Open Pit Mining

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Open Pit Mining
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Explanation Open-pit mining, also known as
open-cut mining, and strip mining, refers to a
method of extracting rock or minerals from the
earth by their removal from an open pit.
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Most of the time, when the mining company is done
with it, the pit is used as a landfill.  A
landfill is used as a dump to get rid of our
garbage.  When it is filled with garbage, it is
covered over with layers of dirt.  After the
garbage rots a long time, the land can be used
again.  Some times the crater is filled with
water a lake is born.
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Environmental Impacts

• Impacts include
• aesthetics
• air quality (dust and pollutants)
• water discharge and runoff
• subsidence
• tailings (acidic, heavy metals)
• Minimizing the impact
• If mining will cause quality deterioration of
  either surface water or groundwater, remedial and
  treatment measures must be developed to meet
  discharge standards.
• The mine plan must include all the technical
  measures necessary to handle all the
  environmental problems from initial data
  gathering to the mine closure and reclamation of
  the disturbed surface area.

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Social / Economic Implications

• Minerals are non-renewable resources
• Boom / Bust of the mining process (i.e.
  Barkerville)
• Loss of tourism
• Depending on location companies could bypass
  reclamation requirements (cleaning soils of
  acids, heavy metals and sulfurs).

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