Activities mining

The influence of human activities in a stream drainage basin can be relatively simple and direct, as in the disposal of soluble organic and inorganic waste, or more subtie and complex, as in the conversion of prairie or forest land to agricultural use. Such effects can be expected to increase as population density and agricultural, industrial, and mining activities increase. 

Tarras-Wahlberg NH, Lane SN (2003) Suspended sediment yield and metal contamination in a river catchment affected by El Nino events and gold mining activities the Puyango river basin, southern Ecuador. Hydrol Process 17 3101... 

Since 1979, elemental concentrations of fine particles have been monitored in remote areas of the United States in networks operated for the National Park Service (NPS) and the EPA (Eldred and Cahill 1994). Lead at all sites decreased sharply through 1986, corresponding to the shift to unleaded gasoline, but has since leveled off at 1-2 ng/m3 (0.001-0.002 pg/m3), which is approximately 18% of the 1982 mean. The elevated lead concentrations (up to 5 ng/m3) since 1986 at three of the twelve sites are probably associated with mining activity. 

Castilla y Leon, and Castilla la Mancha. This part is also the most significant for industrial plants such as biomass crops and oilseed rape. In the southernmost regions of Castilla La Mancha and Catalunya, dry fruit trees and vineyards increase in significance, while the Ebro River delta supports a well-developed rice farming activity. Diffuse pollution originated by pesticides application in the basin has been widely studied [1-3]. A historical pollution from chemical plants manufacturing solvents and chlorinated pesticides in the southern part of the river basin is also well known [4]. Automobile, textile, food, and wood industry as well as mining activities are important in the northern part. 

Acid drainage is a persistent environmental problem in many mineralized areas. The problem is especially pronounced in areas that host or have hosted mining activity (e.g., Lind and Hem, 1993), but it also occurs naturally in unmined areas. The acid drainage results from weathering of sulfide minerals that oxidize to produce hydrogen ions and contribute dissolved metals to solution (e.g., Blowes et al., 2005). 

Aquatic life in proximity to mining activities, lead arsenate pesticides, metal finishing industries, lead alkyl production, and lead aerosol fallout... 

Eisler, R., D.R. Clark, Jr., S.N. Wiemeyer, and C.J. Henny. 1999. Sodium cyanide hazards to fish and other wildlife from gold mining operations. Pages 55-67 in J.M. Azcue (ed.). Environmental Impacts of Mining Activities Emphasis on Mitigation and Remedial Measures. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 

Azcue, J.M. and D.G. Dixon. 1994. Effects of past mining activities on the arsenic concentration in fish from Moira Lake, Ontario. Jour. Great Lakes Res. 20 717-724. 

Previous investigations of soil and river sediments, carried out by Vreca et al. (2001), Sajn Gosar (2004), and Sajn (2006) have shown that the upper Meza Valley is still highly polluted from past mining activities that ceased more than 10 years ago. 

The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of chemical elements uptake by rock rose (a well adapted plant to mine environments) in natural attenuation by phytostabilization of soils polluted during different periods of mining activity and abandon. 

Paktunc, A.D. 1999. Characterization of mine wastes for prediction of acid mine Drainage. In Environmental impacts of mining activities, emphasis on mitigation and remedial measures, Springer Verlag, Berlin, Hidelberg, New York, Azcue, J.M., 19-40. 

Several of these sites occur in clusters and for ease of working a District name was given to these. This was especially the case for the coalfields. A number of the sites did not warrant inclusion in the inventory as all evidence of mining has been removed and any waste at the sites either removed for other uses nearby, such as filling in subsidence features caused by the former mine activity or had been completely remediated and in either case the waste material is indistinguishable from the surrounding countryside. When both of these factors are taken into account 27 mine districts and individual mines were include in the inventory with reports generated for some 82 sites. 

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