DO NOW: How do we use the land? Identify as many ways as you can.

I. Mining A. Extraction of mineral resources from Earth B. Examples: 1. Gold & Silver 2. Coal 3. Salt 4. Iron ore 5.Copper

HOW MANY MINERAL RESOURCES DO YOU USE??

II. The Mining Operation: A. Exploration – what is likelihood of finding valuable mineral resources in quantities worth mining? 1. Site analysis 2. Cost-benefit analysis B. Leases, Licensing, Permits (federal & state)

The Mining Operation, cont. C. Extraction 1.Surface Mining – overburden removed & stored 2. Sub-surface Mining – underground used to extract deeper deposits 3. Wells – extraction of fluids

The Mining Operation, cont. D. Processing 1. Chemically treated – Heap-Leach Extraction for Gold Pile of gold sprayed with acidified cyanide to dissolve gold When mining operations complete toxic cyanide often left behind 2. May produce waste – Uranium Processing Environmentally devastating – at each step nuclear waste produced – 100 tons of ore mined, 0.8 tons purified – 99.2 tons high-level nuclear waste Aluminum Electrolytic Extraction – energy intensive – Ore is crushed, melted, then put in large vats with electrodes

The Mining Operation, cont. E. Reclamation: Returning land to original condition 1.Surface Mining Control & Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) requires mining operations to put money aside to reclaim mining sites 2. Return of overburden 3. Topsoil put down & plants grown 4. Highwalls sculpted to appear natural 5.Tailings removed & placed where leaching and acid runoff prohibited

MINING TAKES A TOLL ON THE ENVIRONMENT…

AFTER BEFORE

OIL SHALE REMOVAL

Animas River, Colorado before and after 3 million gallons of toxic mining waste spilled on 8/5/15

III. Environmental Consequences of Mining A. Land deformed from digging or erosion B. Mine tailings exposed to rain become toxic spoiling soil, destroying streams and rivers, or contaminates groundwater C. Particulate air pollution