Implementation of an Air Pollution Measurement System in Mining Areas of Cerro de Pasco-Peru

One of the big problems in the city of Cerro de Pasco is the air pollution caused by the mining activity that occurs in this area, this activity generates a total of 3737 metric tons per year of particulate matter, which are thrown into the environment in an alarming way, thus reaching that this particulate matter can lodge inside the organism of the inhabitants permanently, causing in them diseases in the respiratory system, thus affecting the most vulnerable population, producing in them infections in the respiratory tract that can even carry those to death. Nowadays the teams that carry out the monitoring of air quality are restricted only to the academic and governmental sphere, so much so that the population does not know the degree of air pollution. For this reason, it is proposed to carry out a system to measure the level of air pollution taking as main data, the measurement of particulate matter and the emission of carbon monoxide, the data that can be recovered from these measurements to be able to compare them with the parameters dictated by the Ministry of the Environment. As a result, an autonomous system was obtained, with which the level of particulate matter, possible toxic gases, and the measurement of the level of carbon monoxide can be measured, all these pollutants that could be in the environment, all these measurements are constant, thus leading the population to become aware of the level of quality of the environment where they live. Keywords- Environmental pollution, articulated matter, carbon monoxide, toxic gases, mining activity, air quality

Mining-Induced Anthropogenic Transformations of the Wielka Kopa Massif—Case Study of Rudawy Janowickie, the Sudetes

The article presents a detailed description of the transformation of the terrain relief due to long-lasting underground and surface mining activity in the Wielka Kopa massif at Rudawy Janowickie (the Western Sudetes mountains). It includes both the anthropogenic forms and secondary transformations of these forms due to natural land-shaping processes, ongoing after mining had been discontinued. The location deserves special attention, as it shows particularly significant mining-induced relief transformations, whose scale can be compared to those of the Walbrzych hard coal basin and the Turoszow lignite basin. The presented object is also an important historical heritage and deserves special attention due to its high research, didactic and tourism potential. The article offers a description of the characteristics and a classification of the anthropogenic forms in the area of Wielka Kopa, which are hoped to serve as an aid in planning future actions related to the revitalization of the area and also as an example for future descriptions of other closed mining facilities.

How Central Water Management Impacts Local Livelihoods: An Ethnographic Case Study of Mining Water Extraction in Tarapacá, Chile

Chile’s neoliberal central water management gives shape to a series of conflicts arising from diverse understandings and ways of life linked to water. This article addresses the question of who is responsible for the ecological costs regarding water use of mining activity in the north of Chile. From the perspective of hydro-social territories, we analyze how the local population in Tarapacá is acting on unequal footing regarding environmental information and knowledge. Local and practical experiences are devalued against technical and scientific modeling, supported by legal and political definitions of “the environment” and “water”. Focusing on diverse local narratives, we show how the local population feels threatened by the environmental impacts of mining activity but struggles to find legitimate ways of articulating those anxieties to gain a sense of agency. We conclude that the local ecological consequences of extractivism in this region can only be understood in the context of the wider legal and economic framework regulating the appropriation of water as a resource and that long-term efforts in more participatory sociohydrological modeling might help to broaden the knowledge base for contested decision-making.

The Mining History of Greece in School Textbooks: The Case of Lignite

The geological education in Greece is essentially rooted in the second half of the 19th century, since 1836, when secondary education was established in Greece. Although geology is referred to in all educational programs, its field was not taught before 1880, due to the lack of competent teachers and suitable books. Geological education in Greece was established as a ”necessary” science at the end of the above century, during Greece’s opening phase of mining activity. In particular, the first attempt to exploit lignite deposits began in Aliveri (Evia) in 1873, but the intensive exploitation in Aliveri began after the First World War, reaching an annual production of 23,000 tons by the end of 1927. Respectively, lignite mining began in Ptolemais in the 1950s and Megalopolis in the 1960s. In the present paper, the correlation of the lignite mining activity in Greece for electricity generation with the content of geoscience textbooks is investigated since it is widely accepted that education is directly linked to economic development.

Potential Uses of Copper Wastes in the Building Sector: Inertization and Added Value Solutions

Mining activity is the second biggest producer of waste in the European Union (EU), so to develop processes that allow the reuse of waste and the consequent creation of markets for these secondary raw materials are relevant for a desirable transition to a circular economy. Copper waste such as cakes, tailings, pyrite roasting residues, or slags present very different physical characteristics and hazards. There are two important aspects to consider for the residue of hazardous determination and its reuse: the particle size and the leaching behavior. Also, the reactive or non-reactive property of the waste depends on their origin, which is important for new applications. Based on these parameters (and other specifics for each application), the intention of this paper is to review and study the different applications of copper residues, aiming for new possibilities of cement-based construction materials with added value that allow to economically justify the use of cement.

Complexities of Socio-Labor Integration in Chile: Migrating Colombian Women’s Experiences

The objective of the article is to understand Afro-Colombian women’s emotional experiences of the migratory process, and their labor insertion in Chilean territory. The Antofagasta region is one of the doors that connects Chile with its neighbors; at the same time, it is a national territory that is linked to important economic and human movements due to its mining activity. In the analysis of the data collected through of group and individual interviews conducted in the city of Antofagasta, we found experiences of xenophobia, labor abuse, discrimination, prejudices, and stereotypes articulated, along with the tendency of Chilean culture to value European traits over native Latin American traits.

Mining disposal erosion evaluation: A case study

Mining disposal (dumping overburden) area is the primary consideration in the reclamation process in mining activities, especially in mining activity. The current study aims to determine the rate of erosion and the level of erosion hazard at mine disposal using water flow distribution. This research was conducted in a coal mine in Kalimantan. Based on the structure of the runoff flow distribution model, this study divides disposal into three land units. The universal soil loss equation in three land units was obtained for erosion values. The value for each land unit is 76 tons/ha/year, 134 tons/ha/year, and 50 tons/ha/year. These three land units are under the level of moderate and light danger of erosion. Afterward, three recommendations were made to the three land units. The first recommendation is the condition of land cover does not change, and conservation changes; the second recommendation is with changes in land cover, but conservation does not change; and the third recommendation is with conditions of land cover and conservation change. The second recommendation shows the best results compared to the other recommendations.

Towards collective action in conflict resolution on environmental impacts due to coal mining in Indonesia

The Indonesian government has formally determined large-scale coal production to meet economic initiatives. This study uses the documentary method. The study found that coal mining activity has both positive and negative impacts. Coal mining creates environmental damage resulting in conflicts and advantaged and disadvantaged groups. The conflict resolution approach tends to be partial and has not resolved the problems associated with coal mining because the community tends to be victimized. Taking a participatory and inclusive collective action approach is essential to mitigate challenges coal mining entails because environmental problems require diverse stakeholders’ involvement. The commitment of coal mining entrepreneurs and the government’s concrete actions to minimize the negative impacts of coal mining cannot be further delayed which are to ensure the sustainability of Indonesia’s resources, human life, and the natural environment.