Section 3: Mining Regulations and Mine Reclamation

Subsidence

Erosion and Sedimentation

Underground Mine Fires

• the sinking of regions of the ground with little or no horizontal movement is called subsidence
• subsidence occurs when pillars that have been left standing in mines collapse or the mine roof or floor fails

• excess rock from mines is sometimes dumped into large piles called dumps
• running water runs into unprotected dumps and transports sediments into nearby streams
• the sediments may harm water quality and aquatic life

• Fires that start in underground coal seams are one of the most serious environmental consequences of coal mining
• fires can start by themselves when minerals in the coal that contains sulfur are exposed to oxygen
• Often left to burn out by themselves: take decades or centuries to burn out

Soil Degradation

• soil at a mine site is removed and stored for later reuse
• care must be taken to ensure that the upper soil layers are not buried beneath soil layers
• if soil is not removed and stored in separate layers, the soil may be nutrient poor when it is reclaimed
• minerals that contain sulfur may be be found in deeper soil layers
• when acidified soil is returned to a mine site, it may be difficult for plant life to grow

Mining Regulations and Reclamation

Displacement of Wildlife

• Regulated by federal and state laws
• to ensure that contaminants from mines do not threaten water quality, mining companies must comply with regulations of the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act

• removing soil from a surface mine site strips away all plant life
• with natural habitat removed animals will leave the area
• Dredging can negatively effect aquatic ecosystems and physically change the bottoms of rivers
• disturbs river bottoms and destroys aquatic plant life

Reclamation

Air and Noise Pollution

The Environmental Impacts of Mining

• The process of returning land to its original or better condition after mining is completed is called reclamation
• Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 created a program for the regulation of surface coal mining on public and private land
• minimize the surface effects of coal mining on the environment
• Also established a fund that is administered by the federal government and is used to reclaim land and water resources that have been adversely affected by past coal-mining activities

• Surface mining can cause both air and noise pollution
• noise is created by he equipment that is used
• most surface mines are not located near urban areas
• U.S operations do not allow dust or noise to exit the area that is being mined

State Regulation of Mining

• Air and Noise Pollution
• Water Contamination
• Displacement of Wildlife
• Erosion and Sedimentation
• Soil Degradation
• Underground Mine Fires

Water Contamination

• states have created programs to regulate mining on state and private lands
• mining companies have to obtain permits from state environmental agencies before mining a site
• permits specify certain standards for mine design and reclamation
• a mining company must post funds, called a bond, before a mining project begins
• if the company does not mine and reclaim the site correctly they must give the bond to the state
• the state then uses the bond to reclaim the site
• state agencies also responsible for inspecting mines to ensure compliance with environmental regulations

• water that seeps into mines or through piles of excess rock can pick up or dissolve toxic substances like arsenic
• can harm/kill aquatic life
• coal and minerals that contain a lot of sulfur can cause a similar problem
• U.S requires companies to dispose of acid-producing rock in such a way that is not contaminated

Section 3: Mining Regulations and Mine Reclamation