NOVA MYREL F.

RECIMO
BTVTED CSS 3
EGE 311 – PEOPLE AND THE EARTH’S ECOSYSTEM

Module 2
Human Impacts in the Environment
Lesson 3
Application

 What is happening in this picture?

Mining is the
process of digging
things out of the
ground. Any material
that cannot be
grown must be
mined. The picture
depicts a large-scale open-pit mining in the Philippines specifically in
Surigao del Sur. It shows in this picture that a massive extraction of metals
and minerals, like coal, diamond, gold, silver, platinum, copper, tin and iron
have occurred in this site.

1. This is a foreign owned legally operating large-scale open-pit mining

activity in Surigao del Sur. What types of pollution do you see in this
picture?

Toxic substances are brought to the surface where they contaminate

water. Other toxic substances are used to extract valuable elements from ore.
Organic pollutants results from human activity at the mine site. In this picture,
it gives off water pollution. The four types of pollution that impacts the water
quality are Acid Mine Drainage—an outflow of acidic water from metal mines
or coal mines, Heavy Metal Contamination & Leaching—a result when such
metals as arsenic, cobalt, copper, cadmium, lead, silver and zinc contained in
excavated rock or exposed in an underground mine come in contact with
water, Processing Chemicals Pollution—a result when chemical agents spill,
NOVA MYREL F. RECIMO
BTVTED CSS 3
EGE 311 – PEOPLE AND THE EARTH’S ECOSYSTEM

leak, or leach from the mine site into nearby water bodies which can be highly
toxic to human and wildlife; Erosion—the process of wind, water, or other
natural agents gradually wearing down soil, rock, or land. Sedimentation—the
process of settling or deposition of those eroded particles. Erosion reduces
the soil's inherent productivity and sedimentation damages the young plants
and fills drainage ditches, lakes, and streams.

2. Do you think this sort of mining activity has greater or lesser effects
because it is legally operating? Explain your answer.

I think there is at least a little difference between legal and illegal open-pit
mining. I can say that illegal mining activities don’t follow the same provisions
as legal mining does. There are dangerous effects of mining but the
implications of illegal mining are much worse than legally operating ones. The
illegally operating mining can provide high chance of sinkholes formation,
contamination of soil and groundwater (which can have long-term
consequences), loss of biodiversity, and chemical leakages. They face health
risks due to breathing toxic chemicals or absorbing them into the skin which
maybe because of incomplete protective equipment. Miners also have to
operate heavy machinery or may be exposed to flooding, and gas explosions.
All of these risks exist for legal mining operations but illegal projects cause
more environmental degradation and greater human health risks.

According to Colombia’s National Planning Department,

“Colombia now ranks second in the world for mercury pollution. Local
populations have reported health issues related to mercury poisoning
such as tremors and memory loss. According to some sources, illegal
mining companies often extorted the local populations by forcing them
to search for gold by sending in armed groups to intimidate them.
Other times, they tried to barter deals by promising to repair crippling
infrastructure in the region, but instead, pillaged the region and left
without keeping their word.”

Why I consider illegal mining causes more damage because illegal

mining often takes place on properties not suited for large-scale mining and
NOVA MYREL F. RECIMO
BTVTED CSS 3
EGE 311 – PEOPLE AND THE EARTH’S ECOSYSTEM

without regard to regulations that reduce the environmental impact. They are
doing it to sites that are unexpected to be checked by governments because
they are actually hiding so there is higher chance of improper site choice.

Preventing illegal or unregulated mining operations can help ensure

that all mining is bound by the same environmental standards and ensure
accountability. Legal mining, in a sense that, it is legally operating, there are
regulations regarding the miner’s health, the environmental impacts and the
local communities safety. While mining still uses significant amounts of
resources — water, land, carbon and energy, it is better to use a lower-impact
technique like in-situ leaching instead of open-pit mining because it reduces
surface disturbance at mining sites, lower soil erosion and move less material
that would need backfilled.

To make a lesser impact on environment, using an electric-driven

equipment rather than diesel-driven ones can reduce amount of CO2
produced during mining operations. Also, it will be more effective to regain
the beauty of nature if the mine sites used were rehabilitated with the use of
bio-solids to replenish depleted topsoil. Soil with bio-solids, if seeded and
watered, can produce vegetation capable of preventing further soil erosion.
Legally operating mining operation provides lesser impacts because they can
be able to work in the right place with conscientious companies, new
technologies and good planning that many of the potential impacts can be
avoidable because of this.
NOVA MYREL F. RECIMO
BTVTED CSS 3
EGE 311 – PEOPLE AND THE EARTH’S ECOSYSTEM

Reference Link:

https://www.eoi.es/blogs/mavisasare/2014/01/14/illegal-mining-and-
the-environment-%E2%80%93-ghana/)

https://www.safewater.org/fact-sheets
1/2017/1/23/miningandwaterpollution

https://sciencing.com/advantages-open-pit-mining-7218839.html