Society’s requirement for metals establishes a strong link between our standard of living, the Earth, and science. Decisions about the development and use of Earth’s metallic resources affect the economic, social, and environmental fabric of societies worldwide. Our challenge is to balance these important attributes.

Metal Mining and the Environment helps answer the following questions:

• Why does society need metals?
• What are the principal sources of metals?
• How are metals recovered from the Earth?
• What are the major environmental concerns related to producing metals?
• How can these environmental concerns be managed and mitigated?
• What role can technology play in reducing environmental impacts?
• What is the future need and environmental outlook for metal mining?

Using vivid illustrations and nontechnical language, the authors offer an Earth-science perspective on metal mining and the environment. The colorful 18” x 24” poster and student activity included in the back of the book make Mining Metal and the Environment an especially valuable educational resource.

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Travis L. Hudson, Frederick D. Fox, Geoffrey S. Plumlee
American Geological Institute

Produced in cooperation with the Society of Economic Geologists, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., and the U.S. Department of the Interior/ U.S. Geological Survey

CONTENTS
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
It Helps to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
What the Environmental Concerns Are . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
How Science and Technology Can Help . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Why Metals Are Important . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
The Metal Mining Cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Exploring for Metals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
The Geologic Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Mineral Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
The Exploration Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Mining Metals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Surface Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Underground Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Potential Environmental Impacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Physical Disturbances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Waste Rock Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Acidic and Metal-Bearing Soils and Water . . . . . . .24
Public Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Concentrating Metals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Milling and Leaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Potential Environmental Impacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Physical Disturbances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Acidic Soils and Waters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Erosion and Sedimentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Leaching Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Removing Impurities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Smelting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Potential Environmental Impacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Smelter Stack Emissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Slag Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Protecting the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Prevention is the Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Reclamation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Soil Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Water Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Acid Rock Drainage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Smelter Emissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Permits and Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Providing for the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Sudbury, A Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

PREFACE
The process of extracting natural resources, such as metals, from the Earth commonly raises public concerns about potential environmental impacts. Metal Mining and the Environment provides basic information about the mining cycle, from exploration for economic mineral deposits to mine closure. The booklet discusses the environmental aspects of metal mining and illustrates the ways science and technology assist in preventing or reducing environmental impacts.

Society’s requirement for metals establishes a strong link between our standard of living, the Earth, and science. Understanding the highly technical process of metal mining can help prepare citizens for the necessary discussions and decisions concerning society’s increasing need for metals and the related environmental tradeoffs. Decisions about the development and use of Earth’s metallic resources affect the economic, social, and environmental fabric of societies worldwide.

Our challenge is to balance these important attributes. Metal Mining and the Environment helps answer the following questions:

• Why does society need metals?
• What are the principal sources of metals?
• How are metals recovered from the Earth?
• What are the major environmental concerns related to producing metals?
• How can these environmental concerns be managed and mitigated?
• What role can technology play in reducing environmental impacts?
• What is the future need and environmental outlook for metal mining?

The authors are grateful for the technical reviews provided by many colleagues in industry, academia, and federal agencies. Editorial assistance from Alma Paty and Julia Jackson has been invaluable, as the authors’ tendency towards technical and scientific discussion necessitated modification of the original manuscript. Our special thanks go to the many individuals and companies who provided illustrations and other forms of support for the project.

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