Mining (00:03 - 06:32)

• Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals from the earth, which are formed naturally
and distributed unevenly.
o Minerals are nonrenewable resources, once they are depleted, they are gone.
• Legislation such as the General Mining Act of 1872 and the Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act (SMCRA) have been put forward to encourage mining and regulate its
impacts.

Types of Mines

• Surface mines include strip mining, open pit mining, mountain top mining, and placer
mining.
o Subsurface mines involve digging below the surface.

Impacts and Legislation

• Impacts of mining include contamination of air, soil, and water, decrease in biodiversity,
and danger to miners.
o Legislation such as SMCRA aims to regulate coal mining and reclaim old mines.

Mineral Extraction and Processing

• After extracting ore, the minerals are processed, often resulting in leftover tailings.
o Different methods such as froth filtration and smelting are used to extract
minerals.
• Legislation such as the General Mining Act of 1872 has allowed miners to stake a claim
and mine on public lands.

Reclamation

• Legislation such as SMCRA allows for the reclamation of lands, aiming to restore
biodiversity and mitigate the impacts of mining.
o Abandoned mines and mining accidents, such as the Gold King Mine spill, pose
ongoing challenges for the environment.