Environmental impact of iron ore mining
[5] Countries rich in iron ore deposits include Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, China, and South Africa.
The high demand for iron necessitates continuous mining and processing, which generates a large amount of solid and liquid waste.
[11] Potentially toxic elements found in iron ore tailings include Ba, Cr, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ni, and Zn.
After leaving the mine, tailings need to be stored and managed in order to avoid environmental hazards and safety risks.
[14] The main sources of combustion-related emissions during both the construction and operation phases are related to diesel generators, fuel-oil boilers, and on-site road traffic.
[3] The major effects of industrial air pollution on wildlife include direct mortality, weakening industrial-related injury and disease, and physiological and psychological stress.
[15] Gas and particulate emissions from historical smelting operations have been a source of concern for human health and environmental impacts at some sites.
Modern smelters use processes that drastically reduce particulate and sulfur dioxide emissions, recognizing the importance of minimizing and mitigating this impact.
[20] Wetlands serve a number of functional purposes in the biosphere such as collecting and storing surface runoff, moderating stream flows, reducing natural flooding and erosion, cleaning and purifying water, recharging groundwater zones, and providing habitats for plants and animals,.
[20][21] Wetlands are being altered from their natural state to support alternative land uses such as agriculture, urbanization, industrial development, and recreation.
[20] Some animals are more susceptible to change and degradation than others Megafauna, including large mammals such as black bears, caribou, and wolves, have shown notable behavioural changes and is sensitive to noise levels caused by iron ore mining and infrastructure projects shortly before and immediately after the young are born and during the rutting season.
[15][22][23] These disturbance types increase the distances moved by the animals and may effectively decrease reproductive success and cause starvation.
[14] It also affects the abundance of food available for these animals since open-pit mining requires the removal of topsoil and vegetation which diminishes biodiversity.
The extraction of iron ore can cause surface runoff and leachate leading to the pollution of nearby water bodies.
[18] Overall, water quality can be impacted as a result of acid mine drainage, heavy metal contamination and leaching, processing chemicals pollution, and erosion and sedimentation.
[30] According to a study from Spain's Autonomous University of Barcelona, mining has been the cause of 24.7% of environmental conflicts involving Indigenous peoples despite making up only 6.4% of the global population.
[31] Since the excavation and mineral separation process of mining requires the removal of overburden, waste rock, and tailings, the local surface environment, atmosphere, and waterways are greatly affected.
[30] In terms of the local atmosphere, the process of smelting releases toxic smoke and gasses and the production of slag and ash affecting the health of plants, animals, and humans.
[20] The size and scope of iron ore projects make them subject to environmental assessment at all levels of administrative legislation.
[13] These programs serve the purpose of identifying hazards, placing warning and no-trespassing signs, and fencing off dangerous areas.
[13] Some of the largest mill impoundments, such as those at open pit copper mines, can cover thousands of acres (tens of square kilometres) and be several hundred feet (about 100 meters) thick.
