Mining and its Impact on the Environment

Mining, since its origin, generally has been predicated and conducted on the principles of maximum extraction consistent with minimally ac-ceptable factors of safety for the mine workers. In most cases, the ore or other mineral of value was recovered from areas that were generally unpopu-lated, and the commodity was shipped to other locations for further processing into the raw material of industry. The miners were pleased to have work, wages, and benefits. Vast fortunes were accumulated by the interests that financed and promoted the mining. For most of its history mining did not have to recognize the long-lasting environmental impacts of its works because the local population was the direct beneficiary of the mining. In Britain, however, with the appearance of Watt’s steam engine in the late 18th century, the courses of mining and population began to merge as locally-mined coal fueled the steam engines that powered the industries that made use of native iron. By the 1820s, Britain and portions of central Europe had the same industrial collisions of mining and heavy population. From then on, the detriment of mining to the land began to create noticeable impacts on the environ-ment in which considerable numbers of people lived, breathed, and consumed natural waters, all of which were subject to negative impacts. Generally speaking, society has been silently tolerant of the damaging impacts of mining, but with the advent of the so-called ‘‘environment era’ ’ voice