Digging Gold Essay

Abstract This paper will discuss Digging gold fibre in detail and provide answers to various questions that arose after(prenominal) studying the case. This re search will answer to the types of pollutions that ar generated by the gold mining companies, pollution effect on the env contractment, governmental regulations that would address the pollution problem, lineament of NGOS (Non-governmental organizations) and citizens to reduce milieual effectuate of gold mining, and the companies who argon little or more(prenominal) environsally prudent. Generally, halcyon mining is the process of mining gold from the ground.Keywords Environment, Digging gold, pollution, responsible grand is ace of the most attractive and a highly valuable metal, known for decades. bills is utilize in repress of fields such as jewelry, dentistry, modern technological applications, in computer chips, lens move ups, investments, setting capital value and so on.(R. James Weick, 1994).Gold is found widespread in various natural substances such as, sea water, earths crust, sedimentary rocks rivers etcetera However, its overall concentration is very low (about 5 milligrams per gross ton of rock), rich concentrations of gold, trunking ore deposits, ar known n throughout the world.(Dr. efflorescence Birch).Gold mostly exist with opposite metals. such as lead, zinc, silver or copper and sometimes found free in nature. Gold takes place in variety of forms such as wire gold, nail gold, mustard gold , cay gold, disseminated, irregular grains, scales, plates and vein lets with microscopic dimensions, and as bounteousr compact, reticulated, spongy or hackly masses or slugs.(Dr. Bill Birch). So Gold mining is the process of mining gold ores from the ground. It is done in two types disseminate pit mining and underground mining. Gold Extraction procssTYPES OF POLLUTION GENERATED BY GOLD MININGnether the classification system presented in the section Major Areas of Environmental R egulation three pollution types are described, such as Air pollution, Land pollution and Water pollution. All these three pollutions are generated by the gold mining companies. Their effect on environment is discussed below Air pollution When pollutants are non diluted properly and are emitted into the atmosphere, called air pollution. The process used to rip metal, release very catastrophic toxins that cause pollution such as Lead, Sulfur, Nitrogen, Mercury, Zinc, Cadmium, and Uranium. These toxins can result in number of diseases to workers and the local people. The ingestion of such toxins may cause impaired vision, muscle weakness, kidney damage, nerve damage, anemia, metal fume fever etc. (No dirty gold motion). According to the US Toxics Release Inventory, the metal mining industry in the coupled States contributed the following, in 2010 * 92% of industrial mercury emissions* 94% of industrial arsenic emissions* 73% of known carcinogenic wasteWater pollution Water pollu tion occurs when pollutants are discharged into water bodies without the proper word to remove harmful compounds from water. Acid mine drainage, metal contamination, increased levels in streams are the major problems caused by mining to water. These problems affects domestic water supply, irrigation, swimming, fisheries, living organisms ,drinking and various other uses of streams. Acid rain ,caused by iron sulfide that mix with air and water, severe pollution hazard to ground water, surrounding soil and the surface water. (Pollution- issues- mining). Land pollution Land pollution means damage to land in any form such as, erosion, formation of sinkholes, deforestation, biodiversity loss, contamination of soil etc. (Wikipedia). Mining needs to clear a large part of the land to be dig, which means that area, can be created by harming vegetation and cutting trees. The chemicals used during mining process are leaked into the land that affect to land.The basic necessities of a living or ganism are land, water and air. If anyof these is affected, it creates problem for an organism. From above description on pollution effects on environment shows that all three are damaging to the environment equally. But the most endangering is the water pollution because political regulation that effectively concerns the problemThe three alternative memory accesses discussed in the textbook to address the pollution problems are Environmental problems, Market based Mechanisms, information disclosure, civil and criminal enforcement. Among these four approaches, information disclosure approach is more effective in case of mining industries to control environment pollution. Reasons in favor of data Disclosure approachUnder this approach firms are encourage by the government to pollute less by providing information about the amount of pollutant individual companies emit. The various acts like SARA- right to know law and TRI-Toxics Release Inventory provide information to the semipu blic, relating to the environment loss lead by a legitimate company. This approach is effective because no company wants to be criticized and embarrassed in the public.Role of NGOS and citizens movementsThe citizen movements and NGOs can play a vital in reducing the adverse environment effects of the mining companies. The case mention three types of NGO and citizens movements started to reduce the adverse environmental effects of gold mining companies. First is the Romanian citizens group called Alburnus Maiors that was initiated by the local farmer and the activist to block the construction of a new gold mine? Second, The Newmont Mining Company was sued by the villagers of Peru, after they were hurt by the mercury spill by a truck. Third, No Dirty Gold campaign was initiated by the Earthworks that were aimed for the jewelry retailers. (Lawrence & Weber, 2014). More and Less environmentally responsible companiesNumber of companies is mentioned in the case, for example Kennecott,Ti ffany, canon Resources and Free port McMoran. More responsible companies Among these companies, Kennecott and Tiffany are more responsible companies because Kennecott had made a public commitment to sustainability whereas Tiffany had made concern about its public image. Less responsible companies The companies that are less responsible are Canyon Resources and Freeport Mc Moran in Indonesia. The reason that makes Canyon Resources, less responsible is that it uses destructive methods to extract gold when citizens voted to ban cyanide heap-leach mining. Freeport Mc Moran in Indonesia appears to be doing business with weak environmental laws and enforcement. final stageGold digging and extraction process have a number of effects on environment. Gold mining is one of the most environmentally destructive industries in the world. (Lawrence & Weber, 2014). Following is the list and effects of pollution on environment.References1. R., James Weick. (1994). Natural Resources Government of Ne wfoundland and Labrador- Canada. Geological Survey Gold Occurrences. 2. Dr. Birch, Bill. Geology of Gold Formation of Gold Museum Victoria. 3. Prof. Kakharov, Abrol. (2013).Gold Extraction Process Diagram. 4. Lawrence, A. & Weber, J. Business and Society Stakeholders, Ethics, Public Policy (14th Ed.) Managing Environmental Issues. McGraw Hill. 5. No DirtyGoldCampaignAir carry on.http//nodirtygold.earthworksaction.org/impacts/air. 6. Wikipedia Environmental Impact of Mining.7. Mining Pollution Issues. www.pollutionissues.com/Li-Na/Mining.html.