AGNR 301 Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: Sand Mining, Mineral Processing, Navajo Nation
4 Dec 2017
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Document Summary
Wastes in water, land, air: 2012 the challenges of reusing mining and mineral processing wastes. Environmental problems with disposal of mining waste: contamination of streams and lakes, pronounced landscape formations. Wastes consist of rocks, soils, oil sands, and loose sediments. Improve waste processing efficiency- avoid waste in first place, use solid waste as backfill and stabilization material in underground coal mining. Proper disposal of wastes to ensure that it is safe, stable and inert: once upon a mine- the legacy of uranium on the navajo nation. Workers exposed to unhealthy levels of radiation and uranium, many developed cancer because of it. Association between activated t cells and greater residential proximity to mine waste sites - means body is reacting to something: the deadly global war for sand. ~70% of all sand grains on earth are quartz, formed by weathering. The supply seems endless but it is a finite resource.
