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Environmental and social consequences of metals and mines on water - A viewpoint
Abstract
Minerals and mining operations threaten natural waters (ground and surface waters) and the health of animals and humans. Toxic pollution of water and soils as well as species extinction from wastewaters and mine waters are produced by increasing anthropogenic activities. The world is experiencing these environmental alterations whose resultant effects could lead to untoward perturbations. Several researchers in developed nations are equipped with the information and expertise about these environmental alterations which can contribute to their retardation or prevention, but not so in non‐developed nations. Ability to prevent or retard water pollution from trace elements and mining operations is consistent with global responsibility to avoid untoward effects on water, land, air and biodiversity.
... The strategy may provide the latitude and potential to undergird processes of water diplomacy processes in the distinction between water-and diplomacy-specific functionalities regarding water diplomacy as a concept whose practicality exemplifies the future of foreign policy and diplomacy as the importance of shared territorial waters is enhanced. The capability to harness or curb water pollution from trace elements and mining operations is a prime global responsibility in order to obviate untoward impacts on water, land and biodiversity [35]. It is crucial to investigate and explore diverse procedures in order to obviate environmental and natural resource derangement. ...
It is not essentially the objective of this paper to elaborately (re)construct the salient spheres of diplomacy, geopolitics and international cooperation as they impact on civilization, rather it is a presentation regarding the essential disparities of inter alia scarce resources, military efforts, trade, and transboundary realizations of pollutants and irritants into the biosphere. Due to the multidimensional origin of environmental perturbations, although, with its ingrained complexity, it has become necessary to inculcate all pertinent concerns in decision making locally and globally. The levels of significant risk factors and social decision-making continue to undergo diverse alterations in several countries with their attendant geopolitics, gain-of-function research in biosecurity, environment, and health which necessitate international cooperation for peaceful coexistence within and across borders. A proper understanding of the cumulative impact of these changes in erstwhile, current and future trends is vital to harness and curb environmental disasters in vulnerable ecosystem cadastres, emerging and reemerging communicable and noncommunicable diseases or disorders.
... The strategy may provide the latitude and potential to undergird processes of water diplomacy processes in the distinction between water-and diplomacy-specific functionalities regarding water diplomacy as a concept whose practicality exemplifies the future of foreign policy and diplomacy as the importance of shared territorial waters is enhanced. The capability to harness or curb water pollution from trace elements and mining operations is a prime global responsibility in order to obviate untoward impacts on water, land and biodiversity [35]. It is crucial to investigate and explore diverse procedures in order to obviate environmental and natural resource derangement. ...
It is not essentially the objective of this paper to elaborately (re)construct the salient spheres of diplomacy, geopolitics and international cooperation as they impact on civilization, rather it is a presentation regarding the essential disparities of inter alia scarce resources, military efforts, trade, and transboundary realizations of pollutants and irritants into the biosphere. Due to the multidimensional origin of environmental perturbations, although, with its ingrained complexity, it has become necessary to inculcate all pertinent concerns in decision making locally and globally. The levels of significant risk factors and social decision-making continue to undergo diverse alterations in several countries with their attendant geopolitics, gain-of-function research in biosecurity, environment, and health which necessitate international cooperation for peaceful coexistence within and across borders. A proper understanding of the cumulative impact of these changes in erstwhile, current and future trends is vital to harness and curb environmental disasters in vulnerable ecosystem cadastres, emerging and reemerging communicable and noncommunicable diseases or disorders.
... The strategy may provide the latitudeand potential to undergird processes of water diplomacy processes in the distinction between water-and diplomacyspecifi c functionalities regarding water diplomacy as a concept whose practicality exemplifi es the future of foreign policy and diplomacy as the importance of shared territorial waters is enhanced. The capability to harness or curb water pollution from trace elements and mining operations is a prime global responsibility in order to obviate untoward impacts on water, land and biodiversity[35]. It is crucial to investigate and explore diverse procedures in order to obviate environmental and natural resource derangement.The present and future global state of water resources are inextricably linked to the behavior of the administrative, economic, political, and social structures. ...
Global challenges require interactive global solutions. The disparities of inter alia scarce resources, military efforts, trade and transboundary realizations of pollutants and irritants into the biosphere correlate to the multidimensional origin of health and environmental perturbations. Thus, taking into cognizance the inherent complexity of the world, it has become necessary to inculcate all pertinent concerns in decision making locally and globally. The levels of significant risk factors and social decision-making continue to undergo diverse alterations in several countries with their attendant geopolitics, gain-of-function research in biosecurity, environment and health which necessitate international cooperation for peaceful coexistence within and across borders. A proper understanding of the cumulative impact of these changes in erstwhile, current and future trends is vital to harness and curb environmental health disasters in vulnerable ecosystem cadastres. Changes or trends in risk factor presentations or levels can be determined via disparate or collaborative spatiotemporal specific environmental cadastre and health surveys. International conflicts, hostilities, war, commodity crisis, inflation, trade imperfection, supply-chain disruption and labour shortages are being rebranded by multinationals and industrialized countries as health and environmentally virtuous policies.
... It is a determinant of the total and expansive development and enhancement of all natural and anthropogenic activities. The essence of pertinent strategy of improved water supply is to preclude environmental and natural resource deterioration (Chukwuma, 1998a). The emphasis of water provision is on potable water, but a vast expanse of the global population of fauna and flora depend on other extant artificial and natural sources which are commonly subjected to waterborne diseases, parasitoses, heavy metals, other contaminants and pollutants. ...
... As a result of the immature feature of the blood-brain-barrier in children, lead easily penetrates the brain and causes extreme and persistent damage to organs and systems [2,6,7,20]. Increasing evidence provides that the CDCP screening guideline of 10ug/dL for the blood lead concentration for children must not be envisaged as the level within which deleterious impacts are not tenable. ...
The clinicopathologic, public and environmental health effects of the heavy metal, lead (Pb) due to its exposure in children are of global implications and concerns. Inordinate numbers of children are exposed to lead substances and are subjected to diverse forms of morbidity and consequent mortality. Infants and children under age-5 years old are at increased risk of lead poisoning because their brains are susceptible to insults prior to full development culminating in prolonged or lifelong cognitive, neurological and physiologic aberrations. Speculations are rife as to the concentration of lead severally or jointly with other metals in organs and systems that could exacerbate concomitant behavioral, cultural, economic, developmental, and social variables and determinants in children. It is intricately complex to detect, diagnose or correlate the health consequences due to incessant exposure of low lead levels invariably encountered in both the internal and external milieu regarding the fetus and children, respectively. The toxic attributes of lead encompass biologic, economic, environmental, familial and social factors, which by themselves are well-nigh impossible to be explicated or resolved solely via epidemiological trajectories. Studies are pertinent to replenish knowledge and information of emerging criteria and issues to elucidate extant and future threats associated with lead in children, particularly in low-and middle-income countries.
... Events, such as environmental exposures which involve drinking water, trace elements, and other minerals from highly mineralized areas [21,22] as well as noise [23] pollution, could impact on cardiovascular risk. The resultant impact of aircraft noise on health is of increasing concern to the global population, especially those in the proximity of aerodromes because noise constitutes a psychosocial stressor that triggers the endocrine and sympathetic system with resultant metabolic aberrations and constitutes concomitant risk factors for cardiovascular disorders. ...
Globally, cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality. The multifactorial emergence of the association between mortality and salient risk factors of cardiovascular disease is not clearly elucidated. Diverse countries and geographical regions have been monitoring and evaluating these parameters as the levels and trajectories undergo continuous changes with environmental and public health concerns. Understanding the encompassing impacts of these changes is crucial in taking precautionary measures in counteracting and managing cardiovascular disease. Empirical findings strongly indicate that the evolving complexity of these incessant changes is accelerating, particularly in low-and middle-income countries, LMICs exhibiting the limited and inequitable distribution of research resources. This article presents a dynamic overview of the extant features of the ecological analysis of cardiovascular disease.
... Events, such as environmental exposures which involve drinking water, trace elements, and other minerals from highly mineralized areas [21,22] as well as noise [23] pollution, could impact on cardiovascular risk. The resultant impact of aircraft noise on health is of increasing concern to the global population, especially those in the proximity of aerodromes because noise constitutes a psychosocial stressor that triggers the endocrine and sympathetic system with resultant metabolic aberrations and constitutes concomitant risk factors for cardiovascular disorders. ...
The multifactorial emergence of the association between mortality and major risk factors of cardiovascular disease is not clearly established. Diverse countries have been monitoring and evaluating mortality and risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease as the levels and trajectories undergo continuous changes. Understanding the combined impacts of these alterations are crucial in taking precautionary measures in counteracting and managing cardiovascular disease. Mortality and risk factor data have been applied expansively for the monitoring and evaluation of cardiovascular disease issues and the spatiotemporal variations across populations. There are extant inequitable distribution of resources in the disparate regions and populations around the world in the quantification and analysis of the mortality, morbidity, risk factors or determinants of cardiovascular disease. The diagnosis of cardiovascular disease tends to be devoid of diagnostic tests of high specificity and sensitivity in certain instances. Poor diet is a leading etiologic factor of suboptimal health in cardiovascular disease. Diet, nutrition and scientific policy measures have accelerated, resulting in ambiguities, and also creating opportunities to obviate the excruciating health and economic burden in cardiovascular disease and other cardiometabolic disorders in vulnerable populations. These indicate that expansive spatiotemporal variations in the incidence between populations are attributable to inter alia certain contradictions in the modalities of event ascertainment, culture, and economic burden. This paper enhances and introduces novel issues, challenges and opportunities in the ecological presentations of the association between mortality and determinants or risk factors of cardiovascular disease.
The most effective method of promoting sustainable development in business is through the adoption of eco-efficiency. This management strategy, of which the principles are broad in scope, categorizes activities that protect the environment and, at the same time, reduce corporate costs. In the case of the nonferrous metal mining sector, which has traditionally been regarded as being a "dirty" industry, the integration of eco-efficiency into business practices would help lead to a reduction in environmentally damaging activities in the areas of material inputs, energy use, waste consumption, and resource use. This article discusses the importance of eco-efficiency as a tool for environmental management in the nonferrous metal mining industry. It summarizes the evolution and principles of eco-efficiency, identifies important environment problems related to this particular sector of mining, and develops a sample eco-efficiency framework as a means to prevent and reduce the impacts of these problems.
The Sar Cheshmeh copper mine, located in the Urumieh-Dokhtar volcanic belt, is one of the largest porphyry copper deposits in Iran. This study examines transport and sediment-water partitioning of trace metals (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Zn) in acid mine drainage (AMD) and water–sediment system. It is shown that waste dumps and tailings dam are major causes of AMD generation. An elevated level of heavy metals viz. Mo, Mn, Pb, Cr, Cd, Fe, Cu and base metals like Na, K in AMD-impacted water and sediments results from the metal leaching effect of AMD. Factor analysis identified three factors responsible for data structure explaining 86.07% of total variance in water samples. The distribution coefficient (K d) values vary from 1.1 Â 10 6 for Fe to 5.1 Â 10 3 for Mn and increases in the sequence of Fe > Pb ≈ Al > Mo ≈ Sb > As > Cr > Sn > Cu > Ni ≈ Zn > Co ≈ Cd > Mn. The results of sequential extraction analysis indi-cate that among non-residual fractions, Fe–Mn oxides are most important for retaining trace metals in the sediments. Calculation of mobility factor (MF) shows that in the Sar Cheshmeh copper mine, the heavy metal MFs display the following decreasing trend: Cd > Mn > Co > Zn > Cu > Ni > Cr > Sb > Al > As > Sn > Pb > Mo > Fe.
Natural and anthropogenic processes and products of mining affect quality of life in highly mineralised areas, such as the derelict Enyigba-Abakaliki agriculture-oriented lead–zinc mining area, which has degradation of land and groundwater resources. This study establishes that Nigeria and other developing nations should maximise the benefits and mitigate the negative impacts of adverse natural and mining activities so as to achieve poverty alleviation. Baseline data on the economic, fiscal, social, land and flora, as well as environmental impacts and plans were designed to take into consideration the ways and means for mine closure and remediation to reduce health, environmental, socio-cultural risks and to assess costs. Certain cultivated and wild plant species are suggested as heavy metal indicators for environmental monitoring. The findings show that communities need leadership, partnerships, sharing of experiences and support from all government levels to preserve land and groundwater resources. We must adopt broader policies in a coordinated fashion so as to cope with interrelated environmental and developmental problems, irrespective of the expansive uncertainty regarding the nature of these problems, particularly with respect to economically doubtful mining operations that can degrade our agricultural soils.
This study is carried out to evaluate potentially toxic metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn) together with their spatial distribution, degree of pollution, and potential ecological risk in Kor river sediments (southwest Iran) using sediment quality guidelines, geoaccumulation index (I
geo), Hakanson potential ecological risk index (RI), and standard methods of statistical analysis. The study area stretches some 140 km from the Drodzan Dam to Bakhtegan Lake, a stretch of river where different industrial and domestic activities (e.g., petrochemical complex, oil refinery, industrial meat processing complex, Marvdasht city sewage) and ecological value overlap with each other. Calculated geoaccumulation index indicate that 50 % of the stations are moderately to very extremely polluted. The potential ecological risk for nine investigated metals in Kor river is Hg (948) > Mo (51.9) > Ni (37.8) > Cd (29.8) > As (22) > Cu (16.6) > Pb (13.3) > Zn (3.3) > Cr (1). Results show that sediments in parts of Kor river sediments are heavily affected by effluents discharged from industrial plants and other parts are affected by agriculture and urban runoff from nearby lands. These phenomena may cause a risk of secondary water pollution under sediment disturbance and/or changes in the physical–chemical characteristics of the aquatic system.
The global decision to combat environmental problems in all their manifestations has prompted in part the need for an environmental assessment in the long-standing Enyigba-Abakaliki lead-zinc mining area of Nigeria of the distribution and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in both wild and cultivated vegetation later consumed by animals and humans. It is important to improve the acquisition of basic information and data on environmental and health problems, as well as to establish regulations concerning existing and potential problems in relation to health, agriculture, water, land and air. Provision will be made for public education and awareness. The results will be a more equitable income for farmers, sustainable exploitation of resources and better fulfilment of consumers' preferences and nutritional demand. -from Author
This book presents a wide-ranging treatment of the sources, transport and impact of metals in the hydrological cycle. Individual sections deal with metals in 'continental waters', in coastal environments and in the open sea. Within in each section there are references to the range of concentrations, the controlling factors, the sources of different metal species, fluxes of metal transport etc. Further sections deal with atmospheric metal concentrations, metals in sediments and the interactions of metals with ligands, particulate matter and organisms.-M.Day
Summitville is an old mining district located south of Wolf Creek Pass in the southern San Juan Mountains of Colorado at an elevation higher than 3500 m (11,500 ft). The Summitville mine site is about 40 km (25 miles) southwest of Del Norte. The current mine, developed by Galactic Resources Ltd. and its subsidiaries in the mid-1980s, is on the north facing side of South Mountain. The area is drained by Cropsy Creek to the east and Wightman Fork to the north, both tributaries to the Alamosa River. Mining in the Summitville area began in 1870 when James Wightman discovered placer gold on what is now known as Wightman Fork of the Alamosa River. The first vein-type deposits were located in 1873 on South Mountain near the current Summitville Mine. Mining began in the district in 1875 and continued sporadically through 1942. Major mining episodes occurred from 1875 to 1894 and from 1926 to 1942. Total gold production from the mining district through 1949 totaled 7.5 t (240,000 oz). An additional 7.7 t (249,000 oz) were produced during Galactic's tenure. Natural degradation of the outcropping sulfide-rich veins in the area and the early mining activity, including development of the Reynolds, Dexter and Iowa drainage tunnels in the late 1890s, have polluted the streams draining the area with heavy metals and acidic water. Names of the various tributaries to Wightman Fork, such as Iron, Alum and Bitter Creek, testify to this natural pollution. This degradation has reduced, or killed, aquatic life in several area creeks, including Wightman Fork, for many years before recent mining activity.
This paper presents a review of literature published in 1994 on the subject of minerals and mine drainage under the heading of industrial wastes. The review is divided into several sections, which cover: Environmental regulations and impacts; and; Characterization, prevention, treatment and reclamation.
Climate change has become a staple of national and international politics. It is by far the most dramatic environmental issue yet to receive worldwide attention, as human activities pose unprecedented threats to the planet's environment. The threat has spawned widespread proposals for treaties, international institutions, and major new policies, many of draconian dimensions. Even British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who so assiduously defends her country's sovereignty in the European Community, has called for binding international protocols to control greenhouse gas emissions, with supervision and monitoring by international organizations. Analysis of the threat has also led to assertions that the climate will not change in the dimensions claimed, or that the proposed cures would be more costly in lives and prosperity than the climate change itself. This often frenetic activity has legitimate roots. Responsible forecasts have predicted that the growing concentration of certain gases in the atmosphere could lead to climate change with major effects on health and living standards. The economic and political affairs of nations could be substantially altered and international relationships significantly changed. The forecasts raise many profound questions--of equity, Third World development, conflict over food and land, and the appropriate limits of human intervention in the natural environment--now measured on a planetary scale. The many proposals for urgent action, however, rarely reflect the limits of policy processes, or what would be necessary to lead to major new policies. The question is not whether to take action now, as it appeared to be in the April 1990 White House conference on global climate change. Rather, it is to recognize what is feasible and what will fail, given the state of knowledge and the unique characteristics of the subject. Some proposals are wildly unrealistic even for an era of aroused environmental consciousness, such as those calling for the establishment of a new supranational institution with enforcement powers to supervise mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas production. Even more modest proposals to encourage energy efficiency and conservation have proved difficult or impossible.
Global environmental change threatens the habitability of the planet and the health of its inhabitants. Toxic pollution of air and water, acid rain, destruction of stratospheric ozone, waste, species extinction and, potentially, global warming are produced by the growing numbers and activities of human beings. Progression of these environmental changes could lead to unprecedented human suffering. Physicians can treat persons experiencing the consequences of environmental change but cannot individually prevent the cause of their suffering. Physicians have information and expertise about environmental change that can contribute to its slowing or prevention. Work to prevent global environmental change is consistent with the social responsibility of physicians and other health professionals.
Health problems at a heavy metal mining Superfund site were surveyed using prevalence information from 1980-85. Current environmental exposures include lead and cadmium in drinking water, mine wastes, and surface soils. Age- and sex-specific illness rates in whites in an exposed town (Galena) were compared with similar rates in two control towns. Multivariate analyses of morbidity data examined statistically significant risk factors for relevant illness in the three towns. Mortality rates for 1980-85 for white residents of Galena and for the U.S. were compared using univariate analysis. Among residents of the three towns who had lived there at least 5 years prior to 1980, there was either a statistically significant or borderline excess reported prevalence in Galena of chronic kidney disease (females aged greater than or equal to 65), heart disease (females aged greater than or equal to 45), skin cancer (males aged 45-64), and anemia (females aged 45-64). Multivariate analyses revealed statistically significant associations of stroke, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, heart disease, skin cancer, and anemia with variables related to Galena exposure. Personal physicians were contacted to confirm the information provided by the subjects; validity was good for all reported illnesses except chronic kidney disease. A statistically significant excess of deaths from hypertensive disease (females aged greater than or equal to 65), ischemic heart disease (males and females aged greater than or equal to 65), and stroke (females aged greater than or equal to 65) was found in residents of Galena City. This study confirms that environmental agents in Galena are associated with, and may have contributed to, the causation of several chronic diseases in residents of this community. Further studies are recommended.
Storm runoff in afforested catchments at Llyn Brianne is acidic and Al-bearing. At baseflows, stream water is well-buffered with low Al levels. This paper presents the results of a study into how hydrological pathways account for these variations in stream-water chemistry. The investigation was carried out in the LI1 catchment; a 0.4-ha subcatchment covered by stagnohumic gley soils was monitored between October 1988 and September 1989. An instrumented hill-slope was established to identify the hydrological pathways that control the hydrochemistry of storm runoff draining from the subcatchment. Perched watertables developed in the surface horizons of the soil during storm episodes and produced lateral flow above the impeding subsoil. This near-surface flow path was responsible for generating acid, Al-rich storm runoff. Some water drained vertically through the soil profile into the underlying slope drift; seepage from groundwater in the drift sustained baseflows. Buffering reactions in the groundwater zone reduced the acidity and Al levels of baseflows. These hydrochemical characteristics are likely to be representative of other areas of stagnohumic gley soils, which cover 19% of the LI1 catchment: these soils may therefore provide a substantial source of acid, Al-bearing storm runoff in LI1 and similar afforested catchments.
Contrary to predictions from the 1950s through the mid-1980s, persistent shortages of nonfuel minerals have not occurred, despite prodigious consumption, and world reserves have increased. Global availability of raw materials is relevant to policy decisions regarding mineral development and land use. Justification for environmental protection may exceed that for mining a specific ore body. Demand for environmental accountability is rising worldwide, and new technologies are enabling internalization of costs. Mineral-rich developing nations plagued by inefficient state-owned mining enterprises, high population growth rates, and environmental degradation could realize substantial benefit by reforming government policies to encourage foreign investment in resources and by appropriate allocation of mineral rents.
Mining the earth In: A Worldwatch Institute Report on Progress Toward a Sustainable Society
- J E Young
J. E. Young, "Mining the earth" In: A Worldwatch Institute Report on Progress Toward a Sustainable Society (L. R. Brown, Ed.) (WW Norton; London and New York, 1992) pp. 100-18.
New Superfund Law Proposed
- Epa Roundup
EPA Roundup, "New Superfund Law Proposed" EPA Journal, 20(1-2) EPA 175-N-94-002:2-3 (1994).
Mining non-ferrous metals In: Mining and its Environmental Impact
- A K Barbour
A. K. Barbour, "Mining non-ferrous metals" In: Mining and its Environmental Impact. Issues in Environmental Science and Technology (R. E. Hester and R. M. Harrison, Eds.), (Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 1994) pp. 1-16.
Environmental Health Engineering in the Tropics --An Introductory Text
- S Cairncross
- R G Feachem
S. Cairncross and R. G. Feachem, Environmental Health Engineering in the Tropics --An Introductory Text (John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 2nd edn., 1993).
Discharge of waters from active and abandoned mines" In: Mining and its Environmental Impact
- R J Pentreath
R. J. Pentreath, "Discharge of waters from active and abandoned mines" In: Mining and its Environmental Impact. Issues in Environmental Science and Technology (R. E. Hester and R. M. Harrison, Eds.), (Royal 'Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 1994) pp. 121-31.