Env Problems
Env Problems
Env Problems
Subsidence:
• How subsidence happens?
• Impacts of subsidence
• Subsidence control
Visual intrusion:
Every aspect of mining from excavation to waste dump, tailings dams can cause visual disruption.
Visual intrusion is related mainly to the degree of visibility and the nature of the local landscape.
Dereliction
In certain type of mining, it is difficult to avoid creating land areas of either total dereliction or very
limited land use potential.
Surface excavation, solid waste disposal dumps, tailings dams and subsided areas can sterilize land to
the extent that it is seldom possible to find new land uses.
Conversely underground mining may create new space capable of a wide range of after uses.
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Factors influencing the nature and extent of environmental impact
1. The size of the operation
It is obvious that the larger the operation, the impact will be larger and vice versa.
iii) Climate: precipitation, temperature, humidity, wind and other climatic factors affect the mechanisms
by which pollution is transported from a mine site to the surrounding environment.
Their main effect is on the intensity of pollution and the distance up to which it is discernible.
Tribals may have cultural and religious importance in some sites, structures, or they may depend on
forest, streams, for their living and if mining, affects these they may oppose it.
3. Method of mining
Open cast mining, open pit, underground mining, dredging, or other methods.
Nature of intensity of pollution may be different.
VISUAL IMPACTS
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This may not be so important in underdeveloped countries, where they are more interested for the
economic benefit over the adverse environmental impacts.
However in developed countries, these are points of concern, and people may not like the aesthetic
degradation due to mining.
1. Surface excavation
The nature of the excavation, the surrounding landforms and the relationship between two are main
factors.
Rock exposures created by surface mining are highly visible. The color contrast created by exposed ore
against the background rock. For example, in case of iron ore mines, you will see a red excavation, in
case of limestone or chalk mines, the excavation is light against a darker background.
For coal mines, a black excavation
2. Waste disposal
Conventional techniques of tipping solid waste, and impounding slurries often result in visual intrusions.
Remedies are not available until cessation of the dumping, so impact persists throughout the life of the
tip.
In tailings dams, usually height of the dam is increased from time to time. In tailings dam, you may see
pool of discolored water with sand, silt and scattered with remains of dead vegetation.
The magnitude of the problem varies according to scale of operations, minerals mine, location etc.
A special case of visual impact of waste disposal is over burden dump devoid of any vegetation. These
are one of the least attractive feature of a mine.
It is very common for the fixed installations to assume the color of the mineral being processed due to
accumulation of dust and dirt.
Another important factor is the height of the plant, equipment, chimneys, and the headframe at the
underground mines. The height makes them conspicuous and forces the attention of the people.
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4. Air and water pollution
Aerial emissions, and liquid effluents can cause aesthetic nuisance. Discolored or turbid streams, dust
plumes etc are very unsightly and act as long range visual indicator of the mineral workings.
Landscape Planning
Planning of landscaping has the purpose of necessary to reduce the visual impact of an existing
operation, or to minimize the impact of a new mine.
A landscaping plan is normally intended to enable one or more of the following objectives:
1. Minimum undesired visual impact throughout the life of the operation.
2. Maximum benefit in respect of other environmental impacts such as noise or dust pollution.
3. Economical and effective rehabilitation of the closed mine site to a productive after-use.
It is essential to take into account every environmental, technical, and economic factor (relevant to
mining and mineral workings) and not merely aesthetic considerations in design and execution of
landscaping works.
Time is one of the important factors. Since mining is a dynamic and the landscaping planning has to
make provisions for any future expansion, addition of plants etc.
General Survey
It must take into account the broad features of the actual or proposed mining operations in relation to
its surrounding.
(iii) Ecology:
A survey of the local ecology- that is, the components of main plant and animal communities – can
provide much valuable information.
Types of vegetation which exist naturally in the area are likely also be the best surviving plants for
landscaping purposes.
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Treeless landscapes for example, are unlikely to harmonise with landscaping plans requiring extensive
tree plantations.
The fact that natural landscape is treeless, indicates that, for climatic or soil reasons, artificial tree
plantings are unlikely to thrive without extensive maintenance.
(iv) Hydrology:
Subsurface water influences the working of the pit and, the landscaping possibilities at closure.
Availability of Surface water offers considerable landscape opportunities.
(v) Habitations
(vi) Boundaries:
Ownership boundaries naturally limit the extent of the mining operation.
With large land holding, ownership boundaries do not usually affect landscaping.
However, if the site is confined, opportunities for aesthetic improvement may be circumscribed by legal
boundaries.
Co-operative landscaping schemes can be devised, if owners of adjoining land are also mine operators.
Likelihood of any serous subsidence occurrence as in the case of under ground mining
Detais of any mining plants, their locations,
Extent of waste production , nature of waste
Surface disposal facilities,
Transportation facilities needed
Services to be installed.
Numerous other aspects of mine planning are also to be studied.
Vegetation screen
Tree screens can consist of young tress (1-2 years) or semi-matured tress (10-15 years)
Installation of young trees is cheap, but maintenance is expensive. These need maintenance for about 5
years after which no maintenance is required.
Growth rate depends on the species of tree and also on site conditions. It may be between 10-50 cm per
annum.
It may take at least a decade before trees become high enough to act as a screen.
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For such reasons, installing semi-matured trees may be an option. In this case, semi-matured trees
grown elsewhere are transplanted.
However installation and maintenance of semi-matured trees are expensive. Therefore, they are not
practiced extensively. Only on a limited scale, restricted to gardening scheme at strategic points for
quick visual gain.
Moreover, some of the transplanted trees “go into check” upon transplanting and cease to grow. This
check conditions often continue for several years and by the time the young plant may grow and surpass
them, thus resulting in such high expenditure going to waste.
Screening banks
Construction of screening banks of soil and overburden is a common method of lessening visual impact.
In Britain, many large surface mines construct amenity banks.
Such banks are easy to construct with labour and equipment available with the mine. Also the banks
provide easier alternative to dispose the waste material and the rapidity with which the screening effect
can be obtained.
Amenities bank can also serve as noise screen in addition to the aesthetic benefits.
The full visual benefit is however obtained if the banks are properly designed and located.
A badly contoured bank may as obtrusive as the structure/ excavation which it is trying to conceal.
The surface layers of the banks should comprise those wastes most conducive to vegetation
establishment.
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Rapid planting is important for preventing soil erosion to be prevented.