Whether it is the iron for our computers and phones, the copper for our wires, or the steel for our cars, mining plays an extremely significant role when it comes to resource production. All of us reap the benefits of mining, even if we don’t realise it. Mining may be integral in producing resources, but it is quite detrimental to the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem, as we shall just explore.

The first problem with mining is that it requires us to remove a major portion of the overlying land to access the resources and precious ores within. This total uprooting of land, which is done in strip mining and mountaintop removal, displaces countless animals and plants which reside in that habitat. This leads to a loss in biodiversity and primary productivity of the region, which degrades the ecosystem.

Another problem with mining is that it requires a lot of complex and heavy machinery which usually runs on dirty fuel, majorly polluting the environment. Apart from this, mining also involves the processing and refining of the ore, which can release a lot of toxic gases like Sulfur and Nitrogen Oxides.

Finally, the last problem with mining is that of acid mine drainage. What happens is that when we mine deposits of acidic minerals like sulfur, it mixes with water to form sulfuric acid. This toxic acid can degrade the quality of the ores minded, and it can also leach into nearby water bodies and lead to their acidification.

All in all, we need to change these conventional mining practices and shift to more eco-friendly methods of mining, which will help us to preserve the terrestrial ecosystem. I hope I have been successful in explaining this topic to you !