What is the impact of mining on the society?
"The trees are our lungs, the rivers our bloodstream. We are all interconnected, and what you do to the environment, ultimately you do to yourself."
- Ian Somerhalder
Mining is somehow, affecting our lives, because we live and survive because of the environment, and as mining is destroying our planet, we are destroying ourselves. In mining, they use substances such mercury, which pollutes water and dries rivers. This substance is used for extracting gold from the land. However, when they use it, it affects the land, causing that nothing is able to grow in the land. In addition, mining has some impacts on society. Millions of people all over the world have to suffer the consequences due to mining. Such as the appropriation of land belonging to the local communities, impacts on health, alteration of social relationships and social disintegration.
Mining has negative impacts in the life of whole communities living where mining is going to be done. Actually, according to fruntraenergetica digits, the 80% of the violation of human rights is given on mine sites. There are cases where mining companies find a way to obtain permissions through contracts to mine in ancestral places without the indigenous people knowing this, here, more than one human right is broken. Without mentioning the high risks of health that people living near the site can suffer, such as black lung disease and silicosis. The life of this people is in danger constantly by breathing this kind of air.
According to Helen Fitzgerald, mining is also, generally very destructive. Outdoor mining is a method in which layers of soil from the surface of Earth are removed. Where mining is practiced outdoors on a large scale, whole mountains are being slowly disappeared. The physical beauty of the mountains, which humans have found inspiring long time ago, are being destroyed, and with them, old cemeteries, archaeological sites and many other cultural and aesthetic treasures.
In addition, cultural degradation occurs in mining villages. Mining often destroys sacred sites and cemeteries. For example, in Guyana, an important fishing event can not take place if the river is being dredged for gold. As a result, the displacement of the gravel and mud obstructs the natural flow of the rivers, causing many fish and other organisms to die.
Furthermore, many countries have had considerable national economic development as a result of mining. Mining operations on a large scale usually invest money in other community services. Yet small-scale mining employs almost 13 million people worldwide.
But Nevertheless, mining satisfies many "needs" and "whims" of humans, it gives us all the materials that we need for technology, like: computers, smartphones, cameras, etc. and also helps us in our daily lives because it gives us many jobs and helps us to build houses, schools, buildings, etc. Mining is very important, we have everything thanks mining, like shampoo, soap, and many products, mining is essential in our lives.
So if mining didn't exist we wouldn't "evolve" cause everything comes from mining, everything we do, everything we have is mining.
Juanita Bejarano - Silvana Mejía