papua New Guinea. Masters by Research thesis, Murdoch University, 2007. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/502/.
Abstract:
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a country possessing abundant resources of gold, oil, copper, timber, and fish stocks. It is hampered in its development and management of these resources, however, by serious problems of governance and corruption. These problems are evident throughout the economy and also in the management of the environment. The level of environmental damage caused by the mining industry in PNG is now such that it will require extensive rehabilitation, if the areas affected can, indeed, ever be fully rehabilitated. The mining companies which precipitated this damage were licensed and encouraged by the PNG Government in the initiation and exercise of the mining operations. The resulting environmental impact has affected the lives of thousands of New Guineans to their detriment. The degradation caused remains
unredressed.
Compounding the problem, there is a growing reliance by Papua New Guinea on mineral exploitation for foreign direct investment, government revenues, and foreign exchange. Gold exports accounted for the biggest share of export revenues in 2002 representing 37.5% of the total. In light of this growing dependency on mining activities, there is a correspondingly urgent requirement to address the deficiencies in the administrative, monitoring, and policing aspects of the protection of its environment.
Despite the public evidence of the damage to the environment and the ensuing affect on the people of Papua New Guinea by mining activities; and despite universal condemnation of these activities and the companies responsible; the companies continue to conduct these activities without official hindrance and with little apparent concern for the long-term ramifications of their actions.
This thesis will examine the degradation resulting from the mining activities of companies in Papua New Guinea over the last three decades - particularly those of Placer Dome's Porgera gold mine, BHP's Ok Tedi gold and copper mine (the waste from both of which is dumped into the Ok Tedi and Strickland rivers which are tributaries of the Fly River and form part of the Fly River system) and Lihir Gold Limited's gold mine on Lihir Island. It will examine the extent to which the Government of Papua New Guinea may have wittingly (in the sense of a prescience as to the possible or probable likelihood of deleterious impact) or unwittingly contributed to that degradation as a result of its actions or omissions.
Studies of available literature suggest that there has been little attention paid to the subject of culpability on the part of successive PNG governments in matters of environmental damage. This research will contribute to reducing this gap in the literature by focusing on possible motives of the PNG government and its actors which precipitated those decisions and which resulted in environmental degradation. The discussion will examine the likely motivation of the PNG government in its deliberations and decisions and the extent to which corruption and incompetence may have played a role.
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Mengwe, Moses Seargent. "Towards social impact assessment of copper-nickel mining in Botswana." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1443.
Abstract:
This research study is more of an initiative towards Social Impact Assessment of copper-nickel mining in Botswana. The specific objectives of the study were centred on the assessment of the social impacts of copper-nickel mining in Botswana from the initial mining stage of exploration, surveying and mine site development to mine closure. The study was carried out under the broad hypotheses that mining influences population movement that impact on areas of mining; mining activities have both economic benefits and deleterious social impacts on the local communities found in the areas where mining is taking place; and mine closure has far reaching socio-economic, investment and developmental implications over and above the obvious interests of project owners. To achieve the broad aim as summarised above, the research study used a multi-disciplinary methodology and approach that required several kinds of expertise and sources of information. Hence it used both primary and secondary sources centred on interactive informative interviews, site visits and observations, questionnaires, census data records, mining companies’ publications, published textbooks and journal articles. The research study comprised of three different mines operated by three different mining companies in three varied socio-cultural and ethnic regions of Botswana. First was a detailed Social Impact Assessment of the initial phase of exploration, surveying and mine site development represented by Mowana mine project operated by African Copper in the rural areas of Dugwi and Mosetse. This case study yielded results showing that the social impacts of mining in the area are diverse and extensive. The findings suggest that the impacts relate not only to the possible economic benefits of foreign exchange, employment, the optimal use of available mineral resources and the possible development of Dugwi and Mosetse villages, but extends to the deleterious social impacts. The results also indicated that the social impacts have just begun in the two communities. Hence they point towards a possible disruption within the socio-cultural system of the local people if serious mitigation measures are not put in place; thus suggesting that the early stages of exploration and mine site development results in the most conflict between the mine and the local people. Second was a comprehensive Social Impact Assessment of Tati-Nickel Phoenix mining project in the peri-urban areas of Matshelagabedi and Matsiloje areas representing the mining stage of mine production and expansion. The results from this case study suggest that during vi mine production and expansion, many people were relocated. However, the overriding impression gained from the case study was Tati-Nickel Mining Company’s elaborate corporate policies that suggested good corporate governance and best practices that promote sustainable development. A notable milestone on good corporate governance and best practice that the other two case studies (mining company) could benchmark on is Tati-Nickel’s corporate social responsibility programme that has been designed to ensure that the communities within a fifty kilometre mine radius benefit from the mine. The results from the case study also distinguished the mining stage of production and expansion from the other two because it is associated with the deep entrenchment of the social impacts into the communities near to mining areas. Third was a detailed Social Impact Assessment on Bamangwato Concession Limited mine in the industrial town of Selebi-Phikwe. The case study represented the stage of mine closure. Through the findings of this case study, it became apparent that the economic dependence of Selebi-Phikwe on mining has seen the town developing into a mining town, increasing its vulnerability at mine closure. The results from the case study further suggest that mine closure will degrade the socio-economic sector of the town with ever far reaching socio-economic implications as many people lose their gainful employment, hence suggesting that a possible complete mine closure will be the most traumatic phase leading to major social conflict within the area. Thus the results suggest that at mine closure, the deleterious social impacts will overspill to other areas in Botswana with disastrous effects for the economy of the country. The results yielded through this study established in clear and passionate language that copper-nickel mining in Botswana influences population movements that lead to positive and negative impacts on the communities found in mining areas. Another major finding of the study is that copper-nickel mining activities have both economic benefits and deleterious social impacts on the local communities, hence the recommendation that the copper-nickel mining companies should embrace the concept of sustainable mining for sustainable development to avoid most of the negative impacts of their operations on the local communities.
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Willis, Bruce L. "The environmental effects of the Yukon Gold Rush, 1896-1906, alterations to land, destruction of wildlife, and disease." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp04/mq28687.pdf.
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Xingwana, Lumkwana. "The impact of organisational culture on gold mining activities in the Free state." Thesis, Welkom Research Collection: CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, FREE STATE, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/11462/216.
Abstract:
Thesis (M. Comm.) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2007From the Stone Age, each nation or group of people has had a distrust of those different from themselves. This is evidenced in various ways, for example, social welfare given to local residents only, scornful names given to foreigners and other ethnic groups and rituals designed to keep themselves separate from others. These incidents of diversity resulted into an unplanned and emergent set of norms, values and beliefs that exert enormous influence on the way in which an organisation operates, how organisational structure is developed, the integration and adaptation of internal and external relationships, as well as the orientation of the underlying values of the organisation. The main aim of changing culture is to improve organisational performance. To achieve this aim, it requires an understanding of the underlying assumptions and values that determine what is important in an organisation as well as assessment of the impact of culture on operational efficiency. The impact of organisational culture is identified through the negative and positive outcomes of mining activities, and is illustrated by employee satisfaction, job commitment, organisational loyalty, turnover, absenteeism and productivity. The aim of this research study was to identify the characteristics of organisational culture and evaluate the impact of organisational culture on gold mining activities in the Free State. The methodology used in this study comprises of empirical as well as a literature study. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gather information for the empirical study. The empirical study revealed that firstly, organisational culture is created partially by leaders, and that one of the most critical functions of leadership is the creation and the management of culture. Lastly, organisational culture emerges when employees think, believe and act according to the pressures and priorities of their environment. Unfortunately, employees do not set aside their cultural values and lifestyle preferences when they come to work. It is the responsibility of the management to create an environment that is conducive to a healthy working environment. This study established that the necessity to control the workforce productivity need not be accompanied by ruthless or aggressive exploitation of cultural management, but by reliance on employees’ capability to exercise judgement to cope effectively with environmental uncertainty. Rules, norms and strategies developed cannot “fit” every circumstance but encourage conformity rather than creativity, and compliance rather than commitment.
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Ditsele, Ofentse. "Application of life cycle assessment to estimate environmental impacts of surface coal mining." Diss., Rolla, Mo. : Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2010. http://scholarsmine.mst.edu/thesis/pdf/Ditsele_09007dcc807d4fd7.pdf.
Abstract:
Thesis (M.S.)--Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2010.Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed July 15, 2010) Includes bibliographical references (p. 136-152).
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Webber, R. C. W. "Determining the physical and economic impact of environmental design criteria for ultra-deep mines." Pretoria : [s.n.], 2006. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07242006-105847/.
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Maneya, George Jameson. "An integrated study of coal geology and potential environmental impact assessment at Mchenga Coal Mine in Livingstonia Coalfield in Malawi." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/480.
Abstract:
This study was carried out on the main coal-producing and the extensively block-faulted area of Mchenga Coal Mine, southeast of the 90 km2 intracratonic Livingstonia Coalfield in the north of Malawi. It was initiated against the background of indistinct information on coal geology, shortage of energy and potential environmental threats due to mine activities. The study aimed at integrating investigations of characterization of the lithostratigraphy, coal seam correlation, coal quality determination, examination of the mineralogy and geochemistry of coal and hosts rocks, assessment of water quality and providing information for mining and potential environmental and water quality impact assessment in the study area. The methodologies used in this study include literature review, field visits, mapping, sites selection and characterization, borehole logging, geochemical analyses, data processing and interpretation. The geochemical analyses include proximity analysis of coal quality, microscopy and X-ray Diffraction for mineralogy and petrology, X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) for rock geochemistry and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for determination water geochemistry. The results have shown that a) The Coal Measures comprises of four to six coal seams in different localities, and the occurrence is flat and gently dipping southeast and are correlated. Thicknesses of the coal seams vary from 0.10m to 3.0m with some notable lateral and horizontal variations. Thick and workable seams occupy the lower portion of the Coal Measures and are exposed along the North Rumphi River bank; b) Coal quality belongs to sub-bituminous ‘A’ to ‘C’ on ASTM classification (1991), being characterised by low moisture content (0.8 to 1.3 wt percent) and sulphur content (0.49 to 0.85 wt percent), high ash content (9.0 to 17 wt percent) and volatile matter (24 to 32.9 wt percent), fixed carbon (53.6 to 62.6 wt percent), calorific value (7,015 to 7,670 kcal/kg); c) Mineral matters constitute approximately 9.55 to 38.34 wt percent of the coal samples, predominantly clays (interstratified illite/smectite and kaolinite) with varying proportions of quartz, mica and feldspars, as well as minor calcite and pyrite and their geochemistry, being characterised by enrichment of SiO2 from 5.37 to 20.56 wt percent, Al2O3 (2.63 to 11.21 wt percent) and K2O (0.32 to 3.65 wt percent) with trace concentrations of CaO (0.04 to 0.41 wt. percent), MgO (0.08 to 0.65 wt percent) and P2O5 (0.018 to 0.037 wt percent) and Na2O concentration notably below 0.01 wt percent; d) Calcite and pyrite constitute minor concentration in both sandstones and shales; e) Water quality in the area is characterised as two groups of acidic (pH 3.3-6.4) and near-neutral to slightly alkaline (pH 6.9-7.3) and low pH, high TDS, SO42- and EC are noted at the coal crusher plant which points out to high leaching of trace elements such as Pb and Fe. Na++K+ are dominant in upper sections of North Rumphi and Mhlepa Rivers. Ca2+ cations are dominant at crusher plant, underground mine and lower section of Mhlepa; f) Based on the geochemistry analysis, Na and trace elements such as Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Zn, Rb, Sr and Zr from coal and host rocks have the ability to contribute significantly to deterioration in the ground and surface water quality in the study area. It can be concluded that the coals of the Livingstonia Coalfield belong to Gondwana group deposited in sub-basin with multiple seams embedded in sandstone and shale host rocks.
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Haffert, Laura, and n/a. "Metalloid mobility at historic mine and industrial processing sites in the South Island of New Zealand." University of Otago. Department of Geology, 2009. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20090921.144328.
Abstract:
Rocks of the South Island of New Zealand are locally enriched in metalloids, namely arsenic (As), antimony (Sb) and boron (B). Elevated levels of As and Sb can be found in sulphide minerals mostly in association with mesothermal gold deposits, whereas B enrichment occurs in marine influenced coal deposits. The mobility of these metalloids is important because they can be toxic at relatively low levels (e.g. for humans >0.01 mg/L of As). Their mobilisation occurs naturally from background weathering of the bedrock. However, mining and processing of coal and gold deposits, New Zealand's most economically important commodities, can significantly increase metalloid mobility. In particular, historic mines and associated industrial sites are known to generate elevated metalloid levels because of the lack of site remediation upon closure. This work defines and quantifies geological, mining, post-mining and regional processes with respect to metalloid, especially As, mobility.
At the studied historic gold mines, the Blackwater and Bullendale mines, Sb levels in mineralised rocks were generally negligible (<14 ppm) compared to As (up to 10,000 ppm). Thus, Sb concentrations in solids and in water were too low to yield any meaningful information on Sb mobility. In contrast, dissolved As concentrations downstream from mine sites were found to be very high (up to 59 mg/L) (background = 10⁻� mg/L). In addition, very high As concentrations were found in residues (up to 40 wt%) and site substrate (up to 30 wt%) at the Blackwater processing sites (background < 0.05 wt%). Here, roasting of the gold ore converted the orginal As mineral, arsenopyrite, into the mineral arsenolite (As[III] trioxide polymorph) and volatilised the sulphur. The resultant sulphur-defficient chemical system is driven by arsenolite dissolution and differs significantly from mine sites where arsenopyrite is the main As source.
Arsenolite is significantly more soluble than arsenopyrite. In the surficial environment, arsenolite dissolution is limited by kinetics only, which are slow enough to preserve exposed arsenolite over decades in a temperate, wet climate. This process results in surface waters with up to ca. 50 mg/L dissolved As. In reducing conditions, dissolved As concentrations are also controlled by the solubility of arsenolite producing As concentrations up to 330 mg/L.
Field based cathodic stripping voltammetry showed that the As[III]/As[V] redox couple, in particular the oxidation of As[III], has a major control on system pH and Eh. Site acidification is mainly caused by the oxidation of As[III], resulting in a close link between As[V] concentrations and pH. Similarly, a strong correlation between calculated (Nernstian) and measured (electrode) Eh was found in the surface environment, suggesting that the overall Eh of the system is, indeed, defined by the As[III]/As[V] redox couple.
Once the metalloid is mobilised from its original source, its mobility is controlled by at least one of the following attenuation processes: (a) precipitation of secondary metalloid minerals, (b) co-precipitation with - or adsorption to - iron oxyhydroxide (HFO), or (c) dilution with background waters. The precipitation of secondary minerals is most favoured in the case of As due to the relatively low solubility of iron arsenates, especially at low pH (~0.1 mg/L). Observations suggest that scorodite can be the precursor phase to more stable iron arsenates, such as kankite, zykaite, bukovskyite or pharmacosiderite and their stability is mainly controlled by pH, sulphur concentrations and moisture prevalence. Empirical evidence indicates that the sulphur-containing minerals zykaite and bukovskyite have a similar pH dependence to scorodite with solubilities slightly lower than scorodite and kankite. If dissolved As concentrations decline, iron arsenates potentially become unstable. Their dissolution maintains a pH between 2.5 and 3.5. This acidification process is pivotal with respect to As mobility, especially in the absence of other acidification processes, because iron arsenates are several orders of magnitude more soluble in circum-neutral pH regimes (~100 mg/L). From this, it becomes apparent that external pH modifications, for example as part of a remediation scheme, can significantly increase iron arsenate solubility and resultant As mobility. In contrast to As, the precipitation of secondary Sb and B minerals is limited by their high solubilities, which are several orders of magnitude higher than for iron arsenates. Thus, secondary Sb and B minerals are restricted to evaporative waters, from which they can easily re-mobilised during rain events.
Metalloid adsorption to HFO is mainly controlled or limited by the extent of HFO formation, which in turn is governed by the availability of Fe and prevailing Eh-pH conditions. Thus, mineralisation styles and associated geochemical gradients, in particular pyrite abundance, can control the amount of HFO and consequent metalloid attenuation, and these can vary even within the same goldfleld. Furthermore, it was found that there is a mineralogical gradation between ferrihydrite with varying amounts of adsorbed As, amorphous iron arsenates and crystalline iron arsenates, suggesting that the maturity of mine waste is an important factor in As mineralogy.
Once dissolved metalloids enter the hydrosphere, dilution is the main control on metalloid attenuation, which is especially pronounced at the inflow of tributaries. Dilution is, therefore, closely related to the size and frequency of these tributaries, which in turn are controlled by the regional topography and climate. Dilution is a considerably less effective attenuation mechanism and anomalous metalloid concentrations from mining related sites can persist for over 10 km downstream.
The complex and often inter-dependent controls on metalloid mobility mean that management decisions should carefully consider the specific site geochemistry to minimize economic, health and environmental risks that can not be afforded.
On a regional scale, background metalloid flux determines the downstream impact of an anomalous metalloid source upstream. For example, the Bullendale mine is located in a mountainous region, where rapidly eroding slopes expose fresh rock and limit the extent of soil cover and chemical weathering. Consequently, the background As flux is relatively low and As point sources, such as the Bullendale mine, present a significant contribution to the downstream As flux. In contrast, the bedrock at the Blackwater mine has undergone deep chemical weathering, resulting in an increased background mobilisation of As. Thus, the Prohibition mill site discharge, for example, contributes only about 10% to the downstream As flux. This information is relevant to site management decisions because the amount of natural background metalloid mobilisation determines whether site remediation will influence downstream metalloid chemistry on a regional scale.
Books on the topic "Environmental impact of gold mines and mining":
1
United States. Bureau of Land Management. Needles Resource Area. Castle Mountain Project, San Bernardino County, California: Draft environmental impact statement/environmental impact report. Needles, Calif: The Bureau, 1989.
2
United States. Bureau of Land Management. Carson City Field Office. Final environmental impact statement: Olinghouse Mine Project. [Carson City, Nev: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Carson City Field Office], 1998.
3
Office, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest (Agency) Whitman Unit Unity. Final environmental impact statement, North Fork Burnt River mining. Baker City, OR: USDA Forest Service, 2004.
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Wallowa-Whitman National Forest (Or.). Whitman Unit. Unity Office. North Fork Burnt River mining, final environmental impact statement. Baker City, OR: USDA Forest Service, 2004.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. Battle Mountain District. South Pipeline Project: Final environmental impact statement. [Battle Mountain, Nev: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Battle Mountain Field Office, 2000.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. Elko District. Final environmental impact statement: Genesis Project, Newmont Mining Corporation. Elko, Nev.]: BLM Elko District Office, Nevada, 2011.
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Tongass National Forest (Agency : U.S.). Chatham Area. Kensington Gold Project: Final supplemental environmental impact statement. Juneau, Alaska?]: Juneau Ranger District, 1997.
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Area, United States Bureau of Land Management Needles Resource. Castle Mountain Project, San Bernardino County, California: Supplement to draft environmental impact statement/environmental impact report. Needles, Calif: The Bureau, 1990.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. El Centro Field Office. Imperial Project, Imperial, California: Final environmental impact statement/environmental impact report. El Centro, Calif: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, El Centro Field Office, 2000.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. Elko District. Draft environmental impact statement: Bootstrap Project. Elko, Nev: The Office, 1996.
Book chapters on the topic "Environmental impact of gold mines and mining":
1
Sengupta, Mritunjoy. "Environmental Impact of Gold Mining." In Environmental Impacts of Mining, 261–64. 2nd ed. Second edition. | Boca Raton, FL : CRC Press, 2021.: CRC Press, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781003164012-9.
2
Matthews, M. K. "The use of backfill for improved environmental control in South African gold mines." In Innovations in Mining Backfill Technology, 287–94. London: CRC Press, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781003211488-35.
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Akoto Bamford, S., E. Osae, I. Aboh, C. A. Biney, and L. A. Antwi. "Environmental Impact of the Gold Mining Industry in Ghana." In Nuclear Analytical Methods in the Life Sciences, 279–85. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press, 1990. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0473-2_31.
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Dhindsa, Harkirat S., Andrew R. Battle, and Svenning Prytz. "Environmental Emission of Mercury During Gold Mining by Amalgamation Process and its Impact on Soils of Gympie, Australia." In Air Quality, 145–56. Basel: Birkhäuser Basel, 2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7970-5_9.
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Hausermann, Heidi, and David Ferring. "The State of Land Grabs." In Land Fictions, 243–56. Cornell University Press, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.7591/cornell/9781501753732.003.0013.
Abstract:
This chapter investigates the regulatory fictions underpinning foreign investment in “small-scale” gold mining in Ghana. It explores the shifting practices and subjectivities of big men, frontmen, and secretaries who, in relation with others, mediate foreign mining. In Ghana, big men, frontmen, and secretaries are key agents who help Chinese miners procure official paperwork and concession. The chapter contributes to understandings of the state vis-à-vis land grabs by directing attention to the actual conditions under which foreigners control concessions. Detailing the shifting performances and practices facilitating foreign gold mining, the chapter reveals how unremediated mining landscapes and associated environmental impacts are enabled by fictions of mining's developmental benefits and of rational environmental regulation. It also shows how key state and nonstate intermediaries maintain both the appearance of legality as well as the fictional neutrality of the state as public servant, reproducing the historic and problematic narrative that farmers and traditional authorities “giving away land” are ignorant of existing laws.
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Avila, J. C. "Environmental impact evaluation of gold mines in the northwest of Argentine." In Mine Planning and Equipment Selection 1997, 825–29. CRC Press, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781003078166-161.
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"Managing the Impacts of Human Activities on Fish Habitat: The Governance, Practices, and Science." In Managing the Impacts of Human Activities on Fish Habitat: The Governance, Practices, and Science, edited by Steve Gotch. American Fisheries Society, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.47886/9781934874417.ch9.
Abstract:
<em>Abstract.</em>—Modern placer mining continues to occur on many historically mined watercourses in the Yukon, while advances in gold recovery technology have enabled the industry to explore and operate in a number of newly developed areas. Placer gold deposits are typically found within alluvial floodplains, occurring adjacent to and in many cases beneath present-day streams and rivers. A large number of these watercourses in the Yukon provide habitat for a variety of resident (freshwater) and anadromous fish species which in turn, requires that careful planning and consideration for fisheries resources occurs when developing mining proposals and operations. Many activities and processes associated with placer mining have the potential to result in the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat or direct harm to fish. In the past, the operation of large mechanized dredges resulted in extensive localized disturbance of fish habitats which, without active restoration, required many years to recover. In the Yukon, Fisheries and Oceans Canada administers the habitat protection provisions of the federal <em>Fisheries Act </em>and is principally responsible for ensuring that placer mining activities are carried out in a manner which achieves effective conservation and protection of fish and fish habitat resources consistent with the principle of sustainable development. Between 2002 and 2007, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in partnership with the Yukon Government the Council of Yukon First Nations and with support from the Yukon placer mining industry, developed a new integrated management process for regulating the effects of placer mining activities on fish and fish habitat resources. This new process is designed to integrate a number of key regulatory concepts and principles including cause-effect (risk-based) project assessment, industry-specific operational guidelines, watershed-wide fish habitat management planning, aquatic ecosystem monitoring, incorporation of Aboriginal traditional knowledge, proactive compliance and enforcement, and an adaptive management system through which adjustments can be made over time. Overall, this approach has been implemented with the objective of achieving conservation and protection of fish and fish habitat resources while facilitating a regulatory environment that enables the placer mining industry to continue operate in an environmental sustainable and economically viable manner into the future.
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Shekh, Mohammad Raeesh, Mohammad Nasir Ahemad, and Pawan Kumar Singh. "Impact of Pharmaceutical and Mining Industrial Wastes on Natural Reservoirs in Goa and Its Microbial-Based Solution." In Advances in Environmental Engineering and Green Technologies, 69–85. IGI Global, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-3126-5.ch005.
Abstract:
Table salt is essential for metabolism of human being. These salt crystals are produced in saltpans of high salinity natural reservoirs, affiliated to sea water through evaporation process. Arabian Sea makes its boundary with Goa as its western coast helps in salt production. The pharmaceutical and acid mine drainage generated by nearly located iron mines are continuously destructing the natural reservoirs, agricultural lands, flora and fauna. Local people are affected by the muddy water, passing trucks with mined minerals into their farms or agricultural land and continuously decreasing the fertility of the soil. The aim of this chapter is to focus on the present scenario of the ecosystem, salt pans and flora and fauna in relation to pharmaceutical and mining waste and impact of this pollution on local people. Microbial based monitoring and cleanup strategy of the present polluted bodies, are also discussed in this chapter.
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Kanetaki, Zoe, Constantinos Stergiou, Georgios Bekas, Christos Troussas, and Cleo Sgouropoulou. "Data Mining for Improving Online Higher Education Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study in the Assessment of Engineering Students." In Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and Applications. IOS Press, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/faia210088.
Abstract:
Instructional materials, internet accessibility, student involvement and communication have always been integral characteristics of e-learning. During the transition from face-to-face to COVID-19 new online learning environments, the lectures and laboratories at universities have taken place either synchronously (using platforms, like MS Teams) or asynchronously (using platforms, like Moodle). In this study, a case study of a Greek university on the online assessment of learners is presented. As a testbed of this research, MS Teams was employed and tested as being a Learning Management System for evaluating a single platform use in order to avoid disruption of the educational procedure with concurrent LMS operations during the pandemic. A statistical analysis including a correlation analysis and a reliability analysis has been used to mine and filter data from online questionnaires. 37 variables were found to have a significant impact on the testing of tasks’ assignment into a single platform that was used at the same time for synchronous lectures. The calculation of Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient indicated that 89% of the survey questions have been found to be internally consistent and reliable variables and sampling adequacy measure (Bartlett’s test) was determined to be good at 0.816. Two clusters of students have been differentiated based on the parameters of their diligence, communication abilities and level of knowledge embedding. A hierarchical cluster analysis has been performed extracting a dendrogram indicating 2 large clusters in the upper branch, three clusters in the lower branch and an ensuing lower branch containing five clusters.
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Gilbertson, David D., and Sharon Taylor. "A Legacy of Empires? An Exploration of the Environmental and Medical Consequences of Metal Production in Wadi Faynan, Jordan." In Geology and Health. Oxford University Press, 2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195162042.003.0023.
Abstract:
We have explored, and outline herein, the accumulation of copper in humans, plants, and animals in a remote desert area of southwest Jordan, Wadi Faynan, where mining and smelting activities began about 7000 years ago and effectively ceased 1500 years ago. The archaeological core of the area, Khirbet Faynan, is the ruin of the Roman city of Phaino, one of the major mining and smelting centers of the Roman world. In addition, the Faynan area was one of the most important suppliers of copper to ancient Syria, Mesopotamia, and Egypt (Klein and Hauptmann 1999). Ancient industrial archaeology abounds in the form of adit and shaft mines, ore and metal processing sites, kilns, and spoil and slag heaps (Hauptmann et al. 1992, Hauptmann 2000). The industrial archaeology is closely associated with a complex and extensive irrigated system of fields, which must have been constructed and maintained to feed the workforce in this remote arid area (Barker et al. 1998, 2000). Wadi Faynan is therefore ideally suited to explore the environmental impact of metal production in the past, and its impact, if any, in the modern environment. The study area is located in the hot and very arid Jordanian Desert at the mountain front at the eastern margin of the Wadi Araba, between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. These environmental conditions promote the widespread deflation and redistribution of dusts, which inevitably include metalliferous materials released from eroding spoil and slag heaps and ore processing sites (Gee et al. 1997, Pyatt and Birch 1994). The geology of the region is very complex and of key importance to understanding the consequences of mining and pollution in the region. Copper and locally lead mineralization is present in several rock strata, in particular the Numaya Dolomite Limestone of the Durj Dolomite Shale Formation and the Umm’ Ishrin Sandstone Formation of Middle and Early Cambrian age (Barjous 1992, Bender 1974, Hauptmann 2000, Rabb’a 1992). Adjacent to Khirbet Faynan is a reservoir that was abandoned as a water storage facility before the fifth century BC.
Conference papers on the topic "Environmental impact of gold mines and mining":
1
Wymer, Denis G., and Johan C. Botha. "Managing the Environmental Impacts of Low Activity Wastes From the South African Gold Mining Industry." In ASME 2001 8th International Conference on Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Remediation. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2001. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/icem2001-1257.
Abstract:
Abstract Uranium mineralization is associated with the gold deposits in South Africa that have been mined for more than a century. Investigations of the radiological impacts on the environment reveal that the various radioactive wastes — mostly of low activity — associated with gold and by-product uranium production do not warrant the application of anything more than basic control measures. Non-radiological pollution of the water environment is a growing problem, however, aggravated by the closure and flooding of mines. Control measures to address this problem should, as a spin-off, limit the release of radionuclides, thus helping to control future radiological pollution.
2
Espinasse, Philippe. "Deepsea Pilot SMS Mining System for Harsh Environments." In ASME 2010 29th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. ASMEDC, 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/omae2010-20477.
Abstract:
Following the trend of oil and gas production in deep waters, ore mining is about to start in the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. If the first system will most probably be installed in the quiet though deep waters of Papua New Guinea, other prospects lie in the more turbulent areas of New Zealand and the Tongas. The ore accumulations to be mined are high grade hydrothermal mineral deposits rich in copper, gold, zinc, lead and silver located directly on the seabed. However, the excavation techniques need to be quite different from what had been envisaged for manganese nodules due to the morphology of the deposits. Based on its deep water construction experience, Genesis France, a company of the Technip Group has been contracted to perform a screening study of the various technologies to be applied to cut, crush, lift to the surface and pre-process the massive seabed sulphide deposits in a safe, efficient and profitable manner while minimizing the environmental impact of such work. This paper presents the conceptual screening study, the systems that have been evaluated, the selection criteria and the resulting operating system.
3
Arai, Rei, Yusuke Onobayashi, Hiroshi Ishida, Nobuhiro Maeda, Tomoya Sugimoto, Yoshihisa Sirayama, Tetsuhiko Toyohara, and Nobuhiro Goto. "Fluctuation of High-Turbidity Water Measured by Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler at the Izena Calderon in the Okinawa Trough." In ASME 2011 30th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. ASMEDC, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/omae2011-49968.
Abstract:
Hydrothermal processes associated with spreading centers of plate-tectonic activity form seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposits. Given that the SMS deposits found in the western Pacific have been considered to be potential sources of gold (Au), silver (Ag), cupper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) including manganese nodules and cobalt-rich manganese crusts, there is a strong possibility that they will be mined in near future. In order to take measures against environmental impact during the mining of SMS deposits, it is important to measure components of hydrothermal origin with high temporal and spatial resolution on site, and to understand the ecosystem in the hydrothermal environment. In this study, we first propose a measurement method of turbidity profiles using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP). Applying this method to the ADCP measurements in the Izena Calderon with SMS in the Okinawa Trough, we verify that this method can extract turbidity data from echo intensities measured by ADCP. Subsequently, we describe the high-turbidity water in the Izena Calderon measured by ADCP, and present and discuss the turbidity fluctuations estimated by applying time-frequency analysis to these turbidity data.
4
Abdelaal, Ahmed, Mohamed Sultan, R. V. Krishnamurthy, Mustafa Kemal Emil, and Fahad Alshehri. "ASSESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF GOLD MINING ACTIVITIES, SUKARI MINE, CENTRAL EASTERN DESERT, EGYPT." In Joint 53rd Annual South-Central/53rd North-Central/71st Rocky Mtn GSA Section Meeting - 2019. Geological Society of America, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/abs/2019sc-327272.
5
Piestrzyński, Adam, Jadwiga Pieczonka, and Edward Chruściel. "Model for Long-Term Stabilization and Isolation of Low Level Uranium Waste." In ASME 2001 8th International Conference on Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Remediation. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2001. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/icem2001-1261.
Abstract:
Abstract Problems arising from uranium dispersion from mines and mine tailings, and the remediation of uranium contaminated areas, are discussed in this paper. In an experimental remediation study, a mixture of 70 vol.% of uraniferous mining wastes and 30 vol.% of a natural ceramic were used. The preliminary observations are discussed, and a model is proposed for the long term stabilization of mining tailings. Observations and monitoring of contaminated sites carried out during the last 25 years have revealed local impacts of uranium on the environment in Lower Silesia, Poland. Uranium pollution is limited to waste dumps, mine tailings, and their close vicinities at Kowary Podgórze, Radoniów, Kopaniec and Kletno. Uranium dispersion takes place mechanically due to transport by river waters, chemically by rain and ground waters, and anthropogenically when the wastes are utilized in construction. Floods are an additional mechanism responsible for the mechanical dispersion of uranium. As a result of these uranium transport mechanisms, in order to minimize the impacts of uranium on the environment, the covering of dumps with non-radioactive material is suitable only for sites located away from populated areas. Redox reactions have been observed at the Kowary tailings. During these reactions, iron hydroxide (goethite), hematite, and gypsum, are precipitated as solids. These observations provide a good prognosis for the long-term stabilization of radionuclides which can be incorporated into proposals for the construction of tailings sites. Using Eh-pH diagrams (system U-C-O-H, 25°C, 1 bar), UO2 is stable over the whole range of naturally occurring pHs, and is affected by Eh only in the range −0.4 to +0.1 volts in acidic environments, and below −0.4v in basal environments. BaSO4 and RaSO4 are stable under almost the same conditions as UO2. An environmentally significant redox boundary (FeS2 versus Fe2O3) occurs in the middle of the UO2 stability field. The geochemical and environmental behaviour of the elements discussed above suggest a mechanism for stabilizing radionuclides within stored wastes. The solidification of wastes should occur concurrently with naturally occurring redox reactions. During oxidation, an active iron-hydroxide gel is produced. This gel is then dehydrated and converted into limonite (a mixed compound), a monohydrate (goethite), hydro-hematite (Fe2O3·1/2H2O) and hematite (Fe2O3). This reaction occurs in neutral or weakly acidic environments. A key problem in the proposed remediation project, therefore, is pH stabilization in order to maintain the required environment for oxidation and cementation reactions. In order to achieve such an environment and to stabilize the reactions, a construction method is proposed for new waste storage systems, based on mixed layers of waste and barrier components composed of natural materials. The presence of CaO or Ca(OH)2 and anhydrite in the proposed internal membrane will reduce the vertical migration of sulphates. Redox reactions will be responsible for the secondary precipitation (reduction) of uranyl. These same reactions occur naturally during the precipitation of uranium ores. Iron oxidation is the other process in the redox pair required to reduce [UO2]+2 to UO2. The resultant pitchblende is insoluble in normal oxidizing environments. To minimize the dissolution of UO2 by sulphuric acid generated during the iron oxidation reaction, the construction of pH active membranes containing calcium oxide or hydroxide are recommended. These compounds will react with the free acid to precipitate gypsum. Although several elements can be mobilized as a result of oxidation, radium remains in insoluble solid phases such as the common Ca, Ba and Sr sulphates.
6
Bolorchuluun, Ch, D. Tuvshinbayar, and B. Buyantogtokh. "The environmental impact in the Zaamar gold mining zone of Mongolia." In GeoSiberia 2007 - International Exhibition and Scientific Congress. European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers, 2007. http://dx.doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.201403242.
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Coetzee, Henk. "Airborne Radiometric Mapping of the Environmental Impact of Gold and Uranium Mining in Gauteng Province, South Africa." In Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems 1995. Environment and Engineering Geophysical Society, 1995. http://dx.doi.org/10.4133/1.2922211.
8
Coetzee, Henk. "Airborne Radiometric Mapping Of The Environmental Impact Of Gold And Uranium Mining In Gauteng Province, South Africa." In 8th EEGS Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems. European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers, 1995. http://dx.doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609-pdb.206.1995_087.
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Marzaman, Atika, and Tania Mokoagow. "An Analysis of Socio-Ecological Impact of Unauthorized Gold Mining in West Dumoga, Bolaang Mongondow District, North Sulawesi Province." In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Environmental Governance, ICONEG 2019, 25-26 October 2019, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. EAI, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.4108/eai.25-10-2019.2300491.
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Beceiro, Alvaro R., Elena Vico, and Emilio G. Neri. "The Radioactive Waste Management Programme in Spain." In ASME 2003 9th International Conference on Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Remediation. ASMEDC, 2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/icem2003-4898.
Abstract:
The paper will start with an overview of the organisational and financing framework established in Spain for the safe and efficient management of radioactive waste and decommissioning of nuclear installations. Since its creation by Royal Decree in 1984, ENRESA, the Spanish Radioactive Waste Management Agency, is in charge of both activities. ENRESA is a state owned company whose shareholders are CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energe´ticas, Medioambientales y Tecnolo´gicas) and the State Industrial Holding (SEPI), both governmental institutions. In Spain the Directorate General for Energy Policy and Mines of the Ministry of Economy (MINECO) plays the leading role in controlling nuclear activities, since it is the body responsible for awarding licenses and permits for installations and activities within the framework of the existing nuclear legislation. The Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) was set up in 1980 as the only competent body in matters of nuclear safety and radiological protection, and is generally responsible for the regulation and supervision of nuclear installations. Any license granted by MINECO is subjected to the mandatory and binding report of the CSN. The paper will review the steps undertaken for solving the national problems associated with the management of radioactive waste and decommissioning of nuclear installations, including uranium mining and milling facilities, and will address the lessons learnt from the activities developed by ENRESA and the future goals to be met. Regarding the L/ILW (Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste) programme, the main milestones of El Cabril L/ILW disposal facility will be described highlighting the most relevant events as well as the foreseen activities, most of them focus on optimizing the capacity of the already operating installation. The elaboration and signature of a Protocol, at the end of 1999, for collaboration on the radiological Surveillance of Metallic Materials in order to detect the possible presence of radioactive materials is worth to be mentioned because of the involvement and agreement of several public and private organisations as well as the administration. Concerning the SF and HLW (Spent Nuclear Fuel and High Level radioactive Waste) programme, the solutions adopted in order to solve the insufficient capacity of the storage pools at NPPs will be described as well as the evolution of the final disposal programme since its beginning and the foreseen goals to be achieved before the year 2010. The last activities will deal with the experience gained during the decommissioning of Vandello´s I NPP and the future decommissioning projects. The decision taken in 2002 by the Spanish authorities to close down Jose´ Cabrera NPP in April 2006, before its 40 years lifetime, has had an impact on ENRESA’s activities.