REPUBLIQUE DU NIGER

MINISTERE DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT SUPERIEUR DE LA RECHERCHE ET DE L’INNOVATION

(MESRI)
ECOLE DES MINES DE L’INDUSTRIE ET DE LA GEOLOGIE (EMIG)
Etablissement Public à caractère scientifique, culturel et technique
Crée par la loi n°2004-019 du 16 mai 2004

BP: 732 Niamey-Niger

E-mail: emig@intnet.ne website: www.emig-niger.org

Cycle : Technicien Supérieur 2nd

Topic : Environmental impacts of Mining

Framer : Dr. Maina

This research was made by :
 Moussa Abdou Ayouba
 Issa Issaka Illa
 Ayouba Salissou Mahamane Anass
 Mahaman Gado Amina
 Diawara Amadou Issoufou Ibrahim
 Salissou Ali Ali
 Moussa Djiré Haouaou
 Tahirou Sinka Illiassou
 Mainassara Goube Ibrahima
 Daouda Mahamadou Awal
 Issoufou Oumarou Abdoulaye
 SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION

I. Definition of terms
 Environment
 Mining
II. Impacts of mining on the environment
1. Impacts on water resources
2. Erosions of soils and mine wastes into surface
waters
3. Impact on air quality
4. Impact on social values
5. Impact on wild life

III. Importance of mining in daily life

IV. Mitigating measures

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION
There is no doubt that natural resources such as uranium, gold, diamond,
bauxite, and crude oil deposits can contribute significantly to economic growth
and development , mining activities cover a diverse range of environments and
the challenges are often unique and specific to each mine site. However, mining
activities will invariably have an impact on water environments through direct
or indirect contact of either the surface or groundwater. They can also produce
contamination of water through tailing discharges or other direct or indirect
contacts, mixing or use of water in the processing of the ores. Despite all these
policies and institutions that control mining activities, environmental
degradation in most of mining communities in countries is still of a major threat
and concern. The extent of environmental devastation caused by mineral mining
in Niger is well documented for example.
We have all the obligation to protect our environment and with our report we
are going to show how mining affect our daily life.

I. Definition of terms

 Environment : Environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance

and the totality of all resources. It includes all the biotic and abiotic
factors that influence each other. While all living elements: animals,
plants, etc. are biotic elements, abiotic elements include air, water,
sunlight etc. A study of the environment then calls for a study of the inter-
relationship between these biotic and abiotic components of the
environment.
Mining : is the process of digging things out of the ground. Any
material that cannot be grown must be mined. Mining things from the
ground is called extraction. Mining can include extraction of metals and
minerals, like coal, diamond, gold, silver, platinum, copper, tin and iron.
Mining can also include other things like oil and natural gas.

II. IMPACTS OF MINING ON THE ENVIRONNEMENT

Mining has several impacts, we can mention among other things
1. Impacts on water resources
Perhaps the most significant impact of a mining project is its effects on water
quality and availability of water resources within the project area. Key questions
are whether surface and groundwater supplies will remain fit for human
consumption, and whether the quality of surface waters in the project area will
remain adequate to support native aquatic life and terrestrial wildlife.
2. Erosion of soils and mine wastes into surface waters
For most mining projects, the potential of soil and sediment eroding into and
degrading surface water quality is a serious problem.
3. Impacts of mining projects on air quality
Airborne emissions occur during each stage of the mine cycle, but especially
during exploration, development, construction, and operational activities.
Mining operations mobilize large amounts of material, and waste piles
containing small size particles are easily dispersed by the wind. The largest
sources of air pollution in mining operations are :
 Particulate matter transported by the wind as a result of excavations,
blasting, transportation of materials, wind erosion (more frequent in
open-pit mining), fugitive dust from tailings facilities, stockpiles, waste
dumps, and haul roads. Exhaust emissions from mobile sources (cars,
trucks, heavy equipment) raise these particulate levels.
 Gas emissions from the combustion of fuels in stationary and mobile
sources, explosions, and mineral processing.
Once pollutants enter the atmosphere, they undergo physical and chemical
changes before reaching a receptor (Figure 1). These pollutants can cause
serious effects to people’s health and to the environment. Large-scale mining
has the potential to contribute significantly to air pollution, especially in the
operation phase. All activities during ore extraction, processing, handling, and
transport depend on equipment, generators, processes.
4. Impacts of mining projects on social values
The social impacts of large-scale mining projects are controversial and complex.
Mineral development can create wealth, but it can also cause considerable
disruption. Mining projects may create jobs, roads, schools, and increase the
demands of goods and services in remote and impoverished areas, but the
benefits and costs may be unevenly shared. If communities, feel they are being
unfairly treated or inadequately compensated, mining projects can lead to social
tension and violent conflict.
The environmental impact assessment (EIA) can underestimate or even ignore the

impacts of mining projects on local people. Communities feel particularly

vulnerable when linkages with authorities and other sectors of the economy are
weak, or when environmental impacts of mining (soil, air, and water pollution)
affect the subsistence and livelihood of local people. Power differentials can
leave a sense of helplessness when communities confront the potential for
change induced by large and powerful companies. The EIA process should
enforce mechanisms that enable local communities to play effective roles in
decision making. Mineral activities must ensure that the basic rights of the
individual and communities affected are upheld and not infringed upon. These
must include the right to control and use land; the right to clean water, a safe
environment, and livelihood; the right to be free from intimidation and violence;
and the right to be fairly compensated for loss.
5. Impacts of mining projects on wildlife
Wildlife is a broad term that refers to all plants and any animals (or other
organisms) that are not domesticated. Mining affects, the environment and
associated biota through the removal of vegetation and topsoil, the displacement
of fauna, the release of pollutants, and the generation of Noise.
example, sediment contamination of rivers and streams are common with
surface mining.

III. Importance of mining in daily life

Everything we depend on is either made from minerals or relies on minerals for
its production. What would our lives be like without mining? Imagine a world
without transportation such as jet planes or railroads, without communications
such as cell phones or radar, without decorative items such as art or jewelry,
without buildings such as skyscrapers or parking garages, without defense
systems items such as missiles or submarines, without medical care items such
as X-rays or surgical tools. We wouldn’t have any of these things without
mining and minerals. “If it can’t be grown, it must be mined.” Natural resources
are the foundation of our lives and lifestyles.
five reasons why you can’t live without mining
1. You
You want to be healthy and look your best. Did you know that the majority of
beauty products contain minerals like iron, talc, bismuth, zinc, silica. Minerals
are used in vitamins, soaps, toothpaste, shampoo, household medicines and just
about every product you purchase and apply. The food you purchase and eat is
mass produced with the use of fertilisers that contains minerals such as
phosphate, sulfur, cadmium and phosphorous; that are by-products of mining.
Lets not forget about the gym equipment. It contains a huge mix of metals such
as iron, aluminum, titanium and copper. What about the gym equipment with
electronics? It also contains copper, lead, quartz, gold, tantalum, mica,
germanium and samarium. Jewelry, watches and mobile phones are not
organically grown, they are made from gold, silver, platinum, cadmium, quartz,
alloys and may include precious stones. Medical practices like joint
replacements, pace makers, minor and major surgery all require equipment that
contains a very wide range of minerals.
Yes all of the above minerals and precious stones are sourced through mining
and many of them through large open cut mines.
So from the time you wake each morning to the time you have your breakfast;
mining has already played a big part in your day.
2. Your Home
Your home is made of minerals, in fact the foundations are made of concrete
and steel. The basic services in your home (water, electricity, gas) are conducted
through copper and steel wires and pipes. Think about that the next time you
turn on a tap or flick a light switch on. Your bathrooms and kitchen are fitted out
with essential and non essential products that also contain many minerals only
made possible from mining. Yes mining provides you with the basic elements of
your life - that you take for granted. You fill your home with all sorts of
electronic gadgets to improve your quality of life. None of them are possible
without mining the minerals that they are made from. Did you know that your
television contains several rare earths?
How many of us use wooden or plastic frying pans, pots, plates, cups, glasses
and cutlery at home? That's right, the majority of us use these items that are
made of minerals. Minerals that have been mined.
3. Your Transport
Transport is very important to the population across the world, for many facets
of our daily life. If you use any of these modes of transport - aircraft, boat, car,
bus, train, motorcycle, bicycle or segway, then you are relying on the by-
products of mining for your transportation. A significant variety and quantity of
minerals are required to manufacture these vehicles without even considering
the fuel to power it. Now lets think about the surface most of these vehicles
travel on (including you if you walk). The roads, rails and concrete paths; are
only possible because mining companies mined the minerals used to make these
surfaces for you.
Actually the same applies to the equipment used to control the flow of traffic
and make it safe and reliable for you to travel. Mined minerals and more mined
minerals.
4. Your Work
Basically the same facts apply at your work as to your home. The next time you
are having a coffee at work (and home), look around and almost everything that
you can see and touch contains minerals that are the by-product of mining. The
building, equipment, your office, your window, your desk and most things on
and in it. Yes even the chair you are sitting on and the mug you are holding -
good chance it is a by-product of mining. The company you work for or its
customers, cannot function or exist without these minerals. It doesn't matter
what your business is or your product and services, it wouldn't function or exist
if mining companies stopped mining.
Can you think of a company or occupation that doesn't use the
minerals that are mined?

5. Your Energy
In our modern lifestyles we cannot function without energy. But do you know
how that energy gets to your home or office? Raw minerals are mined and sent
to a power plant for refining. It could be a power plant that utilizes coal, gas, oil
or uranium to produce electricity. These raw fuels, the power plant, the
transmission lines and sub stations are all sourced and constructed from the
minerals made only possible by mining. Renewable energy you say! Well,
mining is still required. Again the foundations are made of concrete and steel.
The equipment that processes the solar, wind or water energy is actually made of
mined minerals. Renewable energy still requires power plants, transmission
lines and substations to deliver the power to you. You still require the copper
wires in your house and office to be able to receive the electricity to your power
point or light switch.

IV. Mitigating measures of environmental impacts of mining

 About the environmental impacts of mining more mitigating measures are
taken such as :
1. Scrap mining and recycling
On a global scale, mining corporations around the world are discovering
efficient ways to capitalize fully on materials in order to provide the goods and
services people want using much less wood, metal, stone, plastic and other
materials. By reducing the amount of wasteful use on a public and private level,
and by steering production towards the sole use of durable goods that can be
easily reusable, re-manufactured, or recycled, the mining industry can begin to
reduce its impact on an international scale.
This creative trend of scrap mining, or utilizing ever-reusable resource for other
mining initiatives, stems from the recognition of the environmental costs of
excessive materials use. Mining exacts a severe and sometimes irreversible toll
on public health, water and air quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and community
interests. “Recognizing that "business-as-usual" practices are unsustainable,
some nations, international organizations, and environmental groups are calling
for major reductions in materials use-often by as much as 90 percent,” reports
the Canary Institute in Canada.

2. Improving environmental performance

Mining impacts the environment in unnatural ways, which not only disrupts its
natural decaying process, but also does more damage long-term than natural
erosion processes. With exorbitant numbers of materials excavated and used
daily, it is important to see that this destruction is actually going towards
productive use.
By systematically examining environmental impacts and adopting measures to
mitigate these impacts, it is possible to make mining less destructive of the
environment. Incremental efficiency gains will not do the job. Instead, an
imaginative remaking of the industrial world-one that aligns economies with the
natural environment that supports them is the sustainable way forward.
Recycling has a number of advantages. Canada’s offices like The Pembina
Institute, the Natural Step and The National Office of Pollution Prevention are
all behind these huge pushes towards not only monitoring mining manufacturing
performance, but environmental performance as well.
3. Accurate tallying of toxic mining waste
Another problem with the whole sustainable mining debate has to do with
secrecy in reporting toxic mining waste. Mining companies have not been
accurately reporting the amounts being dumped into the environment and in
doing so, have kept the public in the dark. Most notably this has been occurring
with the Canadian people as of late, with a huge public backlash being the center
of much of the mining industry controversy being targeted on accurate waste
tallying lately. While sustainable mining looks good on paper and seems easy
enough to follow provincial or federal guidelines, the industry has a way to go
before it can be considered even remotely green.
4. Closing and reclaiming sites of shut-down mines
The dangers of allowing no longer working mines to exist can not only allowing
wasted debris the opportunity to rot and decay on site, but it can lead to illegal
or unregulated mining activity. Enacting small decommissioning groups and
contractors to take apart the mining processing facilities and plants; this process
will allow the pipelines to be drained, equipment and parts of the mine to be
cleaned and sold off, the buildings can be repurposed or demolished, warehouse
materials recovered, and wasted disposed of.
The main objective in the reclaiming process is to return the sire and the land
which surrounds it back to reusable standards, ensuring that any landforms and
structures are stable, and why watercourses need to be evaluated in order to
regain water quality within the affected area
CONCLUSION
Dealing with the inherent issues of environmental degradation in the face of
mining activities is a delicate balanced one indeed. This report examined the
environmental impacts of mining in World. It concludes using the SWOT
analysis by outlining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the
mining in the study area. The actions needed to coordinate federal and state mine
reclamation, operations, and permitting requirements and programs. Some of
these will require congressional action and some will require changes in federal
regulations. Still others will require changes in the implementation of existing
regulations and programs. Adopting these recommendations will improve
environmental protection and reclamation of hardrock mining on federal lands,
as well as the efficiency of the permitting process.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
SEARCH ENGINE :
o Google.com (impact of mining)
o wikipedia.com ( importance of mining)
dictionnary encarta ( definitions of terms)
google translate