scholarly journals Comprehensive Assessment on the Environmental Conditions of Abandoned and Inactive Mines in the Philippines

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessie Samaniego ◽  
Cris Reven Gibaga ◽  
Alexandria Tanciongco ◽  
Rasty Rastrullo ◽  
Norman Mendoza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Abandoned Mines ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Laboratory Methods ◽  
Environmental Media ◽  
Isotope Tracers ◽  
Soils And Sediments ◽  
Integrated Methods ◽  
Groundwater Characterization

Most abandoned and inactive mines in the Philippines pose high risks to human health and the environment due to the disturbed and exposed heavy metal-laden soils and sediments and water-filled open pit mines. Establishing these mines’ environmental conditions remains a challenge as it requires time, effort, resources, and faces a lack of funding as the economic phase of the mine has already ceased. In order to contribute to the solution on the assessment of abandoned and inactive mines, integrated methods with combined essential testing, sampling, and analyses of different environmental media present in the mine site are suggested in this paper. On-site and laboratory methods include analyses for water (surface water and groundwater characterization, quality assessment, and environmental isotope tracers), soils and sediments (heavy and trace metals, anomalous elements, erosion, and nutrient availability), air quality, and radiometric survey. These methods can be classified as rapid with complete data, and information can be gathered to support a health risk assessment in the area, as well as used as a guide for rehabilitation prioritization of the abandoned mines.

scholarly journals The Environmental Activism of a Filipino Catholic Faith Community: Re-Imagining Ecological Care for the Flourishing of All

Religions ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Jeane C. Peracullo ◽  
Rosa Bella M. Quindoza
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Environmental Activism ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Open Pit Mining ◽  
Catholic Faith ◽  
Catholic Organizations ◽  
Prophetic Mission ◽  
The Many ◽  
Climate Crisis

Extensive open-pit mining activities in the Philippines since the 1970s up to the present confront the meaning of the “Church of the Poor”, a description that the Catholic Church in the Philippines uses to visualize its prophetic mission. Alongside mining, many more environmentally destructive industries are present in the poorest areas in the country, even though the Philippines is disaster-prone and one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the devastating effects of the climate crisis. The environmental degradation has prompted many Filipino Catholic organizations and communities to act together through various campaigns to address the problem. The article examines a case of a faith-based community that rose to the challenge to address various environmental issues their community was and continues to experience. The community’s environmental activism presents a viable model for a re-imagined ecological care towards the “flourishing of all” as a response to Pamela McCarroll’s call to action to continue conversations on the many ways practical theology can move beyond anthropocentrism while focusing on social justice.

Are There Better Disposal Methods?

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Tammemagi
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Waste Disposal ◽  
Surface Expression ◽  
Abandoned Mines ◽  
Underground Mines ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Future Value ◽  
Deep Underground

Most of the solid waste generated by society ultimately winds up in near-surface landfills. Let us put our thinking caps firmly on, place our prejudices aside, and explore what other methods might be used to dispose of waste. We should seek, in particular, the approaches that best fulfill the three basic principles described in chapter 2. That is, we should strive to find disposal methods that are in accord with sustainable development. Existing and abandoned pits, quarries, and mines are attractive for waste disposal because a hole to contain the wastes has already been excavated. Such abandoned areas, when left unreclaimed, cannot be used for agriculture or other beneficial uses. Thus, they generally do not have significant market value and can often be obtained relatively cheaply. For these reasons, pits and quarries have been extensively used for landfills. Operating and abandoned mines, on which this section focuses, are somewhat similar to pits and quarries, though usually larger. Abandoned mines hold promise as disposal facilities because they are resource areas that have been depleted and thus have little future value. There are two basic types of mine: the open pit mine, which is effectively a large pit or hole in the ground; and the underground mine, where the mined-out openings are deep underground and there is no surface expression except for the shafts used to gain subsurface access. Because underground mines occupy minimal surface land, their use for waste disposal would be in accordance with the sustainable development principles that were advocated in chapter 2. Several European countries, with higher population densities and much smaller land mass than in North America, have long used abandoned underground mines to dispose of their rubbish. The major advantage of placing wastes deep in underground mines is that it is inherently safer than placing the wastes in a surface facility. The amount of groundwater and its flow rate decrease with depth; this fact, combined with the long transport paths back to the biosphere, minimizes the possibility that contaminants will be carried by groundwater to the surface, where they could damage the environment. The waste is contained deeper and more securely.

Tropical cyclone genesis and trajectory characteristics in the western north Pacific

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Xiong ◽  
Mengqian Lu
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Zonal Wind ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
Data Science ◽  
Clustering Algorithm ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Vertical Shear ◽  
Gaussian Kernel

<p>The western North Pacific (WNP) is one of the most active tropical cyclone (TC) regions, which can inflict enormous death and massive property damage to surrounding areas. Although many studies about tropical cyclone activities on multi-timescales have been done, most of them focus on the entire basin, variations within the basin deserve more investigations. Besides TC characteristics on different timescales, to investigate the impacts of environment variables on TC and provide informative factors for prediction is another concern in the research community. In this study, we adopt several data science techniques, including Gaussian kernel estimator, wavelet, cross-wavelet coherence and regression analyses, to explore the spatiotemporal variations of TC genesis and associated environmental conditions. Significant semiannual and annual variations of TC genesis have been found in the northern South China Sea (NSCS) and oceanic areas east of the Philippines (OAEP). In the southeast part of WNP (SEWNP), TC genesis shows prominent variations on ENSO time scale. With reconstructed TC series on those frequencies, we further quantify the influences of environmental variables on the primary TC signals over WNP. About 40% of the identified TC variance over NSCS and OAEP can be explained by variability in vertical shear of zonal wind and relative humidity. In the SEWNP, TC genesis reveals strong nonlinear and non-stationary relationships with vertical shear of zonal wind and absolute vorticity. Besides, A probabilistic clustering algorithm is used to describe the TC tracks in the WNP. The best track dataset from JMA is decomposed into three clusters based on genesis location and curvature. For each cluster, we analyze the relationships between TC properties, such as genesis location, trajectory and intensity, and associated environmental conditions using the self-organizing map. The spatial patterns of sea surface temperature have huge impacts on TC genesis location, while the trajectory is largely influenced by geopotential height.</p>

scholarly journals Tracking Lead in Environmental Media in the City of Onitsha, Southeast Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (24) ◽  
pp. 191202
Author(s):  
Timothy Iyobosa Asowata ◽  
Akinade Shadrach Olatunji
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Emission Spectrometry ◽  
Pb Isotope ◽  
Land Use Patterns ◽  
Environmental Media ◽  
Waste Dumps ◽  
Soils And Sediments ◽  
The City

Background. The enrichment of lead (Pb) in a rapidly expanding urban environment is largely caused by industrial and anthropogenic activities. However, very few studies have come from sub-Sahara Africa as a whole, in spite of the increased rate of population, industrialization and urbanization in this region. The city of Onitsha is the commercial heartland of southeast Nigeria. Objectives. To determine the concentration of Pb in soils and sediments in Onitsha and the surrounding area and to identify the possible sources of Pb content in the environmental media. Methods. One hundred and sixty-two (162) samples (120 top and subsoils, and 42 stream and side drain sediments) were collected from the city of Onitsha, Nigeria to determine Pb concentrations, identify the main sources of Pb in this region, and determine its fate in soil and sediments using Pb isotopes. Thirty (30) 15 g clay fractions of soil and sediment samples, and a sample each of galena (from the Lower Benue Trough), coal and soot from vehicle exhaust and battery cells were collected from the city and analyzed for lead isotopes (Pb204, Pb206, Pb207 and Pb208) using ultra-trace inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry. Results. The distribution and concentration of Pb in the soil of Onitsha was observed to be influenced by land use patterns with very elevated concentrations of Pb observed for mechanic and metal workshop samples (1444.3, 1067.5, 1048.1, 1730.5 and 580.5 ppm); active waste dump samples (448.4 and 311.9 ppm); and farmland and garden samples (366.2 ppm). The concentration of Pb in the sediments also showed varying elevated concentrations across locations, ranging from 45.7–540.1 ppm. A comparison with the control samples revealed that the Pb concentrations measured in the environmental media were several folds higher than that of the control. The Pb isotope analysis indicated that most of the Pb in environmental media was anthropogenic in origin and had been predominantly contributed by unsustainable environmental practices such as indiscriminate waste dumps, hydrocarbonbased products emissions, by-products from mechanical workshops that have been haphazardly constructed in the city, and industrial plants located within urban areas. Conclusions. The relatively higher concentrations of Pb in soils and sediments were found to be influenced by land use, as also observed in the Pb isotope readings, which will, over time, adversely affect environmental media and biota. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

scholarly journals The identification of heavy metal accumulator ferns in abandoned mines in the Philippines with applications to mine rehabilitation and metal recovery

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rene Juna R. Claveria ◽  
Teresita R. Perez ◽  
Ian A. Navarrete ◽  
Rubee Ellaine C. Perez ◽  
Brian Christian C. Lim
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Metal Recovery ◽  
Abandoned Mines ◽  
Mine Rehabilitation

Gerwasia rubi.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Plant Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
The World ◽  
Agricultural Plants

Abstract There is little published information on this plant pathogenic fungus, which is limited to parts of Asia, Mexico and the Philippines. It attacks Rubus spp. and as these hosts exist in other regions of the world with similar environmental conditions, this species may pose a threat to native or agricultural plants if introduced.

scholarly journals EVALUASI KEBIJAKAN PENGELOLAAN LINGKUNGAN PERTAMBANGAN DI PULAU OBI PROVINSI MALUKU UTARA

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (02) ◽  
pp. 58-68
Author(s):  
Zulkifli Zam Zam ◽  
I Made Putrawan
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Law ◽  
Evaluation Model ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Mining Area ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Mining Activities ◽  
Environmental Media ◽  
Nickel Mining ◽  
The Government

Nickel mining activities in Obi Island, North Maluku Province use open-pit techniques, causing environmental problems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the environmental conditions of the mining area and evaluate the obligations of the government of South Halmahera Regency in preparing and implementing environmental management instruments in accordance with UU No.32/2009. This research is a policy research to evaluate mining activities, using the Haas & Springer evaluation model. The results showed that mining activities in Obi Island, North Maluku Province caused a decrease in the quality of the environment, due to the Government of South Halmahera Regency which was not consistent in protecting and managing the environment, especially in the mining area, this can be seen from the absence of RTRW / RPMJD KLHS Documents, implementation of the UKL / UPL AMDAL that is not yet optimal, and there is no standard for B3 waste management and B3 waste dumping to the environmental media. Thus, the local Regency Government has not been able to implement environmental law policies properly, effectively and efficiently.

scholarly journals TYPES OF AMPHIBIA IN COAL MINE RECLAMATION OF PT. BUKIT ASAM, Tbk. TANJUNG ENIM, SOUTH SUMATRA.

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-24
Author(s):  
Nur Hayati ◽  
Yuanita Windusari ◽  
Zulkifli Dahlan
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Coal Mine ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Mine Reclamation ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Mining Activities ◽  
Reclamation Area ◽  
Coal Mine Reclamation

Coal mining activities in South Sumatra are among others carried out by PT. Bukit Asam tbk, a coal company located in Tanjung Enim. The open pit/cast mining process has a negative impact on the environment, some of the impacts are land degradation, loss of vegetation, changes in microclimate and loss of biodiversity which includes diversity of flora and fauna, one of which is amphibians. One of the efforts to maintain and preserve environmental capabilities is to reclaim former mines. In accordance with Law No. 4 of 2009 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining requires mining companies to carry out reclamation and post-mining activities over the areas they cultivate. Reclamation-revegetation activities are efforts to improve microclimate conditions, improve soil fertility conditions. The recovery of environmental conditions is expected to bring back the wildlife that has been lost. The amphibian community is believed to be a bioindicator of the recovery of environmental conditions undergoing habitat changes. The research was carried out at the Bukit Asam coal mine reclamation area, Air laya site from February to March. The aim of the study was to see the types of amphibians found in the mine reclamation area. Sampling was carried out using the VES (Visual Enconter Survey) method. From the results obtained, there were 3 species from 2 members of the Order (Anura) and 2 members of the Family (Rinidae).

Underground pumped storage hydropower (UPSH) and its interaction with the saturated subsurface medium: effects of the water exchanges on the environment and the plant efficiency

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Estanislao Pujades
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Energy Storage System ◽  
Abandoned Mines ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
Underground Reservoir ◽  
Pumped Storage ◽  
Plant Efficiency

<p>Underground pumped storage hydropower (UPSH) is an alternative energy storage system (ESS) for flat regions, where conventional pumped storage hydropower plants cannot be constructed due to topographical limitations. UPSH plants consist in two reservoirs, the upper one is located at the surface or possibly underground (but at shallow depth) while the lower one is underground. Although the underground reservoir can be drilled, the use of abandoned mines (deep or open pit mines) as underground reservoir is a more efficient alternative that is also beneficial for local communities after the cessation of mining activities. Given that mines are rarely waterproofed, water exchanges between UPSH plants and the underground medium are expected. Water exchanges may have negative consequences for the environment, but also for the feasibility of UPSH plants. The impacts on the environment and the plant efficiency may have hydraulic (changes of the natural piezometric head distribution, effects in the hydraulic head difference between the two reservoirs, etc.) or hydrochemical nature (dissolution and/or precipitation of minerals in the aquifer and in the reservoirs, corrosion of facilities, modification of pH, etc.). At this stage, it is required a sound understanding of all the impacts produced by the water exchanges and evaluate under which circumstances they are mitigated. This assessment will allow ascertaining criteria for the selection of the best places to construct future UPSH plants.</p>

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