The impact of mining on the environment. Mineral resources of the earth
The total economic burden on ecological systems simply depend on three factors: population size, average level of consumption and wide application various technologies. Reduce the degree of damage caused environment society of consumers, it is possible by changing agricultural models, transport systems, urban planning methods, the intensity of energy consumption, revising existing industrial technologies, etc.
The extraction of minerals from the bowels of the Earth affects all its spheres . Impact of mining on the lithosphere manifests itself in the following:
1) creation of anthropogenic relief forms: quarries, dumps (up to 100-150 m high), waste heaps, etc. waste heap- cone-shaped dump of enrichment waste. The volume of the waste heap reaches several tens of millions of m 8 , the height is 100 m or more, the development area is tens of hectares. Blade- an embankment formed as a result of placing overburden rocks in specially designated areas. As a result of open-pit mining, quarries more than 500 m deep are formed;
2) activation of geological processes (karst, landslides, screes, subsidence and movement of rocks). During underground mining, subsidence and sinkholes are formed. In Kuzbass, a chain of sinkholes (up to 30 m deep) stretches for more than 50 km;
4) mechanical disturbance of soils and their chemical pollution.
In the world, the total area of land disturbed by mining exceeds 6 million hectares. To these lands should be added agricultural and forest lands, which are affected by mining production. negative impact. Within a radius of 35-40 km from an active quarry, agricultural yields are reduced by 30% compared to the average level.
The upper layers of the lithosphere within the territory of Belarus are experiencing intense impact as a result of engineering-geological research and geological exploration work on various types minerals. It should be noted that only from the beginning of the 50s of the XX century. about 1,400 exploration and production wells for oil (depth up to 2.5-5.2 km), more than 900 wells for rock and potassium salts (depth 600-1500 m), more than 1000 wells for geological objects of particular aesthetic and recreational value.
Carrying out seismic research using drilling and blasting operations, the density of which is especially high within the Pripyat trough, causes a violation of the physical and chemical properties of the soil and contamination of groundwater.
Mining affects the state of the atmosphere:
1) air pollution occurs with emissions of methane, sulfur, carbon oxides from mine workings, as a result of burning dumps and waste heaps (release of oxides of nitrogen, carbon, sulfur), gas and oil fires.
More than 70% of waste heaps in Kuzbass and 85% of dumps in Donbass are burning. At a distance of up to several kilometers from them, the concentrations of S0 2, C0 2, and CO are significantly increased in the air.
In the 80s XX century in the Ruhr and Upper Silesian basins, 2-5 kg of dust fell daily for every 100 km 2 of area. Due to the dustiness of the atmosphere, the intensity of sunshine in Germany decreased by 20%, in Poland - by 50%. The soil in the fields adjacent to quarries and mines is buried under a layer of dust up to 0.5 m thick and loses its fertility for many years.
Impact of mining on the hydrosphere manifests itself in the depletion of aquifers and the deterioration of the quality of underground and surface waters. As a result, springs, streams, and many small rivers disappear.
The extraction process itself can be improved through the use of chemical and biological methods. This is underground leaching of ores, the use of microorganisms.
Accident on Chernobyl nuclear power plant led to radioactive contamination a significant part of the country's mineral resources that found themselves in the zone of its negative impact. According to research data, 132 deposits of mineral resources, including 59 being developed, were in the zone of radioactive contamination. These are mainly deposits of clay, sand and sand and gravel mixtures, cement and lime raw materials, construction and facing stone. Pripyatsky also fell into the contamination zone oil and gas basin and the Zhitkovichi deposit of brown coal and oil shale.
Currently, about 20 tons of raw materials are extracted annually for every inhabitant of the Earth. Of these, a few percent goes into the final product, and the rest turns into waste. Most mineral deposits are complex and contain several components that are economically viable to extract. In oil fields, associated components are gas, sulfur, iodine, bromine, boron, gas fields- sulfur, nitrogen, helium. Deposits of potassium salts usually contain sylvite and halite. Currently, there is a constant and quite significant reduction in the amount of metals in mined ores. The amount of iron in mined ores decreases by an average of 1% (absolute) per year. Therefore, to obtain the same amount of non-ferrous and ferrous metals in 20-25 years, it will be necessary to more than double the amount of mined and processed ore.
Related information.
Mineral Resources- minerals that form naturally in the earth's crust. They can be of organic and inorganic origin.
More than two thousand minerals have been identified, and most of them contain inorganic compounds formed by various combinations of eight elements (O, Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Na, K, and Mg), which make up 98.5% of the Earth's crust. The world's industries depend on about 80 known minerals.
A mineral deposit is an accumulation of solid, liquid or gaseous minerals in or above earth's crust. Mineral resources are non-renewable and exhaustible natural resources and may also have metallic (eg iron, copper and aluminum) as well as non-metallic properties (eg salt, gypsum, clay, sand, phosphates).
Minerals are valuable. This is an extremely important raw material for many basic sectors of the economy, which is the main resource for development. Mineral resource management should be closely integrated with the overall development strategy, and the exploitation of mineral resources should be guided by long-term goals and perspectives.
Minerals provide society with everything necessary materials, as well as roads, cars, computers, fertilizers, etc. Demand for minerals is increasing around the world as populations grow and the extraction of the Earth's mineral resources accelerates and environmental impacts occur.
Classification of mineral resources
| Energy (fuel) mineral resources (coal, oil and natural gas) |
Non-energy mineral resources | |
| Metallic properties | Non-metallic properties | |
| Precious metals (gold, silver and platinum) | Building materials and stones (sandstone, limestone, marble) | |
| Ferrous metals (iron ore, manganese) | Other non-metallic mineral resources (salt, sulfur, potash, asbestos) | |
| Non-ferrous metals (nickel, copper, tin, aluminum, lead, chrome) | ||
| Feroalloys (alloys of iron with chromium, silicon, manganese, titanium, etc.) | ||
World Mineral Resources Map
The role of mineral resources
Mineral resources play important role V economic development countries of the world. There are regions rich in minerals, but unable to extract them. Other resource-producing regions have the opportunity to grow economically and gain a number of benefits. The significance of mineral resources can be explained as follows:
1. Industrial development
If mineral resources can be extracted and used, the industry that uses them will develop or expand. Petrol, diesel fuel, iron, coal, etc. necessary for industry.
2. Employment
The presence of mineral resources creates jobs for the population. They enable skilled and unskilled personnel to have employment opportunities.
3. Development agriculture
Some mineral resources serve as the basis for the production of modern agricultural equipment, machinery, fertilizers, etc. They can be used for modernization and commercialization of agriculture, which help develop the agricultural sector of the economy.
4. Energy source
There are various sources energies such as gasoline, diesel, natural gas, etc. They can provide the necessary energy to industry and populated areas.
5. Developing your own independence
The development of the mineral resources industry allows creating more jobs with high quality products, as well as the independence of individual regions and even countries.
6. And much more
Mineral resources are a source of foreign currency, allow you to earn money on the development of transport and communications, increase exports, supplies building materials etc.
Mineral Resources of the Oceans
Oceans cover 70% of the planet's surface and are involved in a huge number of different geological processes responsible for the formation and concentration of mineral resources, and are also a repository for many of them. Consequently, the oceans contain a huge amount of resources, which are the basic needs of mankind today. Resources are now extracted from the sea or areas that used to be within it.
Chemical analyzes have shown that seawater contains about 3.5% dissolved solids and more than sixty identified chemical elements. The extraction of dissolved elements, as well as the extraction of solid minerals, is almost always economically expensive, since it takes into account geographical location object (transportation), technological limitations (depth of ocean basins) and the process of obtaining the necessary elements.
Today, the main mineral resources obtained from the oceans are:
- Salt;
- Potassium;
- Magnesium;
- Sand and gravel;
- Limestone and gypsum;
- Ferromanganese nodules;
- Phosphorite;
- Metal deposits associated with volcanism and ventilation holes at the bottom of the oceans;
- Gold, tin, titanium and diamond;
- Fresh water.
Extraction of many mineral resources from the depths of the oceans is prohibitively expensive. However, population growth and the depletion of readily available land-based resources will undoubtedly lead to increased exploitation of ancient deposits and increased extraction directly from the waters of the oceans and ocean basins.
Extraction of mineral resources
The purpose of mining mineral resources is to obtain minerals. Modern mining processes include mineral prospecting, profit potential analysis, method selection, direct extraction and processing of resources, and final land reclamation upon completion of the operation.
Mining generally creates a negative impact on the environment, both during mining operations and after they are completed. Consequently, most countries around the world have adopted regulations aimed at reducing exposure. Occupational safety has long been a priority, and modern methods significantly reduced the number of accidents.
Features of mineral resources
The first and most basic characteristic of all minerals is that they occur naturally. Minerals are not produced by human activity. However, some minerals, such as diamonds, can be manufactured by humans (these are called synthesized diamonds). However, these man-made diamonds are classified as minerals because they meet their five basic characteristics.
In addition to the fact that they are formed through natural processes, solid minerals stable at room temperature. This means that all solid minerals that occur on the surface of the Earth do not change in shape when normal temperature and pressure. This characteristic excludes liquid water, but includes its solid form - ice - as a mineral.
Minerals are also presented chemical composition or the structure of atoms. The atoms contained in minerals are arranged in a specific order.
All minerals have a fixed or variable chemical composition. Most minerals are composed of compounds or various combinations of oxygen, aluminum, silicon, sodium, potassium, iron, chlorine and magnesium.
The formation of minerals is a continuous process, but a very long one (the level of resource consumption exceeds the rate of formation) and requires the presence of many factors. Therefore, mineral resources are classified as non-renewable and exhaustible.
The distribution of mineral resources is uneven throughout the world. This is explained by geological processes and the history of the formation of the earth's crust.
Problems of using mineral resources
Mining industry
1. Dust generated during the mining process is harmful to health and causes lung diseases.
2. Mining of certain toxic or radioactive minerals poses a threat to human life.
3. Exploding dynamite during mining is very risky as the gases released are extremely poisonous.
4. Underground mining is more dangerous than surface mining because there is a high probability of accidents due to landslides, flooding, insufficient ventilation, etc.
Rapid mineral depletion
Increasing demand for mineral resources forces everyone to extract more minerals. As a result, energy demand increases and more waste is generated.
Destruction of soil and vegetation
Soil is the most valuable thing. Mining operations contribute to complete destruction soil and vegetation. In addition, after extraction (obtaining minerals), all waste is dumped on the ground, which also entails degradation.
Environmental issues
The use of mineral resources has led to many environmental problems, including:
1. Transformation of productive lands into mountainous and industrial areas.
2. Mining of minerals and the extraction process are among the main sources of air, water and soil pollution.
3. Mining involves huge consumption of energy resources such as coal, oil, natural gas, etc., which in turn are non-renewable sources of energy.
Rational use of mineral resources
It is no secret that the reserves of mineral resources on Earth are rapidly declining, so it is necessary to rationally use the existing gifts of nature. People can save mineral resources by using renewable resources. For example, when using hydroelectric power and solar energy, as a source of energy, minerals such as coal can be retained. Mineral resources can also be conserved through recycling. A good example is scrap metal recycling. In addition, the use of new technological mining methods and training of miners saves mineral resources and saves people's lives.
Unlike other natural resources, mineral resources are non-renewable and they are not evenly distributed across the planet. They take thousands of years to form. One important way to conserve some minerals is to replace scarce resources with abundant ones. Minerals that require large amounts of energy to produce must be processed.
The extraction of mineral resources has an adverse impact on the environment, including the destruction of the habitats of many living organisms and polluting the soil, air and water. These negative consequences can be minimized by preserving the mineral resource base. Minerals have an increasing impact on international relations. In those countries where mineral resources were discovered, their economies improved significantly. For example, oil-producing countries in Africa (UAE, Nigeria, etc.) are considered rich because of the profits made from oil and its products.
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In the process of mining and processing minerals, humans influence the large geological cycle. Man converts mineral deposits into other forms chemical compounds. For example, a person gradually exhausts combustible minerals (oil, coal, gas, peat) and ultimately converts them into carbon dioxide and carbonates. Secondly, man distributes it over the surface of the earth, dispersing, as a rule, former geological accumulations.
Currently, for each inhabitant of the Earth, about 20 tons of raw materials are extracted annually, of which a few percent goes into the final product, and the rest turns into waste.
Most mineral deposits are complex and contain several components that are economically viable to extract. In oil fields, associated components are gas, sulfur, iodine, bromine, boron, in gas fields - sulfur, nitrogen, helium. Currently, there is a constant and quite significant decrease in the content of metals in mined ores. It is obvious that in 20–25 years, to obtain the same amount of non-ferrous and ferrous metals, it will be necessary to more than double the amount of mined and processed ore.
Mining impacts every area of the Earth. The impact of mining on the lithosphere is manifested in the following:
1. Creation of anthropogenic forms of mesorelief: quarries, dumps (up to 100-150 m high), waste heaps (up to 300 m high), etc. On the territory of Donbass there are more than 2,000 waste rock dumps with a height of about 50–80 m. As a result of open-pit mining, quarries with a depth of more than 500 m are formed.
2. Activation of geological processes (karst, landslides, screes, subsidence and movement of rocks). During underground mining, subsidence troughs and failures are formed. In Kuzbass, a chain of sinkholes (up to 30 m deep) stretches for more than 50 km.
3. Changes in physical fields, especially in permafrost areas.
4. Mechanical disturbance of soils and their chemical pollution. Within a radius of 35–40 km from an active quarry, agricultural yields are reduced by 30% compared to the average level.
Mining affects the state of the atmosphere:
1. Air pollution occurs with emissions of CH 4, sulfur, carbon oxides from mine workings, as a result of burning dumps and waste heaps (release of N, C, S oxides), gas and oil fires.
2. The dust content of the atmosphere increases as a result of the burning of dumps and waste heaps, during explosions in quarries, which affects the amount solar radiation and temperature, precipitation.
The impact of mining on the hydrosphere is manifested in the depletion of aquifers and the deterioration of the quality of ground and surface waters.
Comprehensive measures for the rational use of mineral resources and subsoil protection include the following:
1. Ensuring the complete extraction of minerals during mining:
a) improving the quality of geological exploration;
b) expansion of open-pit mining;
c) introduction of mineral development systems with backfilling of mined-out space;
d) separate extraction of minerals and rocks;
e) re-development of sites and deposits;
f) development and use of special methods and measures to reduce losses. For example, increasing the productivity of oil reservoirs is carried out various methods: physical-chemical, thermal, flooding method. With the help of steam and thermal effects on the formations, the oil yield exceeds 40%. Enhanced oil recovery extends the exploitation of fields.
2. Ensuring complete extraction of minerals during processing:
a) increasing the degree of extraction of minerals by improving processing technology. Such technologies include underground leaching, microbiological, physico-chemical, hydrometallic and combined methods
b) use of pre-enrichment methods;
c) processing of dumps and waste;
d) additional extraction of useful components;
e) cleaning of mines and waste water;
f) development of measures for economic incentives for more complete recovery during enrichment.
3. Rational use extracted mineral raw materials and products of their processing in national economy:
a) saving resources is one of the ways of rational use. Every percent of savings in fuel and energy resources is 2-3 times more profitable than increasing the production of rolled steel by hardening it and applying coatings that protect against corrosion
b) reuse of mineral processing products. A large reserve in the use of secondary resources is the recycling of scrap metal;
c) maximum reduction of losses during transportation of mineral raw materials, coal, etc.
A set of measures to radically improve the use of energy resources includes three main aspects:
ü reducing energy consumption to meet energy needs;
ü increasing the range of use of energy resources by improving the technology of extraction, processing, distribution and use of fuel and energy resources;
replacement of expensive and limited types of energy resources with cheaper energy sources.
6 Mineral resources of Belarus, their use and protection problems natural complexes in the development of mineral resources. In the depths of B. there are more than 30 types of mines. raw materials. According to the degree of readiness for use, outstanding. deposit: 1. With thoroughly explored mineral reserves. Raw materials 2. Not yet prepared for industrial development, 3. Promising areas. Fuel resources .Oil. According to as of 2008, 71 deposits were discovered in Belarus, 68 in the Gomel region. and and 3 in Mogilevskaya. Developed about 38 deposits. The largest: (Rechitsa, Ostashkovichskoye (Svetlogorsky district), Vishanskoye (Svetlog. And Oktyabr. districts), Tishkovskoye (Rech. district), Davydovskoye (Svetlogorsky district). Gas. During the development of oil fields is mined associated gas, deposit on ter. Borshchevsky, Krasnoselsky and Zapadno-Alexandrovsky deposits. Peat. Inventory located in all areas. Field Svetlogorskoe, Vasilevichskoe, Lukskoe (Grom. Region), Berezinskoe, Chistik, Smolevichiskoe (Minsk Region), Rare Horn, Dnieper (Mogil. Region), Berezovskoe (Grodn. Region), Dobeevsky moss, Usvizh Buk, Vitebsk (Vit. . Region). It is used as a local fuel, it is also possible to use. For the industry organomineral fertilizers, filters, cont. For household chemicals, wood dyes, in mud treatment. Brown coals. There are 3 fields in Gomel. brown coals: Zhitkovichskoe, Brinevskoe and Tonezhskoe. To industrial The Brinevskoye field and two deposits at the Zhitkovichi field have been prepared for development: Severnaya and Naidinskaya. Oil shale . 2 grains Location: Lyubanskoye (Minsk region) and Turovskoye (Gomel and Brest regions). sl potential raw material for energy development, chemical. industry, industry is building. materials. Nonmetallic Potassium salts 3 deposits Starobinskoye in Mins. region, Petrikovskoe and Oktyabrskoe in Gom. region). RUE "PA "Belaruskali" at the Starobinskoye field. Potash ores from which it produces potash fertilizers. Rock salt. 3 deposits: Starobinskoe in the Minsk region, Davydovskoe and Mozyrskoe in the State region) Salt production is carried out at the Mozyr deposit. And in recent years Mining of rock salt (edible, feed and technical) at the Starobinskoye deposit began. Dolomites. Field Ruba in the Vit. region, developed by OJSC Dolomit. Raw materials are used for production dolomite flour, crushed dolomite, asphalt concrete pavements, How fireproof material etc. Cement raw materials. Chalk. – more than 30 fields. The largest is Kommunarskoe (Kostyukovichi district). Marl - deposit. Kommunary and Kamenka (Mogilev region), Ros (Grodna region). Low-melting clays (ceramic raw materials) Deposit. Gaidukovo Minsk. district Refractory and refractory clays . 6 fields, 4 of which are in operation, the largest: Gorodok (Loevsky district), Stolin farms and Gorodnoye (Stolinsky district). Used for making refractory materials, refractory bricks, and facing tiles. Glass and molding sands . 3 deposits Molding Peskov: Lenino in the Dobrush district, Zhlobinskoye and Chetvernya in the Zhlobin district.; Field glass sands: Gorodnoye (Brest region), Loevskoye (Ghomom region) Building stone. Mestor. Mikashevichi, Glushkovichi, Sitnitsa, in the south of Belarus. Ore. Iron ore. 2 iron ore deposits: Okolovskoye deposit. ferruginous quartzites (Stolbtsovsky district of the Minsk region) and Novoselkovskoe ilmenite-magnetite ores (Korelichsky district of the Grodno region). Sapropels. 85 deposits, located in all regions of the country, Sudable, Holy. Use In quality Fertilizers, additives to livestock feed, light building materials, for medicinal purposes. Mineral waters . 63 sources, on chemistry. comp. vyd: sulfate, chloride, sulfate-chloride, radon. Metalliferous brines . Nah. Within the Pripyat forest area. They retain bromine, strontium, cesium, boron, magnesium, etc.
The influence of p/ and production on the environment. the environment is manifested in the following: the creation of anthropogenic forms of mesorelief: quarries, dumps; activation of geological processes (karst, landslides, screes, subsidence and movement of rocks), mechanical disturbance of soils and their chemical pollution; depletion of aquifers and deterioration of the quality of ground and surface water, etc. There are more than 40 thousand hectares in the country. lands requiring reclamation and restoration. Reclamation– restoration of industrially disturbed areas is provided for by law. Enterprises extracting minerals. resources are obliged to provide opportunities for restoration of the disturbed landscape even before the start of work. After the cessation of open mining, the surfaces of the dumps are leveled, terraces are made on the walls of the quarries, and toxic and infertile rocks are covered with soil on which plants can live. Often used fertile soils, which were removed from here at the beginning of the development of the field. Reclaimed areas are used for planting forests and creating recreation areas.
In pursuit of easier living conditions, people have always longed to study the world around us, conquer it, explore the earth's, above-ground and underground surfaces. People have succeeded well in their work, because science knows that already in ancient times about 20 chemical elements were extracted from the bowels of the earth. Modern methods of mining have been actively developing since the end of the 18th century. More and more advanced technologies are being used, such as coiled tubing.
It's amazing how man came to the mining industry. Initially, not paying attention to earthly treasures, he was drawn into the depths of the earth by trial and error, coincidences and accidents, experiments and observations.
Most of the conveniences that people now have are due to natural resources. Undoubtedly, the widespread use of the earth's resources brings enormous benefits for the development of progress. Household appliances, high-quality building materials, industry - everything you need in everyday life would be absolutely impossible without them. Probably, not all people fully understand the importance of mining, naively assuming that it will be easy to give up. In some ways they are right, but such a course of events would radically change the way of life of today's civilizations.
The variety of types of mineral resources determines a wide range of their use. Gems have been decorating since ancient times appearance girls, and are also used in technology. Diamonds are different high level strength and sharpness, which is why drills, drills, saws, and machine tools are made from them. Coal, having a high calorific value, is used for heating premises, as well as as fuel and chemical raw materials. Oil is perhaps one of the most widely used types of minerals, because gasoline, paraffin, kerosene, chemical oils, etc. are made from it. Brown coal and aluminum are used as energy materials. Peat, manganese ores, phosphorus, potassium - all of this is an important fertilizer. Copper ore is also a necessary mineral resource, because people use it to make most of surrounding objects, from dishes to machine parts.
It goes without saying that people would not have electricity, transportation, heating systems, media and communications and many more things if they were not involved in mining. But gradually the desire to forcibly take possession of everything that is hidden under the earth’s crust poses an increasingly greater threat to humanity and the planet as a whole.
The very methods of extracting resources from the bowels of the earth cause enormous harm to the environment. Well drilling, high blood pressure on the ground with caterpillars construction equipment lead to soil erosion, which can lead to a decrease in the area of fertile land. Industrial waste, in turn, pollutes not only the soil, but also underground, ground and surface water sources. Polluted water bodies can cause the extinction of flora and fauna in the surrounding area, and in addition, can cause severe forms of disease in the local population. People living close to places where work is being done to extract and use radioactive elements are, according to statistics, three times more likely to suffer from cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Almost all minerals emit hazardous emissions into the atmosphere during processing and during use. Scientists say that the presence of large amounts of toxic and harmful substances in the air envelope of the planet leads to ozone holes, and, ultimately, can lead to global warming.
Even today, some countries in the world are experiencing sudden climate changes and natural disasters, which many experts attribute to the high level of industrial exhaust in the atmosphere. Despite all the harmful effects of mining, it is generally accepted that its harmfulness can be reduced if we rely on human self-awareness and responsibility.
People working in industrial enterprises, as well as environmental organizations, need to ensure that all waste is carefully disposed of in appropriate places. In addition, every person should spend energy and water resources, so that future generations do not have to survive on dry, devastated land devoid of minerals.
Following:
In the process of mining and processing minerals, humans influence the large geological cycle. First, humans convert mineral deposits into other forms of chemical compounds. For example, man gradually exhausts combustible minerals (oil, coal, gas, peat) and ultimately converts them into carbon dioxide and carbonates. Secondly, man distributes it over the surface of the earth, dispersing, as a rule, former geological accumulations.
Currently, for each inhabitant of the Earth, about 20 tons of raw materials are extracted annually, of which a few percent goes into the final product, and the rest turns into waste. There are significant losses of useful components (up to 50–60%) during mining, enrichment and processing.
With underground mining, coal losses are 30–40%, with open-pit mining – 10%. When mining iron ores In open pit mining, losses amount to 3–5%; in underground mining of tungsten-molybdenum ores, losses reach 10–12%; in open mining – 3–5%. When developing mercury and gold deposits, losses can reach 30%.
Most mineral deposits are complex and contain several components that are economically viable to extract. In oil fields, associated components are gas, sulfur, iodine, bromine, boron, in gas fields - sulfur, nitrogen, helium. Non-ferrous metal ores are characterized by the greatest complexity. Deposits of potassium salts usually contain sylvite, carnallite and halite. Sylvite undergoes the most intensive further processing. The loss of sylvite is 25–40%, the loss of carnallite is 70–80%, and the loss of halite is 90%.
Currently, there is a constant and quite significant decrease in the content of metals in mined ores. Thus, over the past 2–3 decades, the content of lead, zinc, and copper in ores has decreased annually by 2–2.3%, molybdenum by almost 3%, and the antimony content has decreased by almost 2 times in the last 10 years alone. The iron content in mined ores decreases by an average of 1% (absolute) per year. It is obvious that in 20–25 years, to obtain the same amount of non-ferrous and ferrous metals, it will be necessary to more than double the amount of mined and processed ore.
Mining impacts every area of the Earth. The impact of mining on the lithosphere is manifested in the following:
1. Creation of anthropogenic forms of mesorelief: quarries, dumps (up to 100-150 m high), waste heaps (up to 300 m high), etc. On the territory of Donbass there are more than 2,000 waste rock dumps with a height of about 50–80 m. As a result of open-pit mining, quarries with a depth of more than 500 m are formed.
2. Activation of geological processes (karst, landslides, screes, subsidence and movement of rocks). During underground mining, subsidence troughs and failures are formed. In Kuzbass, a chain of sinkholes (up to 30 m deep) stretches for more than 50 km.
3. Changes in physical fields, especially in permafrost areas.
4. Mechanical disturbance of soils and their chemical pollution. On average in the Russian coal industry, the extraction of 1 million tons of fuel means the diversion and disturbance of 8 hectares land area, at open method–20–30 ha. Worldwide, the total area of land disturbed by mining exceeds 6 million hectares. These lands should also include agricultural and forest lands that are negatively impacted by mining. Within a radius of 35–40 km from an active quarry, agricultural yields are reduced by 30% compared to the average level.
Mining affects the state of the atmosphere:
1. Air pollution occurs with emissions of CH4, sulfur, carbon oxides from mine workings, as a result of burning dumps and waste heaps (release of N, C, S oxides), gas and oil fires.
2. The dust content of the atmosphere increases as a result of the burning of dumps and waste heaps, during explosions in quarries, which affects the amount of solar radiation and temperature, and the amount of precipitation.
More than 70% of waste heaps in Kuzbass and 85% of dumps in Donbass are burning. At a distance of up to several kilometers from them, the concentrations of SO2, CO2, and CO in the air are significantly increased.
In the 80s in the Ruhr and Upper Silesian basins, 2–5 kg of dust fell daily for every 100 km2 of area, the intensity of sunshine in Germany decreased by 20%, in Poland by 50%. The soil in the fields adjacent to quarries and mines is buried under a layer of dust up to 0.5 m thick and loses its fertility for many years.
The impact of mining on the hydrosphere is manifested in the depletion of aquifers and the deterioration of the quality of ground and surface waters; in reducing the flow of small rivers, excessive drainage of swamps. Incidental change water regime as a result of mining, they sometimes appear over an area almost 10 times larger than the area disturbed by mining.
When mining coal in the mines of the Rostov region, for each ton of mined coal, over 20 m3 of formation water has to be pumped out, when mining iron ores in the quarries of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly - up to 8 m3
