User:703pestelmining/sandbox

Environmental risks

Mining has many environmental impacts and the various mining methods may have significant environmental and public health effects. Some of these effects are noise pollution, air pollution and visual effects, to add to this a mine can affect the surrounding areas with erosion of slopes and hillsides, pollution of tailing dams which results in the siltation of connected rivers and dams, deforestation and landscape degradation. All of this can effect a population greatly as well as destroy habitats or even whole ecosystems. These major environmental impacts cannot be done without having major consequences. In order to counter this some mining industries are required to follow environmental and rehabilitation codes, ensuring the area mined is returned to close to its original state.

Impact of mining on an area

Fines, penalties and assessments levied against mining companies increasing globally in both magnitude and frequency. Countries such as Canada and Argentina are on a growing list enacting regulations to impose higher fines and penalties on themining industry for environmental violations. Mining can damage a wide variety of habitats such as rainforests, wetlands, reefs, and many more therefore there is the risk of having pressures put on by environmental groups. The largest issue involved with environmental risk is the pollution of water sources with mercury and cyanide and the collapse of buildings due to mine blasting. Mine pits left from blasting can have effects on livestock and the local community. Therefore mines need to dispose of waste properly insuring no harm can befall on anyone or the environment.

Social Risks

One of the main competitive advantages a mine can obtain is to align its interests with the values of a community specially the one that the mine operates within. Mining has 2 extremes, it provides jobs and form of substantial wealth but also threatens the destruction of lands and associated community life. The inflow of labour can also put strain on a community as external labourers searching for jobs puts pressures on living space, water supplies, the demand for local resources and an increase in diseases. These effects can in fact increase the poverty of a community. The mining company has to make jobs available to the community it is situated in. Doing so prevents disruptions to the social balance of external labourers. Although the community absorbs most of the environmental and social impacts of mining it does realise profits elsewhere like in the renting of living quarters. By having community projects and accessing the local pool of labour creates a positive relationship with the community based on acceptance and trust. By monitoring and having constant engagement with the community gives allows for growth within the community and the organisation.

References

KITULA, A. G. N. 2006. The environmental and socio-economic impacts of mining on local livelihoods in Tanzania: A case study of Geita District. 14, 405-414. A.M.ESTEVES 2008. Mining And Social Development: Refocusing community development using multi-criteria decision analysis. 33, 39-47.