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Mining activities have emerged as major contributors to environmental damage. This paper offers an analyse of the actual situation of environmental damages caused by mining activities in Europe. Alarmingly, pollution from mining activities in the European Union is increasing. Surface and underground mining have detrimental effects on air and water quality, land degradation, waste disposal, noise pollution, deforestation and loss of biodiversity, endangered species, microbiota, economy, and health. Moreover, the risk of dam destruction because of climate change is increased. Globally this fact ranked Europe in second place in terms of dangerousness. The situation of protected species is critical and their status remains poor. The rehabilitation cost is exorbitant, and enforcement of regulations is lacking. It is evident that, due to economic demand for metals, mining will play a central role in EU's future despite the growing emphasis on green initiatives and transition. Unfortunately, public awareness regarding environmental impact of mining activities is insufficient, and their voices are often disregarded. In order to reduce the negative impact of mining on the environment, economy and public health, it is necessary to take urgent political and technical measures. This paper aims to present a comprehensive overview and offer suggestions for future actions.

With significant coal resource potential, Jambi Province faces serious challenges in the mobilization of coal transportation, a crucial element in the energy industry supply chain. This research examines the complexity problems arising from coal mobilization activities in Jambi Province and their social and environmental impacts. The research employs a qualitative method, utilizing documentation from online news sources and official government documents, including regional regulations. Data analysis is conducted using Nvivo 12 Plus. The findings reveal mismatch between licensing and regulations, leading to severe traffic disruptions. The sustainability of mining activities is faces significant challenges that require holistic solutions. Strategic policy recommendations include thorough audits of industry regulations, strengthening law enforcement, and promoting economic diversification. Other solutions involve more efficient traffic management, such as constructing dedicated lanes to alleviate pressure on general traffic. This research also highlights the importance of open and inclusive dialogue among all relevant stakeholders, with the government playing a key mediating role. Achieving balanced economic, social, and environmental sustainability in Jambi Province requires cross-sector collaboration and the active participation from all stakeholders.

Coal mining in Shendong Mining area has an important impact on the local ecological environment, especially the growth of vegetation. In order to describe this effect quantitatively, this study uses a regional evapotranspiration model to calculate the Potential Net Primary Productivity (PNP,p) of the Shendong mining area. MODIS17A3 dataset (2001—2022) was used to characterize the Actual Net Primary Productivity (PNP,a), and combined with the monthly net primary productivity raster dataset of terrestrial ecosystems in China (PNP,al, 1988—2015), using GWR model construction correction method to correct PNP,al to obtain 1988—2000 PNP,a data, and using the difference between the two PNP,h to characterize the impact of coal mining. The effect of coal mining on vegetation PNP in Shendong mining area was evaluated. The results show that: ① the accuracy of PNP,al data corrected by GWR model is about 0.76, and the corrected PNP,al data has a strong spatial correlation with the MODIS17A3 dataset, which indicates the reliability of the accuracy of the corrected model; ② The overall PNP,a and PNP,h of Shendong mining area showed a trend of decreasing first and then recovering gradually, but the PNP of vegetation did not recover to the pre-mining level. The mean values of PNP,h before mining and PNP,h after mining are 21.50 g/m2 and −60.20 g/m2, respectively. PNP,h

Insects are the largest and most diverse group of organisms which are typically the overwhelming dominant invertebrate faunal group extensively used in biomonitoring and bioassessment. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the heavy metals levels in insect species collected from Enyigba Community with mining activities in Southeast Nigeria using appropriate standard methods. In this study, three sites namely: Upper Inyia-(SA), Lower Inyia (SB) and the Control Site (SC) were selected and insect specimens were collected and evaluated from July 2022 to February, 2023. The insect groups used were Reticulitermes flavipes (termite), Zonocerus elegans (grasshopper), Acraea acrita (butterfly) and Cremtogaster sp. (Ant). The selected insects’ samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed heavy metal accumulations on the selected insects particularly the toxic metals such as Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn) and Mercury (Hg). Insects examined were Reticulitermes flavipes, Zonocerus elegans, Acraea acrita, and Crematogaster sp. collected from Enyigba mines. High concentrations of Cd was recorded in Zonocerus elegans at SA (0.13±0.042) and SB (0.17±0.007) which is far above WHO/FAO permissible limit. The result further revealed that there was also high Cd concentration (0.21±0.011) in Reticulitermes flavipes, which is also far above WHO/FAO permissible limit. Grasshopper, termites and butterfly had the highest accumulation of heavy metals among the studied insect groups, highlighting the challenges of mining on agriculture and food security in the region.

Abstract Background Africa is blessed with vast arable land and enriched with valuable natural resources encompassing both renewable (like water, forests, and fisheries) and non-renewable (such as minerals, coal, gas, and oil). Under the right conditions, a natural resource boom should serve as an important driver for growth, development, and the transition from cottage industry to factory output. However, despite its wealth, Africa is often associated with the notion of a resource curse. Negative outcomes are often linked with mineral wealth. This paper investigates the causes of adverse health outcomes in resource-rich regions. The study provides empirical support for the natural resource curse with particular emphasis on the environmental health risks in Africa. We explore the multifaceted connections among mineral deposits, environmental risks, conflict events and population dynamics, shedding light on the complexities of resource-rich areas. Results We amalgamate georeferenced data pertaining to 22 specific mineral deposits with information on the prevalence of reliance on compromised infrastructures at a spatial resolution of 0.5 $$^{\circ } \times 0.5^{\circ }$$ ∘ × 0 . 5 ∘ for all of Africa between 2000 and 2017. Through comprehensive econometric analysis of environmental health risk factors, including reliance on contaminated water sources, open defecation, unimproved sanitation, particulate matter concentration, and carbon concentration, we uncover the intricate pathways through which mineral deposits impact public health. Our findings revealed the significant role of in-migration in mediating environmental health risks. Moreover, we found that the activities of extractive companies amplify certain environmental risks including reliance on unimproved sanitation and practices and particulate matter concentration. Conflict events emerge as a key mediator across all environmental health risks, underlining the far-reaching consequences of instability and violence on both local communities and the environment. Conclusion The study contributes to the discourse on sustainable development by unraveling the nuanced associations between mineral wealth and health challenges. By drawing attention to the intricate web of factors at play, we provide a foundation for targeted interventions that address the unique environmental and health challenges faced by mineral-rich communities.

Natural processes are substantially impacted by human activity, and assessing human activity has significant ramifications for regional ecological conservation. The study developed an extended human footprint (HF) assessment model based on the theory of ecological effects and human pressures to evaluate human disturbances in the urban agglomerations of the Yellow River Basin using data from 2005 to 2020, revealing the spatiotemporal pattern in the region. The conclusions show that the HF value of urban agglomeration in the Yellow River Basin has steadily increased from 2005 to 2020, primarily driven by mining intensity and road construction. High HF areas are primarily concentrated in urban areas in the south-central of the region, with a tendency to spread outward. Medium HF areas are mainly distributed in the eastern part of the study area, and the spatial distribution increases year by year, extending outward from the center area. The moderately low and HF areas are mostly found in the mountainous areas of the northwest. Among the urban agglomerations in the Yellow River Basin, the Central Plains UA and Shandong Peninsula UA are the areas most heavily affected by human disturbance. The conclusions are instructive for the high-quality development of urban agglomerations in the Yellow River Basin.

The crucial role of the fluorescent components of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in controlling antimony (Sb) mobilization in groundwater has been confirmed. However, the molecular signatures contributing to Sb enrichment in DOM remain unknown. This study aims to investigate the origins and molecular compositions of DOM in different high-Sb aquifers (Sb-mining and no-Sb-mining aquifer), as well as compare different molecular signatures of DOM and mechanisms for Sb migration. The findings showed that Sb concentrations in Sb-mining aquifer exhibited a positive correlation with lignin- and tannin-like molecules characterized by high O/C and low H/C ratios, indicating an increased abundance of aromatic components with higher Humification Index and SUV-absorbance at 254 nm, compared to no-Sb-mining aquifer. Correspondingly, the complexation and competitive adsorption were considered as the predominate formation mechanisms on Sb enrichment in Sb-mining aquifer. In addition, high abundances of bioreactivity DOM may facilitated the migration of Sb via electron transfer and competitive adsorption in native no-Sb-mining aquifer. The outcomes of this investigation offer novel insights into the mechanism on Sb enrichment influenced by DOM at the molecule level.

The destruction of arable land caused by coal mining in coal grain compound areas is a major bottleneck restricting grain production increase. The spatiotemporal correlation between the decline in cultivated land quality and crop growth deterioration due to mining subsidence still needs to be clarified. This study employed the CDR AVHRR NDVI dataset and applied correlation and trend analysis methods to extract vegetation cover information from 1982 to 2022. It also explored the relationships between vegetation cover and temperature and precipitation. The study found the following: (1) Over the past 41 years, the NDVI in the study area showed a significant upward trend. Specifically, the average annual NDVI growth rate in the mining area was 51.85%, while the corresponding growth rates for the 10 km buffer area, 20 km buffer area, and check area (CK) were 65.91%, 65.86%, and 68.09%, respectively. The start of the growing season (SOS) for winter wheat in the mining area and control area advanced by 49 ± 1.5 days and 65 ± 1.5 days, respectively, while the length of the growing season (LOS) extended by 59 ± 1.5 days and 72 ± 1.5 days, respectively. For summer maize, the SOS advanced by 11 ± 1.5 days and 15 ± 1.5 days, respectively, and the LOS extended by 17 ± 1.5 days and 19 ± 1.5 days, respectively. The study area exhibited a significant positive correlation between the NDVI and temperature. Specifically, the correlation coefficient for the mining area was 0.6865 (p < 0.01); for the 10 km buffer zone, it was 0.5937 (p < 0.01), for the 20 km buffer zone, it was 0.6775 (p < 0.01), and for the control check area (CK), it was 0.6591 (p < 0.01). The results of this study can provide data support for the collaborative rehabilitation of and source reduction in coal grain compound areas, as well as for the restoration of damaged farmland.

This study aimed to compare how vulnerable informal and formal households are to disaster risks in Bekkersdal mining area in the Rand West City municipality, using a mixed method. A qualitative approach was used to construct a situational analysis of the community, while a questionnaire was used to collect descriptive data. Findings showed both household types (formal and informal) experienced disaster-related risks as their coping resources are limited. Disaster risks such as mining-related incidents (dust, earth tremors and windstorms) are more significant in the informal areas than in formal areas because of their geographical locations. The latter are located in high density areas, with limited access to basic services. Resulting in among others, construction of illegal informal areas and use of illegal electricity connections. These disaster incidents occur against the backdrop of an already vulnerable dolomitic environment that tends to form sinkholes. Thus, the negative impact of mining is the highest disaster risk factor in the area, yet households seem tolerant and distant as they perceive mining as a job opportunity. The study recommended the municipality to include disaster risks in their integrated development plans to ensure that sustainable mining practices are in place to minimise the negative effects in the area. The rehabilitation of mines, measures to prevent informal construction or illegal occupation, and educational awareness on mitigation and adaptation measures are necessary. Contribution: The study adds to the body of knowledge by revising some old techniques of addressing disaster risk measures, especially in surrounding mining communities.

The Changhe Basin is located in the earth–rock mountainous area in southeastern Shanxi, China, and represents a characteristic northern coal-bearing hilly area. The terrain is complex, and the area is rich in coal mines. It plays an indispensable role in maintaining ecological balance and sustainable development in North China. To investigate the changes in ecological quality in the Changhe Basin, as well as the impact of human mining activities and natural topography on ecological quality, this study constructs the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) based on Landsat remote sensing images from 2001, 2008, 2015, and 2022, undertaking an analysis of the spatial–temporal distribution characteristics of the ecological quality and its changing trends over the past 20 years. Additionally, spatial autocorrelation distribution features are revealed using Moran’s I. The exploration extends to examining the relationship between mining activities and the surrounding ecological quality. Subsequently, we study the relationship between Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) and RSEI. The results indicate the following: (1) On the temporal scale, the average proportion of RSEIs categorized as excellent and good from 2001 to 2022 is 46.78%. Types showcasing stable ecological conditions average 52.49%. The level of overall ecological quality of the basin has remained consistently high. On the spatial scale, the western part of the Changhe River, particularly in mountainous areas, exhibits higher ecological quality. Poorer areas concentrate in Chuandi Town in the southwestern part, and are significantly impacted by mining activities. The eastern region manifests areas undergoing either rapid or gradual degradation. (2) The four-phase Moran index results reveal a robust positive correlation in the spatial distribution of ecological quality within the basin. High–High and Low–Low clusters dominate, while High–Low and Low–High distributions are scattered. (3) Mining activities exert a discernible impact on the surrounding ecological quality. As the distance from the buffer zone outside the mining area increases, RSEI gradually decreases. The impact level exhibits an initial increase and subsequent decrease from 2001 to 2022.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) undergoes rapid changes due to human production activities, which have an impact on the land carbon cycle and ultimately global change. As one of the main human production activities, coal mining significantly impacts the soil carbon cycle. However, due to the lack of remote sensing modeling of soil carbon in mining areas, the spatio-temporal changes and driving mechanisms of SOC in mining areas remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated and determined SOC data from 300 sampling points (depth of 0–20 cm) located in an arid mining area of China. Remote sensing images were then used to established a soil organic carbon density (SOCD) prediction model within the Random Forest (RF) model to achieve digital mapping of soil organic carbon stocks (SOCS). The spatiotemporal changes of SOCS were analyzed using SOCS digital mapping, and the influencing mechanism of SOCS was revealed using path analysis. The results showed that the constructed SOCD predictive model meets the demand for SOCD prediction (R2 ≥ 0.74, p soil erosion > mining intensity > precipitation > elevation > land use > temperature. The negative impact of coal mining on SOCS was mainly indirect, through disturbance to elevation, vegetation, and soil erosion. The uneven ground subsidence and stretching caused by coal mining contribute to intensified soil erosion and vegetation degradation in the affected area, leading to a reduction in SOCS. However, SOCS did not decrease under high intensity mining, which was related to the increase in vegetation and the reduction in soil erosion in the mining area. In this study, a soil carbon prediction model was established based on remote sensing modeling to evaluate the temporal and spatial distribution of soil carbon in an arid mining area. The results can serve as valuable references for the scientific improvement of the ecological environment in mining areas, the rational planning of mining area construction, as well as low-carbon land reclamation and ecological compensation assessments.

This study investigated the magnitude of media coverage of environmental hazards in the mining communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Motivated by the poor agricultural yields and increased prevalence of health challenges in the mining communities, it was established that the media is indispensable in the fight for a healthy environment in the State. However, the failure of the mass media in the State to embark on any form of environmental communication in order to monitor environmental issues made the fight almost impossible. Thus, the study set out to determine how committed and professional the media were in the fight. A sample size of 25 media practitioners, two radio stations and four newspapers all domiciled in the State were assessed using multi-staged random sampling technique. The study employed quantitative and qualitative research designs with questionnaire, interview and content analysis as instruments for data collection. Findings revealed that the mass media in the State were not involved in the fight for a healthy environment; none of them had environmental column/desk to monitor environmental hazards arising from mining activities in the State. The research concluded that the mass media should scrutinize the affairs of the State environmental actors in order for them to hold the mining companies accountable and protect the interests of the mining communities in the State.

[Objective] The impacts of a metal mine on the surrounding grassland were studied, and the ecological environment was evaluated using remote sensing technology as a significant aid to ecological restoration and environmental protection of mining areas. [Methods] The study was conducted at a desert-steppe gold mine located in an ecologically fragile area. Spatial and temporal dynamics of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in the mine area were analyzed based on long time series remote sensing data to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the ecological quality of the study area using the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI). [Results] The impacted area of desert-steppe gold mining was determined as the area with a radius of 5 km outward from the mine boundary. There was a fluctuating increase in NDVI values in the mine and impact areas that varied with the duration of mining in the steppe from 2009 to 2021. The annual average value of NVDI within the mine area during the underground mining operation period was 51.9% higher than during the open pit mining operation period. In addition, the impact of open pit mining on vegetation in the study area was higher compared with underground mining. The RSEI values in the mining area and the impacted area initially increased, then decreased, and then stabilized, resulting in an overall non-significant increase. The spatial distribution of RSEI indicated that the areas with poor ecological environmental quality in the mine and impact areas were mainly the waste dump and surrounding area. [Conclusion] Gold mining influenced the surrounding desert grassland within a radius of 5 km from the mine. The ecological environment of the mine and the impacted area gradually improved through management efforts during mining. Ecological restoration and environmental management of the waste dump and the surrounding area should be strengthened during the process of mine ecological construction.

The valuation of ecosystem services (ESs) is crucial for preserving ecosystems, assessing natural resources, and making decisions regarding compensation. In this study, we employed the InVEST model’s habitat quality (HQ) module to calculate the HQ and degradation levels in the study area using land use/land cover (LULC) data from 2000 to 2020. Our analysis utilized quantitative methods, including spatial correlation, hotspot analysis, and geo-probing, to determine the value of ESs and identify trends. Furthermore, we examined the spatial and temporal variation in the significance of ESs and their driving factors. The results show the following. (1) The primary LULC types in the Zhundong coalfield from 2000 to 2020 are grassland and barren areas. (2) The average value of the HQ index in the study area exhibited a generally decreasing trend. Between 2000 and 2010, HQ significantly declined, particularly in the region’s large barren industrial and mining zones. However, over time, the proportion of sites with minimal degradation improved steadily, resulting in better overall HQ in the study area by 2020. This pertains to the measures put in place by the local government to safeguard and rehabilitate the ecosystem. (3) The spatial distribution of the ecosystem service value (ESV) aligns with changes in HQ and LULC, with significant hotspots primarily observed in forest and grassland areas, nature reserves, and areas around water sources. (4) LULC, temperature, annual precipitation, and elevation are the main drivers of spatial variation in the ESV in the Zhundong area; the spatial variation in the ESV in the Zhundong coalfield is primarily influenced by the interaction between human factors and natural factors, in which LULC plays a dominant role. This study’s findings can guide the development of rational ecological planning, integrating resource conservation mining with effective zoning management.

Mining activities in the kaolin mining area have led to the disruption of the ecological health of the mining area and nearby soils, but the effects on the fungal communities in the rhizosphere soils of the plants are not clear. Three common plants (Conyza bonariensis, Artemisia annua, and Dodonaea viscosa) in kaolin mining areas were selected and analyzed their rhizosphere soil fungal communities using ITS sequencing. The alpha diversity indices (Chao1, Shannon, Simpson, observed-species, pielou-e) of the fungal communities decreased to different extents in different plants compared to the non-kauri mining area. The β-diversity (PCoA, NMDS) analysis showed that the rhizosphere soil fungal communities of the three plants in the kaolin mine area were significantly differentiated from those of the control plants grown in the non-kaolin mine area, and the extent of this differentiation varied among the plants. The analysis of fungal community composition showed that the dominant fungi in the rhizosphere fungi of C. bonariensis and A. annua changed, with an increase in the proportion of Mycosphaerella (genus) by about 20% in C. bonariensis and A. annua. An increase in the proportion of Didymella (genus) by 40% in D. viscosa was observed. At the same time, three plant rhizosphere soils were affected by kaolin mining activities with the appearance of new fungal genera Ochrocladosporium and Plenodomus. Predictive functional potential analysis of the samples revealed that a significant decrease in the potential of functions such as biosynthesis and glycolysis occurred in the rhizosphere fungal communities of kaolin-mined plants compared to non-kaolin-mined areas. The results show that heavy metals and plant species are the key factors influencing these changes, which suggests that selecting plants that can bring more abundant fungi can adapt to heavy metal contamination to restore soil ecology in the kaolin mining area.

In this study, the contents of eight heavy metal(loid)s (As, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Cu, Sb and Tl) in 50 sediment samples from a headwater of Beijiang River were studied to understand their pollution, ecological risk and potential sources. Evaluation indexes including sediment quality guidelines (SDGs), enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), risk assessment code (RAC) and bioavailable metal index (BMI) were used to evaluate the heavy metal(loid)s pollution and ecological risk in the sediments. Pearson’s correlation analysis and principal component analysis were used to identify the sources of heavy metal(loid)s. The results showed that the average concentration of heavy metal(loid)s obviously exceeded the background values, except Cr. Metal(loid)s speciation analysis indicated that Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were dominated by non-residual fractions, which presented higher bioavailability. The S content in sediments could significantly influence the geochemical fractions of heavy metal(loid)s. As was expected, it had the most adverse biological effect to local aquatic organism, followed by Pb. The EF results demonstrated that As was the most enriched, while Cr showed no enrichment in the sediments. The assessment of Igeo suggested that Cd and As were the most serious threats to the river system, while Cr showed almost no contamination in the sediments. Heavy metal(loid)s in sediments in the mining- and smelting-affected area showed higher bioavailability. According to the results of the above research, the mining activities caused heavier heavy metal(loid)s pollution in the river sediment. Three potential sources of heavy metal(loid)s in sediment were distinguished based on the Pearson’s correlation analysis and PCA, of which Cd, Pb, As, Zn, Sb and Cu were mainly derived from mining activities, Cr was mainly derived from natural sources, Tl was mainly derived from smelting activities.

To explore the influence of different types of anthropogenic activity on the rivers, we investigate the major ion composition, sources and risk assessment of the karst stream (Youyu stream and Jinzhong stream), which are heavily influenced by mining activities and urban sewage, respectively. The chemical compositions of the Youyu stream water, which is heavily influenced by mining activities, are dominated by Ca2+ and SO42–. However, the chemical compositions of the Jinzhong stream water, which is heavily influenced by urban sewage, are dominated by Ca2+ and HCO3–. The Ca2+, Mg2+ and HCO3– in Jinzhong stream are mainly derived from rock weathering, while the Youyu stream is affected by acid mine drainage, and sulfuric acid is involved in the weathering process. Ion sources analysis indicates that the Na+, K+, NO3–, and Cl– in the Jinzhong stream mainly derive from urban sewage discharge; but NO3– and Cl– of the Youyu stream mainly derive from agricultural activities, and Na+, K+ are mainly from natural sources. The element ratios analysis indicates the ratio of SO42–/Mg2+ in Youyu stream (4.61) polluted by coal mine is much higher than that in Jinzhong stream (1.29), and the ratio of (Na++K++Cl–)/Mg2+ in Jinzhong stream (1.81) polluted by urban sewage is higher than Youyu stream (0.64). Moreover, the ratios of NO3−/Na+, NO3−/K+, and NO3−/Cl− in the agriculturally polluted Youyu stream were higher than those in the Jinzhong stream. We can identify the impact of human activities on streams by ion ratios (SO42–/Mg2+, (Na++K++Cl–)/Mg2+, NO3−/Na+, NO3−/K+, and NO3−/Cl−). The health risk assessment shows the HQT and HQN for children and adults are higher in Jinzhong stream than in Youyu stream and the total HQ value (HQT) of children was higher than one at J1 in the Jinzhong stream, which shows that children in Jinzhong stream basin are threatened by non-carcinogenic pollutants. Each HQ value of F− and NO3− for children was higher than 0.1 in the tributaries into Aha Lake, indicating that the children may also be potentially endangered.

The impacts of low-carbon technologies are spread across countries and lifecycle stages in ways that can compromise the achievement of an inclusive and equitable energy transition. Based on an exploratory review, this paper identifies the main activities of the electric vehicles (EVs) life cycle, where they occur, and potentially associated injustices. Through a whole systems approach, energy justice tenets are extended to the EV technology, highlighting how it might fail to fully support a low-carbon and just energy transition. Results provide insights into how EVs can contribute to flexibility justice through smart grids and vehicle-to-grid developments, cosmopolitan justice as a consequence of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and global resource depletion, and restorative justice through laws and standards that demand environmental restoration and social compensation over affected communities. However, reviewed documents indicate that efforts must be directed toward reducing distributional, procedural, and recognition injustices across the North-South divide, especially those related to mining activities in the resource extraction and processing stage. EVs upfront costs and charging infrastructure issues may also exclude poor and rural communities during its operational stage. Recommendations for future research include technical aspects such as battery composition and recycling, which will determine the overall impact of EVs on resource extraction and end of life stages, and social aspects of EV-technology such as social innovations that can promote its inclusiveness, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the quantification of social impacts of low-carbon technologies.

Global change is shifting ecosystem type relative abundance in boreal forests, while the green energy transition results in increased mining activities around the globe. The interaction and consequent effects of these two trends on biodiversity have not been examined in depth. Bryophytes species can be used as indicators to measure these effects because they play key ecological roles in boreal forests. We identified and evaluated the interaction between ecosystem type (i.e., coniferous, deciduous, mixed forest and open canopy) and mining on microhabitat scale bryophyte diversity and composition in 1-km landscapes surrounding six mine sites at different stages of the mining lifecycle in the Canadian boreal forest. Irrespective of microhabitat type, the combined effects of ecosystem type and mining stage were interactive on bryophytes. Bryophyte richness and community composition were negatively affected by offsite effects of mines in only deciduous and mixed forests. The interacted effects on bryophyte richness mainly occurred on the ground r microhabitats. We also found that deciduous, mixed forests (coniferous forest as a reference) and mines had a negative impact on the abundance of feather mosses and sphagna. Furthermore, indicator species were identified for areas affected by mines (Pohlia nutans and Dicranum polysetum) and for control areas (Sphagnum angustifolium and Plagiomnium cuspidatum). Our results suggest the predicted ecosystem shifts with global changes, from coniferous to deciduous forests, could potentially increase the effects of mining on forest ecosystem resistance through the changes in bryophyte community structure. Adding microhabitats (i.e., adding coarse woody debris) near mine sites is a potential strategy to maintain species richness. Collectively, these findings advance our understanding of how mining affects biodiversity and highlight the importance of considering mine offsite landscapes in future environmental evaluations of development projects in the context of global changes.

The karst groundwater in the catchment area of the Sangu Spring plays an important supporting role in the residents' living and coal base construction in southeastern Shanxi Province.With the large-scale coal mining and the intensification of human activities, the hydrochemistry of the regional karst groundwater has changed drastically. In this study, 125 karst groundwater, 14 surface water and 14 rain water samples were collected and tested. The descriptive statistical analysis, coefficient of variation analysis, hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes, Gibbs model, ion correlation, mineral saturation index and factor analysis are comprehensively used to determine the replenishment sources of the karst groundwater, the differences of hydrochemical characteristics and evolution mechanism among the subsystems. The results show that the δD and δ18O values of the karst groundwater range from −77‰ to −42‰ and from −10.6‰ to −4.5‰, respectively, and the data points fall near the local meteoric water line (LMWL), indicating that the karst groundwater are mainly recharged by infiltration from precipitation. The hydrochemical characteristics and hydrogeochemical evolution processes between subsystems Ⅰ and Ⅱ-Ⅲwere obviously different. The karst groundwater of subsystem Ⅰhas low salinity and is soft water, and 73% of the groundwater is of HCO3—Ca(Mg) type. However, the karst groundwater in subsystems Ⅱ and Ⅲ changes from low salinity and soft water to high salinity and hard water, and 36% to 40% of the water is of HCO3·SO4—Ca·Mg type and 24% to 45%, of SO4·HCO3—Ca type. Factor analyses show that the hydrochemical evolution processes of the regional karst groundwater are mainly controlled by water-rock interactions, human activities, leakage of surface water and local fissure water. Hydrochemical compositions of \begin{document}${\rm{HCO}}_3^- $\end{document}, \begin{document}${\rm{SO}}_4^{2-} $\end{document}, Ca2+ and Mg2+are mainly controlled by water-rock interactions. A higher concentration of \begin{document}${\rm{SO}}_4^{2-} $\end{document} is controlled by mining activities, \begin{document}${\rm{NO}}_3^- $\end{document} is controlled by agriculture activities and Cl−and Na+are controlled by sewage discharge and leakage of fissure water. The results will be instructive for improving the management and utilization of groundwater resources for the local government.

Environmental problems due to mining activities in Nigeria and Cameroon have been a source of geopolitical concern. Here, we explore these issues in terms of the balance of economic benefits from mining and ensuring geological site maintenance and enhancement. The study was carried out through the use of questionnaires and interviews. 179 respondents were sampled, 147 in Nigeria and 32 in Cameroon. The results suggest that there are more perceived benefits than losses in mining activities. Responses show that over 90% (40.11% agree and 51.98% strongly agree) confirmed that mining has brought gains to their community and so mining activities should continue. On the other hand, fewer than 8% (4.52% disagree and 3.39% strongly disagree) are against the view that mining brought gains to their community and so mining activities should be stopped. Some of the gains from mining activities include employment opportunities and assistance or compensation received from the mining companies. Although there are geopolitical concerns, as shown by the 60.23% responses agreeing that there are conflicts between mining companies and the community due to mining activities, these concerns are minimal. The concerns range from negative impacts of mining such as pollution-induced health problems as a result of contaminated water and land, destruction of aquatic creatures, mining pits as death traps, as well as destruction of farm lands. Geopolitical concerns include lack of payment of compensation, tax and royalties as well as corruption of community leaders who receive benefits that ought to accrue to the entire community. The study concludes that with regulations of the negative effect of mining, mining can be very beneficial to the people because the negative geopolitical concerns raised are less than the benefits derived.

Mine water poses severe threats to the quality of the water supply and ecological environment of the Shendong mining areas owing to its excessive fluoride (F-) content. However, the geochemical behaviours and enrichment mechanisms responsible for F⁻ enrichment during mining activities are not fully understood. In total, 18 Yanan groundwater and 45 mine water samples were collected to analyse the spatial distribution, hydrogeochemical behaviours, and formation mechanisms related to elevated F- levels by analysing the stable isotopes and water-rock interactions. In this study, F- concentrations in mine water samples varied from 0.16 to 12.75 mg/L, with a mean value of 6.10 mg/L, and 77.78% of the mine water samples had a concentration that exceeded China’s national standards (1.00 mg/L) for drinking water. The F- concentration was markedly high in the mine water samples, with the mean F- concentration being 1.58 times of that in the Yanan groundwater samples. The results of stable isotopes (18OH2O, D, 34SSO4, and 18OSO4) and water-rock interaction analyses suggested that cation exchange and competitive effects were the dominant factors responsible for elevated F- concentration in mine water during mining activities. Thus, the weathering of F-bearing minerals, agriculture, and domestic activities do not play a significant role in the secondary enrichment of F- concentration.

Aspilia grazielae (J. U. Santos) is an endemic plant species in Morro do Urucum in the Pantanal wetland (Brazil). A. grazielae is used for the restoration of areas impacted by iron mining activities. This study evaluates the diversity (composition, value and abundance) of endophytic fungal communities, considering parts of the plant and soil condition. The leaves and roots of A. grazielae were collected from native vegetation areas (NVA) and recovery areas (RCA) in Morro do Urucum. Illumina sequencing technology was used to investigate variation in endophytic fungal biodiversity. The operational taxonomic units detected in NVA ranged from 183 to 263 (leaf) and 115 to 285 (root), while RCA samples ranged from 200 to 282 (leaf) and 156 to 348 (root). Ascomycota phylum was the most common species among all plant samples. The most significant classes identified were Lecanoromycetes and Dothideomycetes that differed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) according to their plant hosts and soil stress. The relative abundance of Pestalotiopsis (Sordariomycetes class) and Stereocaulon (Lecanoromycetes class) genera was influenced by the iron mining activities according to the leaf samples analysed. However, the abundance and wealth of endophytic fungal communities in A. grazielae from RCA were evidence that could explain their high resilience to environmental disturbances and the source-sink dynamics of fungal propagules.

The mining industry contributes to a particular extent to the pollution of environmental factors, both through the large quantities of pollutants it produces and the diversity of the environment. The negative impact of mining activities on the environment is a direct one, which is strictly related to the actual extraction activity of mineral deposits useful and indirect, related to the mining activity processing and use. Usually these activities are concentrated in certain geographic perimeters, the same area being influenced by the mining activity, both directly and indirectly. This paper presents the present study on noise pollution by the mining operation ROŞIUŢA

A specific set of environmental conditions characterizes plant species patterns and distribution on Earth. Similarly, riparian vegetation can be impacted by anthropogenic activities like mining practices involving the removal of vegetation cover, which destroys the structure and diversity of the habitat, adversely affecting the ecosystem services. In this study, we explored the role of environmental variables and biotic intervention in deriving spatial patterns and distribution of riparian vegetation at mining and non-mining sites along the most depleted Panjkora River basin in NW Pakistan. Vegetation data and its determining factors at 28 mining and non-mining sites (14 each) were sampled using 10 m × 10 m (100 m2) systematic plots at 50 m intervals along transects in a downstream direction from the upper catchments to the bottom junction with the Swat River. We recorded 186 species in both mining and non-mining sites, belonging to 70 families comprising 174 angiosperms, 3 gymnosperms, and 9 Pteridophytes. Results show that annual or perennial therophytic life forms predominated in the Panjkora River system, indicating anthropogenic disturbances. At the same time, the aggressively invasive species, such as Xanthium strumarium and Cannabis sativa, further heightened plant community disturbances. Generally, the species diversity was higher in non-mining sites and may be attributed to habitat fragmentation. Likewise, the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA-ordination) revealed that geographic coordinate (i.e., latitude r = 0.80; longitude r = 0.75) and elevation (r = 0.95) were more meaningful predictors than soil texture (i.e., silt%, r = −0.30), nutrients (i.e., potassium, r = −0.35; phosphorus, r = 0.38) and soil pH (r = −0.50) in shaping the spatial pattern and vegetation structure. Our result implies that the present vegetation composition and spatial assemblages are due to heavy anthropogenic interventions, especially mining activities. Therefore, the heavily degraded fragile riparian system of the Panjkora River and its tributaries needed to be conserved and restored by predicting the composition of communities in response to changing climatic conditions.

Understanding the variability of heavy metals in surface sediments and how they accumulate is important not only in ecology and biodiversity conservation but also in aquatic natural resources management. This study investigated the level of some heavy metal contaminants in the Kifubwa and Solwezi Rivers in the Northwestern Province of Zambia. We used an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) to determine the levels of heavy metals in the surface sediments. Six sites known to be associated with heavy metal anthropogenic activities were sampled. In these sites, six elements, namely Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn, were targeted and measured in surface sediments from these two rivers. The mean values of these elements in each river were determined. To understand the ecological risk related to heavy metal contamination, we calculated the contamination factor (CF), the contamination degree (CD), as well as the pollution load index (PLI) for each element at each site in each river. These indices showed little contamination in the surface sediments of these rivers. This, therefore, implies that there are few ecological risks posed by heavy metal pollution to the ecosystems of the Solwezi and Kifubwa Rivers from sediments. However, follow-up studies should be carried out to monitor the levels of heavy metals in the fauna and flora of these rivers. Additionally, a follow-up study for the determination of other heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and nickel must be conducted.

Nonlethal human disturbances have been confirmed to have a negative effect on wildlife in a variety of ways, including on behaviors. In many studies, the impact of human disturbances on gregarious species of wildlife is assessed through changes in their social organization and vigilance. In our study in the Kalamaili Nature Reserve, China, we wanted to estimate the impacts of differing levels of human disturbances on two different group types (mixed-sex and all-male) of goitered gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa, living in three functional zones (experimental, buffer, and core zones), which represent high, medium, and low human disturbance levels, respectively. In addition, we studied the time spent vigilant as a function of group size with different levels of human disturbances in the three zones. In general, mixed-sex gazelle groups were of similar sizes in the three different zones, while all-male groups slightly differed in their sizes between the experimental and buffer zones. This may indicate that human disturbances have varying effects on the different group types, with smaller-sized, single-sex groups being more significantly affected by human disturbances than larger-sized, mixed-sex groups. Goitered gazelle showed higher vigilance levels in the experimental zone than in the two other zones. A trend of decreasing vigilance varying linearly with group size was also found in the three zones, and the rate of decrease was higher in the experimental zone. Increased habitat fragmentation and human activities brought goitered gazelle and humans closer together in the core zone. Therefore, stopping mining activities and returning the reserve to a continuous habitat with fewer environmental disturbances is the best way to establish and protect a stable population of this endangered species of gazelle.

In the Kozak Basin, which is the most important pine nut production and trade center in Turkey, there has been a significant decrease in production recently. In this study, the perspectives of the farmers in this area were investigated, specifically about reasons for the decrease in yields. For this purpose, a face-to-face survey was conducted with 378 pine nut farmers from the Kozak Basin. It was determined that the average age of the farmers is high, their educational achievement level is low, they generally also work in alternative sectors and almost all of them grow pine nuts in their own pine groves. The farmers’ perception of cooperatives was found to be negative. In general, the local people continue to produce pine nuts in their own pine groves, but nearly half of the participants also worked in other sectors to maintain their standard of living. Farmers attribute the low yield in the Kozak Basin to both abiotic and biotic factors. Mining activities, which are increasing, are seen as a threat to the future of production in the area. Also, there is a growing perception of biotic harm, especially from Western Conifer Seed Bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis. Climate change and air pollution are other prominent factors.

Protected areas (PAs) are one of the main strategies to preserve tropical biodiversity. However, their viability is compromised by the impacts of a variety of threats. To gain a more integrated view of how different threats affect them, individually and in combination, we analyzed the spatial distribution of forest loss (2010–2015), human density, incidence of fires, and mining activities in four PAs (Cordón Pico Loro-Paxtal: CPL, El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve: ETBR, La Sepultura Biosphere Reserve: SEBR and La Frailescana: LF) located in the biodiversity stronghold of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas (SMC), Mexico. We integrated these threats in a Human Pressure Index (HPI, ranging from 0 to 1, where 1 is the highest human pressure). We found that the SEBR and LF were affected mainly by forest loss (13.43% and 11.67% forest area lost, respectively) and fire incidence (between 0.02-0.73 and 0–0.81 fire hotspots/km2, respectively). On the other hand, the ETBR and CPL had lower forest loss and fire incidence but higher mining presence (16.2% and 84.8% of their area involving this activity, respectively), and population density (on average 0.6 and 8.6 inhabitants/km2, respectively). The highest HPI values (>0.6) occurred in the northern and the southern extremes of the study area encompassing 42.6%, 54.5% and 54.1% of the extent of the SEBR, LF, and CPL, respectively, putting in high risk important areas to maintain landscape connectivity. Despite occurring in the same region (SMC) focal PAs are affected differently by the assessed threats. A nonintegrated analysis of threats affecting PAs in biodiversity strongholds such as the SMC risks producing a biased view of their intensity, reducing the possibility to planning more effective conservation strategies.

An active gold mining area in Okpella, Edo State, Nigeria was studied to assess the contribution of gold mining to the concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in stream sediments. Standard geochemical sampling and sample treatment techniques were employed, and samples were analysed using the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) method. The concentrations of arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) were determined in fifteen stream sediment samples from an active gold mining area, which also receives discharged marble mine water. The enrichment factor (EF) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) were calculated using the XRF analysis results to assess the level of PTEs pollution in the area. The sediments showed a PTEs concentration trend of Cu > Zn > Pb > As > Cr > Hg > Ni > Co. The EF results revealed extremely severe enrichment of Hg, moderate enrichment of Cu, minor enrichment of As and Pb, and no enrichment of Co, Cr, Ni and Zn in the sediments. The Igeo also showed that the sediments were extremely polluted with Hg, moderately polluted with Cu but there was no evidence of pollution from other PTEs. Extreme pollution of the sediments by Hg and its enrichments in Cu, As and Pb are due to indiscriminate active artisanal gold mining in the area. It is recommended that immediate remediation measures should be enforced to mitigate the possible environmental health hazards to humans and livestock in the area.

Organic compounds are employed as additives to increase the dissolution speed of gold, in concentrations around 1 g/L when using cyanidation, thereby forming a residual aqueous effluent with high amounts of free cyanides and organic compounds, which generate metallic complexes difficult to degrade. To increase the photodegradation efficiency, promising niobium and titanium porous materials are proposed as photocatalysts, due to their role in simultaneous oxidation and reduction reactions. In the process of cyanide oxidation, NbO5 0.3H2O was doped with titanium oxalate (IV) of 0.5, 1, and 1.5%; and HTiNbO5 were synthesized, from the mixture of NbO5 with TiO2 Degussa-P25, by coprecipitation, impregnation, and solid state. The determination of its elemental composition, morphological and textural properties were carried out by using various XRD techniques, Raman spectroscopy, SEM/EDS and acidity by pyridine. The experiments of photocatalytic oxidation of cyanide used one semibatch reactor with ultraviolet irradiation 125 W in a pH range of 9.5–12. The catalyst with the highest percentage of degradation was HTiNbO5 93.7%, which is attributed to the microstructure of the double layer and Lewis acidity sites, followed by NbTi-1% 92.9% and the Nb2O5.3H2O 82.4%, being the majority product cyanate, proposing its mechanism of reaction. Characterization experiments indicated Nb-O-Ti bridges that have been associated with the control of redox properties of the niobium species and Ti-O-Nb = O, which could be generating a greater number of e–H +pairs, increasing the photocatalytic activity. It is considered that the method of synthesis has a strong influence in changing the morphology of the particles such as porosity, specific surface and factors such as the acidity of niobium–based catalysts, which are important to achieving efficiency in degradation. Niobium-Titanium photocatalysts proved to be an excellent new breakthrough in Advanced Oxidation Technologies (AOT), to eliminate cyanide in wastewater from mining activities.

Lead contamination is a worldwide problem that affects the health of several bird species and can cause biodiversity loss. However, in South America there is little information about this problem and the species affected. The aim of this study is to compile existing knowledge about lead contamination in South American bird species and propose actions to mitigate this problem. Through a literature search, we found 39 scientific articles on this topic studying 68 bird species. Most studies came from Argentina and Brazil (71.7%), but also from Chile (7.7%), Venezuela (7.7%), Colombia (5.1%), Bolivia (2.6%), Ecuador (2.6%) and Peru (2.6%). Almost all the articles were published between 2001 and 2017. Waterbirds and birds of prey were the avian guilds more studied. Seventy percent of the studies show individuals with lead concentrations that exceed established thresholds levels. The few available articles suggest that lead contamination may be a continental-scale problem produced by different sources like fuels, mining, industries and hunting ammunition. However, lead ammunition seems to be an underestimated source of lead which is producing the highest toxic levels in bird species from South America. To our knowledge, there are regulations about different lead sources but not for lead ammunition in any country, except for some regions in Argentina. The progressive banning of lead from all sources and particularly from hunting ammunition is the main and most effective way to reduce the risk for wildlife. Current obstacles must be overcome through a combined effort of governments, wildlife managers and local communities.

Ground subsidence is a common geological phenomenon occurring in mining areas. As an important Chinese gold mine, Sanshandao Gold Mine has a mining history of 25 years, with remarkable ground subsidence deformation. Mining development, life security, property security and ecological protection all require comprehension of the ground subsidence characteristics and evolution in the mining area. In this study, the mining subsidence phenomenon of the Sanshandao Gold Mine was investigated and analyzed based on Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) and small baseline subset (SBAS). The SAR (synthetic aperture radar) images covering the study area were acquired by the Sentinel-1A satellite between 2018 and 2021; 54 images (between 22 February 2018 and 25 May 2021) were processed using the PSI technique and 24 images (between 11 April 2018 and 12 July 2021) were processed using the SBAS technique. In addition, GACOS (generic atmospheric correction online service) data were adopted to eliminate the atmospheric error in both kinds of data processing. The interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) results showed a basically consistent subsidence area and a similar subsidence pattern. Both InSAR results indicated that the maximum LOS (line of sight) subsidence velocity is about 49 mm/year. The main subsidence zone is situated in the main mining area, extending in the northwest and southeast directions. According to the subsidence displacement of several representative sites in the mining area, we found that the PSI result has a higher subsidence displacement value compared to the SBAS result. Mining activities were accompanied by ground subsidence in the mining area: the ground subsidence phenomenon is exacerbated by the increasing mining quantity. Temporally, the mining subsidence lags behind the increase in mining quantity by about three months. In summary, the mining area has varying degrees of ground subsidence, monitored by two reliable time-series InSAR techniques. Further study of the subsidence mechanism is necessary to forecast ground subsidence and instruct mining activities.

Abstract The West Bokaro coalfield is a richest coal-mining belt in the Damodar Valley, India. The extensive mining of the area has resulted in disruption of the groundwater availability in terms of both quantity and quality. This has led to a drinking water crisis, especially during the pre-monsoon period in the West Bokaro coalfield area. The characterization of the hydrogeological system and the artificial recharging of the aquifers might help to better manage the problem of the groundwater-level depletion. For this purpose, seven important hydrogeological factors (water depth, slope, drainage, soil, infiltration, lithology, and landuse) have been considered to define the most suitable locations for artificial groundwater recharging in the mining area. Different thematic maps were prepared from existing maps and data sets, remote-sensing images, and field investigations for identification of the most suitable locations for artificial recharge. Thematic layers for these parameters were prepared, classified, weighted, and integrated into a geographic information system (GIS) environment by means of fuzzy logic. The results of the study indicate that about 29 and 31% of the area are very suitable and suitable for recharging purposes in the West Bokaro coalfield. However, the rest of the area is moderate to unsuitable for recharging due to the ongoing mining and related activities in the study area. The groundwater recharging map of the study area was validated with measured electrical conductivity (EC) values in the groundwater, and it indicated that validation can be accepted for the identification of groundwater recharging sites. These findings are providing useful information for the proper planning and sustainable management of the groundwater resources in the study area.

Environmental contamination with heavy metals is one of the major problems all over the world. In most cases the heavy metals are presents in the environment as a consequence of human activities. Romania is known for intense mining activities for centuries. The impact of nonferrous metal extraction from underground caused a major imbalance on the environment such as: residual water, destruction of soil quality, fertile soil layer, agricultural terrains and changes in the flow groundwater, air pollution and mine wastes with a negative effect on the environmental and human health. Past mining activities represents a negative impact on the environment, due to continuous leakages of mine and large quantities of waste deposited. In Almașu Mare mining area, the exploitation activity has a long history with a important impact on water pollution. Water pollution with heavy metals in Almașu Mare area is mainly due to leakages of mine. Haneș mine from Almașu Mare is a significant problem, representing a serious risk to human health and the environment. These issues require effective solutions, but at a reduced cost. The study consists in water quality assessment in the Haneș mine area and proposing optimal solution for remediation and stabilization of the situation in the studied area. Water quality assessment consists in the determination of the heavy metals concentration from underground water and to compare analyses results to the admissible limits concentration regarding the content of the heavy metals in the surface waters.

The geochemical characterization of the mine deposits and soils in metal mining areas is essential in order to develop an effective mine reclamation strategy. The determination of total potentially toxic element (PTE) content, together with the application of chemical extraction procedures, can give insight into the behavior of contaminants after the application of different mine reclamation solutions, as well as identify the areas where urgent action is needed. This work presents a practical application to the evaluation of the pollution potential of trace elements in soils affected by mining activities, to be used in metallic mine reclamation. The PTE behavior was assessed by single extractions in order to simulate four environmental conditions: PTE mobility under rainfall conditions, acid mine drainage, reducing conditions, and plant uptake. The spatial distribution of contaminants in the study area was evaluated by determination of PTE total content in soil samples. Trace elements with high natural mobility, such as Zn, appeared concentrated at water and sediment discharge areas, while As, Pb, and Cu contents were higher near the mine wastes. The results obtained after the extractions suggested that the highest PTE content was extracted in the complexing–reducing medium, due to the dissolution of secondary sulfates and Fe3+ oxyhydroxides and the subsequent release of PTEs associated with those mineral phases. Reclamation strategies applied in the study area should promote efficient water drainage, infiltration, and subsuperficial water circulation in order to maintain oxidant conditions in the soil. The methodology applied in this study may constitute a valuable tool to define the geochemical constraints in metal mining areas, as well as help to develop appropriate mine reclamation solutions.

Dynamics of Forest Ecosystems of the Katangese Copper Belt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I. Causes, Spatial transformations and Extent. The socio-economic development resulting from the emergence of the mining sector in the Democratic Republic of the Congo causes significant changes in the natural ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate, the deforestation patterns in the Katangese Copper Belt (K.C.B.) caused by the proliferation of mining sites and urban areas using the Landsat images of 2002 and 2015,. A 10 km x 10 km square grid was applied to calculate landscape metrics for forest pattern analysis. The results obtained within the K.C.B. show that the relative area of forests decreases from 49% to 42% between 2002 and 2015. Most squares are characterized by an increase in the number of forest patches and by a reduction of the forest area. Dissection was identified as the dominant spatial transformation process governing the forest cover dynamics. Other processes observed related to anthropogenic effects in landscapes were the suppression and the fragmentation. Aggregation, creation and enlargement dominate those squares situated in private concessions or in which forest conservation initiatives are developed. A link between the overall forest cover declining and the development the urban areas and the mining sites has been mapped. This study can serve as a conceptual framework for the application of policies oriented towards a more sustainable conservation of the Katangese forests, hence inversing the current trends.

Abstract. Disturbed by the mining industry area in Bulgaria is about 24.113 ha of which only 8.253 ha are reclaimed. Reclamation of disturbed areas covers a complex of engineering, technical, ameliorative, agricultural, forestry and other activities, which aim at restoration of the disturbed terrains and their re-entry into economic turnover in accordance with environmental conditions and area landscape. All disturbed lands as well as their adjacent areas that have completely or partially lost productivity as a result of the negative impact of mining activities and land damage are subject to reclamation. Land reclamation is a two-step process which includes: technical reclamation and biological reclamation. Technical reclamation is performed by the land owner and covers cleaning and preparation of the terrain, leveling, final formation and laying a humus soil layer on site by adding appropriate “improvers” (e.g. fertilizers, texture enhancers, etc.). Biological reclamation covers restoration of the productivity of the disturbed areas. Reclamation technologies applied in Bulgaria as a whole have led to a state of these territories that requires both maintenance and search for new ways of integration of the reclaimed landscapes with modern economic activities. The aim of the study is analysis and applying reliable modern practices that ensure good results in visual qualities of landscape and more options for future use of the reclaimed land.

Since the middle of the 20th century, human activities have led to overall ecosystem contamination and to major modifications in landscape structure and composition. Mining activities represent a major source of environmental contamination by metal residues. The objective of our study was to evaluate the presence of heavy metals and other elements on stingless bee pollen, and compare them to samples of Suspended Particulate Material (SPM) in five points a Mineral Province, in Brazil. More than 50 elements were identified by ICP-OES and ICP-MS, after microwave digestion. Overall, we found a strong relation among elements present on pollen and SPM. Samples from the four areas exhibited higher levels of minerals compared to the reference site. Mineral levels varied widely within the two seasonal periods. Some elements, like Pb, Cd, As, Cu, Zn, and Fe were found at levels considered potentially toxic to human health. Pollen stored by stingless bees was a successful bioindicator, and demonstrated the value of quantitative ecological information for detecting air pollution.

This article presents an analysis of the legal requirements related to environmental protection and the management of a deposit, paying special attention to the impact of the management of the deposit from the time of discovery, documentation and making the deposits available for exploitation until reclamation and use of deposit after dismantling of the mining plant on the institutional forms of environmental protection such as forms of protection of landscape and nature, forms of protection of groundwater, forms of protection of soil and the forms of forest protection. Accepted forms of division of environmental protection results from assessment of documented and undeveloped deposits of rock materials in task 7: Protection of rock deposits - criteria of their rational management, conditions and opportunities of implementation of the project Strategies and technological scenarios ... , using the method of assessment of Nieć and Radwanek-Bąk (2011).

One of company activies that relate directly to the environment is a mining activity. Tax can be instrument to control the environment, and also financing instrument to recover environment damage by mining activity. Therefore, Mining Companies are encouraged to manage environment information and report the enviromental costs to their stakeholders. This research uses a qualitatif approach because qualitatif research is more complex to give details of informations in difficult expressions. The design of this research is qualitative descriptive to develop the research idea. This reseacrh is based on secondary data such as literature review, government regulation about taxes and environment, and others reseacrh. In terms of analyzing the data, researcher conducted domain analysis to do exploration new idea. The research results are to identify environmental costs in mining companies of its activities which consists of prevention costs, detection costs, internal failure costs, and external failure costs, to design environmental taxation mechanism and to determine the base of environmental tax.

Background. Ghana, like many countries in Africa, has a history of heavy metal pollution largely emanating from industrial effluent discharges and anthropogenic deposits on prevailing winds of pollutants from industrial activities. One of the biggest contributors to pollution in the Ghanaian environment is mineral mining. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution and health risks of heavy metals in surface water from both pristine environments and major mining areas in Ghana. Methods. A total of 32 composite samples were collected between September and October, 2014 to assess concentrations of heavy metals and pollution levels, as well as cancer and non-cancer risks to human health from exposure to heavy metals from four major mining regions and four rain forest reserves in the Western, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Eastern regions of Ghana. Samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometry. Results. The mean concentrations (mg/L) of heavy metals at the pristine sites ranged from 1.747 for iron (Fe) to 0.001 for mercury (Hg) and 0.453 for Fe to 0.002 for Hg at the mining sites. All the metals were found to be below World Health Organization (WHO) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recommended limits except for Hg, which was at the USEPA guideline limit. However, the concentrations of the metals from the mining sites were found to be slightly higher than those from the pristine sites. Conclusions. The concentrations of heavy metals in the Nyam, Subri, Bonsa and Birim Rivers from the mining sites and the Atiwa Range, Oda, Ankasa and Bosomkese Rivers from the pristine sites were found to be either below or within the USEPA and WHO's recommended limits for surface water. The health risk assessment values for the hazard quotient for ingestion of water (HQing), dermal contact (HQderm) and chronic daily intake (CDI) indicated no adverse effects as a result of ingestion or dermal contact from the rivers. However, arsenic (As) in both the pristine and mining sites and chromium (Cr) in the pristine sites pose a carcinogenic threat to the local residents.

The concentrations of lead, copper and cadmium in soil and plant samples collected from Abare and Dareta villages in Anka local government area of Zamfara State, Nigeria have been electrochemically determined. The study was carried out because of the high mortality of women and children under five, reported for these areas in June 2010. The cause was ascribed to the lead poisoning which has been related to the mining and processing of gold-containing ores. Linear sweep anodic stripping voltammetry technique was used with the glassy carbon working, Ag/AgCl reference and platinum auxiliary electrodes. Voltammetric peaks for lead, copper and cadmium that were observed at -495 mV, -19.4 mV and -675 mV, respectively, have formed a basis for construction of the corresponding calibration plots. The concentrations (in mg/kg) of lead, copper and cadmium in the soil samples were found in the ranges of 18.99−26087.70, 2.96−584.60 and 0.00−1354.25, respectively. The concentration values for lead were far above already established USEPA (2002) and WHO (1996) maximum permissible limits for residential areas. The concentrations of lead, copper and cadmium in the food samples ranged between 5.70−79.91, 11.17−41.21 and 0.00−5.74 mg/kg. Several of these values are found well above the FAO/WHO limits of 0.1, 2 and 0.1 mg/kg, respectively. The results indicate that in addition to the lead poisoning, copper and cadmium poisoning may also be responsible for sudden and high mortality in this population.

The beginnings of the mining history date back to ancient times, up to the second century B.C. One field closely related to mining activities is mine surveying. Mine surveying and mapping are disciplines that deal with the surveying and displaying of underground works and mining claims, in which their spatial relationships are determined against the surface. The introductory part of the paper is dedicated to the history and development of the mine surveying discipline and mapping, and to the profession of a mine surveyor. The second part of the article is devoted to historical mining maps produced in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Historical mine maps belong to the significant treasures of past times, and from today's perspective they are often considered to be pieces of art. In the time of their origin they belonged to the most sophisticated technical-natural documents that were used for the registration of property rights, and for the performance of mining activities. With regard to the period in which they were created they are accurate, yet there are few records on their history.

The main goal of this study was to determine the diversity and activity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in an area degraded by limestone mining within the semi-arid region of Brazil known as the caatinga (shrublands). Near a limestone quarry, we selected two areas of caatinga (preserved and degraded) for study. The number of glomerospores did not differ significantly between the two areas. There was a trend toward the most probable number of infective propagules being higher in the degraded area. Twenty AMF taxa were identified in the two sampled areas, species richness, diversity and evenness being higher in the preserved area. Two species of Racocetra represent new records for the semi-arid region of Brazil. Glomerospore production and AMF species richness were unaffected by mining activity in the study area.

Four sequential extraction procedures (Sposito, Tessier, Silveira and Bureau Communautaire de Reference (BCR)) were used to evaluate the distribution of some metals (Fe, Cu, Cd and Zn) in a contaminated soil around a mining area. The results showed that Fe and Zn were mainly recovered in the recalcitrant soil fractions, while Cd was primarily localized in the exchangeable fraction. Soil Cu was highly associated with organic matter fraction. The amorphous Fe fraction in Silveira could be recognized as part of the Fe-Mn oxide fraction in Tessier and BCR procedures, while the crystalline Fe oxide fraction was classified into the residual fraction in Sposito, BCR and Tessier schemes. Although the same reagent was used to extract target fraction, less carbonate-bound Cu, Cu and Zn were extracted in Tessier procedure as compared to Silveira method, while Tessier scheme yielded a higher proportion of Fe, Cu and Zn in the Fe-Mn oxide fraction than BCR method. Due to the lack of uniformity of experimental conditions and the differences in extraction reagents, the extraction efficiency of metal species varied with the sequential extraction schemes. Therefore, care should be taken when comparing the results obtained by different sequential extraction procedures.

In this work we present the results of a methodological research on the chemical speciation of heavy metals found in surface waters of an area polluted by mining activities (in the Western Carpathians). The surface water samples were collected in two seasons (summer and fall). Each time were performed in situ physical-chemical measurements (pH, Eh, conductivity, temperature) and analytical determination of total concentrations of some metals (manganese, copper, zinc, iron, cadmium) and anions (SO42-, Cl-, PO43-, NO3-). Analyze of chemical speciation of these metals was made using the PHREEQC program which allowed us to determine the distribution of studied elements. The concordance of the results obtained with this program with thermodynamic predictions arising from potential - pH equilibrium diagrams - Pourbaix type justify the compatibility between the program calculation and experimental data.

Heavy metal concentrations were measured in soils and plants in and around a copper-tungsten mine in southeast Korea to investigate the influence of past base metal mining on the surface environment. The results of chemical analysis indicate that the heavy metals in soils decreased with distance from the source, controlled mainly by water movement and topography. The metal concentrations measured in plant species generally decreased in the order; spring onions > soybean leaves > perilla leaves » red pepper > corn grains » jujube grains, although this pattern varied moderately between different elements. The results agree with other reports that metal concentrations in leaves are usually much higher than those in grain. Factors influencing the bioavailability of metals and their occurrences in crops were found as soil pH, cation exchange capacity, organic matter content, soil texture, and interaction among the target elements. It is concluded that total metal concentrations in soils are the main controls on their contents in plants. Soil pH was also an important factor. A stepwise linear multiple regression analysis was also conducted to identify the dominant factors influencing metal uptake by plants. Metal concentrations in plants were also estimated by computer-aided statistical methods.