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The environmental impact of mining includes
erosion , formation of sinkholes, loss of
biodiversity , and contamination of soil,
groundwater, surface water by chemicals from
mining processes
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[1]
Besides creating environmental damage, the contamination resulting from leakage of
chemicals also affect the health of the local population
...
The result can be unnaturally high concentrations of some
chemicals, such as arsenic , sulfuric acid, and
mercury over a significant area of surface or subsurface
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The dumping of
the runoff in surface waters or in forests is the worst option here
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[5

Acid rock drainage
Main article: Acid mine drainage
Heavy metals
Dissolution and transport of metals and heavy metals by run-off and ground water is
another example of environmental problems with mining, such as the Britannia Mine , a
former copper mine near Vancouver, British Columbia
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Water in
the mine containing dissolved heavy metals such as lead and cadmium leaked into local
groundwater, contaminating it
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Adverse effects can be observed long after the end of the
mine activity
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Aquatic organisms
Mining industry can impact aquatic biodiversity through different ways
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Mine drainage can modify water pH, [16] and it
is hard to differentiate direct impact on organisms from impacts caused by pH changes
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[15]
Contaminants can also affect aquatic organisms through physical effects: [15] streams
with high concentrations of suspended sediment limit light, thus diminushing algae
biomass
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[15]



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