Exploiting Ores

• Mining has many environmental consequences:

• Scar the landscape
• Destroy animal habitats
• Large heaps of waste rock
• Make groundwater acidic
• Noisy & Dusty
• Release gases that cause acid rain
• Mining has many health consequences:
• Sulphur dioxide gas from copper extraction of its sulphide ore is an irritating
poisonous gas which can also cause acid rain
• Dust from mining can effect Asthma sufferers.
• Mining has many political consequences:
• Can offer job opportunities can be produced this can be particularly useful in areas
of high unemployment, or poor countries.
• Mining has many economic consequences:
• Extracting metal ores can be an expensive process
• Mining has many social consequences:
• Useful products can be made from metal to enhance our lives