O Level Notes : Geography - Minerals And Mining - Sustainable mineral resources use & Environmental Impact Assessment in Mining

The extraction of minerals leads to severe environmental impacts. As a result it is important for us to put emphasis on sustainable mineral resources use, Environmental ImpactAssessment(EIA) and Cost- Benefit-Analysis(CBA) in mining.

SUSTAINABLE MINERAL USE

Minerals are non- renewable and that means they are unable to replace themselves once they are exploited. Mineral resources largely depend on conservation from the users for their continued existence. Sustainable use of mineral resources means utilising or exploiting minerals in such a way that they last long for them to be inherited by future generations. It also means using minerals in such a way that it does not lead to degradation of the environment. Mineral resources can be sustainably used through the following ways:

• Use of improved technology
• Controlling or regulating extraction of minerals
• Use of alternative resources
• Reducing, reusing and recycling mineral resources (3Rs)

Improved technology

The use of improved technology leads to efficiency in the use of mineral resources. Some mineral resources are used as a source of energy. If the equipment used is not efficient, it will lead to wastage of mineral resources. To sustainably use mineral resources, wastages have to be reduced through the use of efficient technology. Such technology also reduces degradation of the environment by reducing levels of pollution from the burning of minerals.

Regulating extraction of minerals

Prices of minerals can be controlled by regulating the amount of minerals mined. This also helps to reduce overexploitation of mineral resources so that future generations will enjoy them.

Use of alternative resources

Rather than over-depending on minerals, alternative sources of energy can be devised. For example, rather than using coal for heating and cooking, solar energy can be used.

Use of solar energy as an alternative to mineral resources

The 3Rs

The 3 Rs are: recycle, reuse and reduce. Recycling, reducing and reusing the mineral resources help in the sustainability of the resources.

Recycling

It is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. Minerals are used to produce items that we use in our day to day life. These include cars, wrappers and containers. If we throw away these after use it means that we would require large amounts of minerals to replace them. Recycling reduces the need for extraction of more minerals. Plastics and iron equipment can be recycled. For example, scrap metal is recycled to produce new cars. This reduces the demand for iron. Recycling also reduces the amount of wastes available to cause pollution.

 Materials made from minerals  can be recycled reducing overexploitation and pollution

Reduce

This is the reduction of the overall waste footprint thrown away. Waste footprint is the amount of wastes generated. Limiting the amount of mineral resources used also limits the amount of wastes generated.

Reuse

This is the finding of ways of repurposing items that no longer serve their purpose. Rather than throwing away materials used, finding a new use for them helps to conserve resources. Empty cans can be used to make new items. This helps to sustainably use mineral resources.

 The 3Rs Campaign

Importance of sustainable use of mineral resources

Sustainable use of mineral resources is important because:

• It helps to conserve resources
• It helps to reduce the levels of environmental degradation
• It helps to regulate the prices of mineral resources
• It helps to preserve the country's heritage
• It helps to stabilise the economy
• It leads to development of efficient ways of using resources

 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT  IN MINING

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) involves procedures to identify, predict and assess potential effects of projects on the environment. Development projects have impacts (both positive and negative) on the environment. Environmental Impact Assessment seeks to identify those impacts. If they are negative impacts, it describes how they can be minimised. An EIA starts with assessing the status of the environment before a project. Then it identifies the likely effects of the project. If the effects are so severe an EIA may recommend that the project be stopped. An EIA make recommendations to Environmental Management Boards such as EMA. In Zimbabwe, EIA policy was put in place in 1994. Developers were supposed to implement it on voluntary basis. Today EIA has become compulsory for development projects. The steps in EIA are covered in New Trends in

In mining EIAis important because:

• Mining can affect wetlands, arid areas and other sensitive environments
• Mining may destroy important historic, cultural, scenic, educational and scientific sites
• Mining may leave behind open pits
• Mining can pollute water, land and air through the use of chemical such as mercury
• Mining may lead to severe deforestation
• Mining may have severe social impacts on the surrounding communities
• It is important to maintain public health and safety when practising mining.

EIA is therefore there to ascertain these effects and reduce them and to make sure that mining brings more benefits to the people without causing severe negative environmental effects. If an EIA finds out that the negative effects of mining can not be reduced, the responsible body such as Environmental Management Agency (EMA) may order the stopping of the project. If the effects are assessed, ways to reduce them can be recommended so that mining continues. For example, deforestation caused by mining can be mitigated by planting trees, gullies can be filled and measures to properly dumb wastes can be devised as recommended by an EIA.