Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Help me I’m confused…

Rock samples from a proposed iron ore mine in Ashland and Iron counties should be made public so citizens and lawmakers can judge the potential harm that waste rock could have on local waters, Bad River Tribal Chairman Mike Wiggins Jr. said Tuesday.

I don’t understand it, maybe someone can explain it to me.

A mine; they dig up the ground to find the ore….Uhmmm, I guess that means it’s already in the ground.

NOW, they dig it up and put it on top of the ground and it becomes a pollutant.

What am I missing here?

Click here to read the full article for Jsonline.

8 comments:

kkdither said...

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/pollution/08forestry.html

legal stranger said...

With modern mining methods, the impact to the environment can be minimal.

Mining, manufacturing, agriculture,
timber and technology are all essential for a well rounded economy.
All the above can be done in an environmentally sound manner.

The 3 rd. worlding of America continues

SER said...

Hey KK Girl, thanks for the site info.

If I understand it right, the “product” (ore) isn’t the problem, but the method of removal generating erosion which starts the process of contamination, i.e. runoff.

OrbsCorbs said...

Yeah, once the "waste rock" is disturbed, the sulfides start to interact with air and water.

"Waste rock" sounds terrible. Just because we aren't making money off of something doesn't make it a waste.

Toad said...

SER, When they dig the mines, It destroy's the surrounding environment. They do however need the jobs up there so badly, you wouldn't even believe It. I would NEVER support mining, unless restrictions were placed, that were TOUGH as nails. Let em treaten all they like. Aside from that SER. We won't have to worry about It. It's all about our Children, and Grandchildren, and If we don't try to help them WHO will?

jedwis said...

I'm always confused. lol

SER said...

Toad…true story, Charlotte, NC. There was a waste dump site. A company came in and covered it and they turned the area into a golf course.

We all know that a dump site generates methane gas so the company doing the rehab to the area installed a vent pipe to let the gas exit into the atmosphere.

Someone had taken the cap of the pipe and some lady playing a round of golf didn’t want to toss her cigarette butt on the green so she slipped it down the pipe…BOOM, it blew up and killed her!

legal stranger said...

The rest of the golf story is:

She got banged by her butt