Archive for the ‘Mining Impact’ Category
Investment capital for mining and energy
Supervisory Agency for Investment in Mining and Energy (Osinergmin) a Security Measure Act, by which the supervisor decides to stop mining metal mining company Caudalosa Chica.
This after finding and assess the damage caused by the spill of tailings into the riverbed Escalera, located in the district Huachocolpa in the region of Huancavelica, those contained in the minutes of June 30.
The measure is based on compliance with Article 10 of Law No. 28964, which authorizes the Osinergmin, if there is evidence of imminent danger, a temporary cessation of activities of any working area of ??the mining unit.
Also, a second act of July 3 indicates that the mining Caudalosa Girl should take necessary and immediate actions to ensure the physical stability of the sludge B, to prevent a collapse.
He also notes that should take immediate steps to prevent a new event in the sludge A.
According to these provisions are backed Osinergmin in Article 18 of the Rules of Procedure administer sanctions, as well as by Articles 21, 31 º and 79 º of its General Regulations.
Production of copper with increased tax revenues
Committee Chairman of the Mining Sector SNMPE, Carlos Santa Cruz, said that in the coming months the boards of the world’s largest mining companies, which have interest in investing in Peru, will meet to define the portfolio of projects developed in the country.
He said that among the mining projects will be launched include La Bambas Toromocho Michiquillay, chances, La Grange, Tia Maria and Antipathy, among others.
He explained that these investments will enable the national copper production to triple by 2020, which will strengthen Peru as the second largest producer of copper.
This production will benefit the country with increased tax revenue, more foreign exchange and improvement of infrastructure and employment.
He also said that it is necessary to preserve the stability of legal, economic and political affairs in just five years for the Peruvian mining industry may receive more investment that occurred in the past 15 years (1995 – 2009), which amounted to 18.000 million.
He said the investment that captured the Peruvian mining industry has in the past decade to triple copper production, the iron will double, while the production of zinc, gold and silver increase by more than 50 percent.
Mining and Climate Change
The Mining Industry and The False Solutions to Climate Change
Instead of addressing the problem of climate change through measures consistent as to extract more oil or not to open more mines, protect forests and respect the rights of the peoples who inhabit them or encourage farming, are promoting false solutions such as hydropower, forestry plantations or nuclear power and carbon market. The mining industry is one of the main promoters of these false solutions.
On the one hand, mining of high energy demand so it tends to build hydroelectric plants, which emit methane as we have said that global warming increases. On the other hand, the mining industry is encouraged to extract more uranium to meet the demand for nuclear power plants, and the resulting risks and environmental impacts.
We must not forget either that the mining industry is using the Clean Development Mechanism and carbon market, through hydroelectric dams or forest plantations for carbon credits that allow you to continue polluting the atmosphere and continue to cause environmental disasters.
Under the pretext of using clean energy, depriving local populations of water use and is intended for the construction of hydroelectric projects. And to justify the occupation of hundreds of thousands of hectares of agricultural use, moors and forests for the implementation of forest plantations, arguing that these trees are carbon hubs. Misappropriation of huge areas of forest and moorland, is seen as a measure to prevent CO2 emissions from deforestation. Finally, with the production of the so-called biofuels, which are occupying millions of hectares of farmland, is being removed people food to fuel vehicles.
Such false solutions to global warming is depriving the soil, land, water and biodiversity of indigenous peoples and peasants in the world. As a way to launder his image to be part of those responsible for climate change mining companies are also promoting biofuels with known impacts on soil, communities, cultures, indigenous territories, etc.
The Water in Mining and Other Mining Impacts
The Water in Mining
The mining industry not only contributes to increasing climate change but also increases the impacts. The mining industry is highly consumer of water and climate change, one of the main problems is the decline of water resources, so that the mining industry would be adding to the difficult weather conditions.
The hoarding tendency is to grant access, and subsequent contamination and loss, which also would be linked to militarization, human rights violations and escalation of conflicts over water.
Other Impacts of Mining
With climate change will increase disease and crisis in public health systems. The mining industry would deepen the public health problem since it is directly responsible for many respiratory diseases, among others.
With climate change there will be famine. The mining industry and threatens food sovereignty would exacerbate the problem.
The mining industry considers itself a victim of climate change, with an attitude of contempt for the real affected are indigenous and peasant communities, particularly women, who in turn and are primarily affected by the mining industry.
Greenhouse Gases Emissions and Deforestation
Emissions of Other Greenhouse Gases in Mining
During the miners industrial processes emit large amounts of nitrogen oxides and ozone at ground level that are, apart from CO2, other greenhouse gases. The construction of reservoirs for hydroelectric generation for the mining industry is also directly responsible for the emission of methane (CH4) which is 20 times more polluting than CO2.
Many mining sites are feeding energy generated by power plants that burn oil or gas, or worse, burn petroleum coke and coal, the major contributors to climate change.
Other factors
In areas where mining is installed, there is a strong social impact, since in many cases occupies fertile agricultural land and somehow forcing farmers to become employees of the mining company. This has an impact on climate, because rural communities to their traditional practices, without pesticides or protecting the soil cool the planet.
Impacts of Deforestation and Soil Loss
The loss of forests is a major cause of climate change. The mining industry often cause deforestation and the consequent emission of CO2. Soil degradation, pollution and removal of the soil layers are also factors that contribute to global warming.
It is expanding mining in indigenous territories who have cared for thousands of years the forests, which regulate the earth’s climate.
Burning Fossil Fuels in The Mining Process
Mining, like other extractive industries like oil, causes severe and irreversible impacts on societies and the environment. One of these impacts is the increase of global warming and consequent climate disasters. Although not always evident, the relationship between mining and climate change is direct. As a way to launder his image to be part of those responsible for climate change mining companies are also promoting biofuels with known impacts on soil, communities, cultures, indigenous territories, etc.
Mining, like other extractive industries like oil, causes severe and irreversible impacts on societies and the environment. One of these impacts is the increase of global warming and consequent climate disasters. Although not always evident, the relationship between mining and climate change is direct.
Burning Fossil Fuels in The Mining Process
The mining and metals industry is responsible for more than 20% of global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) since it is estimated that the industry consumes about 10-20% of fossil fuels. This consumption occurs in the use of machinery and processes for mineral exploitation, and also occurs with intensity during refining and processing of minerals.
Metallurgical smelters require large amounts of energy in the process of moisture removal (drying), heating of ores (roasting), melting, recrystallization, distillation, electrolysis, among others. In Peru, for example, CO2 emissions from metal smelters (La Oroya and Ilo Cajamarquilla), experienced an increase of 300% between 1994 and 2000 according to CONAMA, Peru. The cement industry and steel are particularly consuming and highly polluting fossil fuels in the atmosphere.
The production of particulate matter or sulfur lead to disrupt the local and regional atmospheric composition, causing the atmosphere to become more dry and hot.
As for the extraction of coal and subsequent burning power plants is directly responsible for climate change by burning this hydrocarbon.
During transportation of the products also emit many greenhouse gases. The market for both terrestrial and marine minerals, is huge and few mention its weight to increase climate change.