Hardrock Mining on Federal Lands

Hardrock Mining on Federal Lands
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 259
Release: 1999-11-03
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309172667

This book, the result of a congressionally mandated study, examines the adequacy of the regulatory framework for mining of hardrock mineralsâ€"such as gold, silver, copper, and uraniumâ€"on over 350 million acres of federal lands in the western United States. These lands are managed by two agenciesâ€"the Bureau of Land Management in the Department of the Interior, and the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture. The committee concludes that the complex network of state and federal laws that regulate hardrock mining on federal lands is generally effective in providing environmental protection, but improvements are needed in the way the laws are implemented and some regulatory gaps need to be addressed. The book makes specific recommendations for improvement, including: The development of an enhanced information management system and a more efficient process to review new mining proposals and issue permits. Changes to regulations that would require all mining operations, other than "casual use" activities that negligibly disturb the environment, to provide financial assurances for eventual site cleanup. Changes to regulations that would require all mining and milling operations (other than casual use) to submit operating plans in advance.

Reclamation of Mine-impacted Land for Ecosystem Recovery

Reclamation of Mine-impacted Land for Ecosystem Recovery
Author: Nimisha Tripathi
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2016-02-04
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1119057930

Mining activities significantly impact the environment; they generate huge quantities of spoil, promote deforestation and the loss of agricultural production, as well as releasing contaminants that result in the loss of valuable soil resources. These negative impacts are now being recognized and this book shows how corrective action can be taken. The introduction of sustainable mining requires mitigation strategies that start during the mine planning stage and extend to after mineral extraction has ceased, and post-closure activities are being executed. Reclamation of Mine-impacted Land for Ecosystem Recovery covers: methods of rejuvenation of mine wasteland including different practices of physical, chemical and ecological engineering methods; benefits of rejuvenation: stabilization of land surfaces; pollution control; aesthetic improvement; general amenity; plant productivity; and carbon sequestration as well as restoring biodiversity and ecosystem function; best management practices and feasible solutions to the impacts of mining which will reduce the pollution load by reducing the discharge rate and the pollutant concentration; reduce erosion and sedimentation problems, and result in improved abandoned mine lands; and ecosystem development. The authors explain how mining impacts on soil properties and how soil carbon reserves/soil fertility can be restored when mining has ceased. Restoration involves a coordinated approach that recognizes the importance of key soil properties to enable re-vegetation to take place rapidly and ecosystems to be established in a low cost and sustainable way. This book’s unique combination of the methods for reclamation technologies with policies and best practice worldwide will provide the background and the guidance needed by scientists, researchers and engineers engaged in land reclamation, as well as by industry managers.

Mine Rescue Manual

Mine Rescue Manual
Author: Chris Enright
Publisher: SME
Total Pages: 196
Release: 2014-12-05
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0873354052

Be Prepared Before You Have a Mine Accident Let’s hope you never face a mine disaster. But if you do, you need expert help at your fingertips, and you need it NOW! Keep this book close at hand, just in case. Buy extra copies for your key management and safety staff, and make sure they read it before you need it. Mine Rescue Manual, prepared and tested at the Colorado School of Mines, comes to the rescue with: • Clear descriptions • Best-practice benchmarks • Step-by-step lists • Procedural diagrams This book will be your go-to guide if there’s an accident at your mine. Mine Rescue Manual will walk you through every contingency: properly dealing with mine fires, toxic gases, loss of oxygen, injured workers, and more. It covers how to stay in legal, regulatory, and National Incident Management System compliance when responding to and reporting an accident. Also included is an extensive section on mine recovery (and potentially resuming operations) in the aftermath. Published by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, this well-organized manual is designed to help you address your emergency successfully, maximizing the protection of human life while minimizing the cost not only of rescue and recovery, but to your corporate reputation.

Mine Wastes

Mine Wastes
Author: Bernd Lottermoser
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2013-04-18
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3662051338

Today's best practice in environmental mine-waste management requires a thorough understanding of the wastes produced. The knowledge of mine wastes represents a new interdisciplinary science and this book provides an introductory, descriptive and analytic overview of the wastes produced in the mineral industry. It describes the characterization, prediction, monitoring, disposal and treatment as well as environmental impacts. Intended for undergraduate courses, it systematically builds the reader’s understanding and knowledge of the wastes produced, their physical and chemical characteristics, and how to deal responsibly with them on a short and long-term basis. The text employs 22 case studies spanning the world’s mineral industry that elucidate best practice and specific challenges in mine-waste management and site rehabilitation.