PROPOSAL TO MINING INDUSTRY

The mining industry is involved in the extraction of precious minerals and other geological materials.
The extracted materials are transformed into a mineralized form that serves an economic benefit to
the prospector or miner. Typical activities in the mining industry include metals production, metals
investing, and metals trading. Mining, process of extracting useful minerals from the surface of the
Earth, including the seas. A mineral, with a few exceptions, is an inorganic substance occurring in
nature that has a definite chemical composition and distinctive physical properties or molecular
structure. (One organic substance, coal, is often discussed as a mineral as well.) Ore is a metalliferous
mineral, or an aggregate of metalliferous minerals and gangue it is the associated rock of no economic
value, that can be mined at a profit. Mineral deposit designates a natural occurrence of a useful
mineral, while ore deposit denotes a mineral deposit of sufficient extent and concentration to invite
exploitation.

Mining activities, including prospecting, exploration, construction, operation, maintenance,

expansion, abandonment, decommissioning and repurposing of a mine can impact social and
environmental systems in a range of positive and negative, and direct and indirect ways. Mining can
yield a range of benefits to societies, but it may also cause conflict, not least in relation to above-
ground and sub-surface land use. Similarly, mining can alter environments, but remediation and
mitigation can restore systems. Boreal and Arctic regions are sensitive to impacts from development,
both on social and environmental systems. Native ecosystems and aboriginal human communities are
typically affected by multiple stressors, including climate change and pollution, for example.

Mining can also have positive and negative impacts on humans and societies. Negative impacts
include those on human health and living standards Mining is also known to affect traditional
practices of Indigenous peoples living in nearby communities , and conflicts in land use are also often
present, as are other social impacts including those related to public health and human wellbeing . In
terms of positive impacts, mining is often a source of local employment and may contribute to local
and regional economies . Remediation of the potential environmental impacts, for example through
water treatment and ecological restoration, can have positive net effects on environmental systems
[20]. Mine abandonment, decommissioning and repurposing can also have both positive and negative
social impacts. Examples of negative impacts include loss of jobs and local identities , while positive
impact can include opportunities for new economic activities . in the repurposing of mines to become
tourist attractions. Mining activities, including prospecting, exploration, construction, operation,
maintenance, expansion, abandonment, decommissioning and repurposing of a mine can impact
social and environmental systems in a range of positive and negative, and direct and indirect ways.
Mine exploration, construction, operation, and maintenance may result in land-use change, and may
have associated negative impacts on environments, including deforestation, erosion, contamination
and alteration of soil profiles, contamination of local streams and wetlands, and an increase in noise
level, dust and emissions . Mine abandonment, decommissioning and repurposing may also result in
similar significant environmental impacts, such as soil and water contamination. Beyond the mines
themselves, infrastructure built to support mining activities, such as roads, ports, railway tracks, and
power lines, can affect migratory routes of animals and increase habitat fragmentation

The literature on the environmental and social impacts of mining has grown in recent years, but
despite its clear importance, there has been little synthesis of research knowledge pertaining to the
social and environmental impacts of metal mining in Arctic and boreal regions. The absence of a
consolidated knowledge base on the impacts of mining and the effectiveness of mitigation measures
in Arctic and boreal regions is a significant knowledge gap in the face of the continued promotion of
extractive industries. There is thus an urgent need for approaches that can transparently and
legitimately gather research evidence on the potential environmental and social impacts of mining
and the impacts of associated mitigation measures in a rigorous manner.Impacts can result in erosion,
sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by the
chemicals emitted from mining processes. Reduce inputs The mining industry uses a large amount of
water and land in their operations. One solution to becoming more environmentally sustainable is to
reduce the input of the mine. By diverting surface water and pumping groundwater, mines can reduce
both the quantity and quality of water available downstream for aquatic ecosystems and other use.
By reducing the energy usage, a mine can reduce greenhouse gases and extend the life of fossil fuel
reserves. You will also be able to reduce the cost to produce the product and thus reduce the cost of
the commodity itself.Reduce outputs. Mining produces materials such as solid waste, mine water and
air particles, all of which vary in their makeup and potential for environmental contamination. Waste
management plans are required in order to prevent soil, air and water pollution. These plans are also
in place to appropriately store the large volumes of waste produced at mine sites. To reduce waste
output, mines can look at using sustainable equipment. Much of the modern equipment used today is
geared toward being environmentally friendly, including those provided by Babcock plant services.
Using cleaner production techniques, environmental control technologies, using waste as raw
material and process re-engineering are other ways to reduce the waste output of mines. Proper
waste disposal. Correct waste disposal is vital to curbing the environmental impact of mines, as some
mining companies do not dispose of their waste according to guidelines. Companies can invest in
equipment that helps in turning waste into reusable material, as well as adopting policies that allow
for a more eco-friendly waste disposal routine. Water can be reused on mining sites as grey water for
washing equipment or flushing staff toilets. Mining companies should aim to reuse and recycle water
as much as possible, and be sure that all unusable water is disposed of safely and responsibly. Scrap
materials can be recycled or sold to companies who can reuse them in order to reduce the amount of
waste produced on site. Improving the manufacturing process. The efficiency of the mining process
can often leave much to be desired, but improving the efficiency of this process can help towards
lessening the environmental impact. This also allows companies to regulate processes which may be
lacking in environmental friendliness.Supervising the manufacturing processes will allow mining
companies to change elements that are inefficient or that use too many natural resources. Conducting
a material flows analysis will track the physical flows of natural resources through extraction,
production, fabrication, use and recycling, and final disposal. This data will allow supervisors to
develop new processes that are more efficient and sustainable than previous ones.
Close and reclaim shut-down mines. Allowing shut-down mines to continue to stand open is a hazard
not only to the community but to the environment too. Often these mines still have hazardous waste
on the property which can leak into the soil and water table or come into contact with the
surrounding humans and animals living close by. These shut-down mines can also lead to illegal
mining activity, which is why it is imperative to close and reclaim them. Mining companies can band
together to commission small decommissioning groups and contractors to take apart the mining
processing facilities and plants which will allow the pipelines to be drained and wastes disposed of
properly and safely. Replenishing the environment.Mining companies sometimes overlook the
importance of replenishing the environment. This simple act can go a long way towards increasing the
environmental sustainability of mining. There are simple solutions that can be followed, such as
replenishing native soils and grasses, cleaning excess waste, proper waste removal, site inspections
and replanting trees and natural forestry. By restoring the environment around the mine, the mining
companies are contributing to positive environmental change, rather than making the environment
more difficult to live in. The reclamation process of a shut-down mine should include such steps as
removing hazardous materials, reshaping the land, planting native grasses or trees and restoring the
topsoil. In order to lessen their impact on the environment, mining companies should look into using
sustainable equipment and waste disposal procedures. They should also consider replenishing the
local environment as often as possible, which will make the surrounding area habitable and able to
return to a natural state once the mine has closed. Reducing both input and output of the mining
process can also help to reduce the negative impact that mines have on the environment.