critical issues

What affects the quality of surface and groundwater?

Material adapted from: Vandas, S.J., Winter, T.C., and Battaglin, W.A. 2002. Water and the Environment, p. 42-44. Published by the American Geosciences Institute Environmental Awareness Series. Click here to download the full handbook.

Many factors affect the quality of surface and groundwater. Water moving over or under the land surface can undergo physical and chemical changes. These changes may be caused by either natural factors or human activities.

What happens before, during, and after mining?

Material adapted from: Hudson, T.L, Fox, F.D., and Plumlee, G.S. 1999. Metal Mining and the Environment, p. 10-11. Published by the American Geosciences Institute Environmental Awareness Series. Click here to download the full handbook.

This answer refers specifically to metal mining, but the mining of other Earth materials follows a very similar pattern.

The mining cycle involves three main phases:

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