MINING IMPACTS

ON AIR
POLLUTION
DR. ADNAN KHAN
SENIOR ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF KARACHI
 Air Pollution
• Hundreds of tons of rock are unearthed, moved, and crushed in
mining operations 

• It significantly increase the amount of dust and particles in the

air.

• In addition, mine tailings, which may contain finely ground and

even toxic waste, can become airborne.

• This air pollution can directly affect human health

 OPEN PIT/CAST MINING
• Opencast coal mining creates more air pollution problem in respect
of dust and the fines contain coal particles, benzene soluble
matters etc.
 SYMPTOMS OF POOR AIR
QUALITY
•Disappearance of small birds
•Allergies
•Asthma
•Broncho-cardial diseases
•Retarded brain development
 Pollutant Source Related industry/
point
SO2 Coal/oil combustion Respiratory irritant, power plants, kiln, cement industry,
steel mill,
NO2 Vehicular emission Vehicles, power plants
H2S Refineries, chemical industries Chemical preparation
CO Coal burning In efficient combustion process
HCN Blast furnace, metal plating, welding Steel industry
NH3 Dyes, explosives Chemical and mining industry
PHOSGENE Chemical Chemical industry
CARBONYL CHLORIDE Chemical Chemical industry
Arsines Metal or acid processes Soldering work
Suspended particles (ash, soot, smoke) Particles produced by combustion Power plant, steel mills, crush aggregate, cement plant,
chemical plants,
Lead (Pb) Vehicles, smelters, Ore smelting
Ozone Motor vehicle, smog, photochemical Motor vehicles
reactions
 AIR QUALITY
• The variations in air quality is explained in terms of 
• Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)  
• Particulate matter 
AIR POLLUTION INDEX (API)
• Calculated on the basis of 
• Suspended particulate matter (SPM)
• SO2 
• NO2 
• PM10 (metals)
 Particulates
• Dust : 1-200 micron

• Smoke : 0.01-1 micron

• Fumes : 0.1 – 1 micron

• Mist (liquid droplet) < 10 micron

• Aerosols (air borne suspension): < 1 micron

 Dust
• Particulate matter PM
PM 10
Particles forming a cloud where at least 50% of particles have
aerodynamic efficiency equivalent to the particles having size
equal or < 10 micron.

• PM 5
• PM 2.5 Can enter the lungs through nasal cavity and throats
• PM 1.5
• PM 1
 BACK GROUND EMISSION
• Works naturally by various agents

• CO2 Marshes, sea, living organisms

• SO2 Soil oxidation, gypsum dissolution, volcanic
eruption
• NH3 Organic matter decomposition
• Particulates Wind blown drags
Remove background value from the total to get pollution
part
 HEALTH IMPACTS OF AIR
POLLUTION
• Fine particles can enter deep into the lungs and enter the blood stream.
Health impacts from particles include:
1. Premature death
2. Non-fatal heart attacks
3. Aggravated asthma

• Ground-level ozone is an oxidant that can irritate airways in the lungs.

Health impacts form ozone include:
1. Premature death
2. Aggravated asthma
3. Lost days of school
HEALTH EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION
END