Mining and the Environment: Impacts and Solutions
Mining and the Environment: Impacts and Solutions
Items in this lesson
Mining and the Environment: Impacts and Solutions
What do you already know about mining?
Learning Objective
At the end of the lesson you will be able to identify the impacts of mining on the environment, recall the purpose of mining, and suggest ways to reduce negative effects.
Success Criteria
• Recall why we mine • Suggest positive and negative impacts of mining • Identify ways to reduce harm to the environment
What is Mining?
Mining is taking minerals or rocks from the Earth. These materials are used to make things in our daily lives, like cars, buildings, and phones.
Mining in Australia
Australia has many different mines. We have gold, iron ore, coal, and more. Can you name a mineral mined in your state or territory?
Impacts of Mining
Mining gives us useful materials and jobs. But it can also harm the land, water, plants, and animals. Let’s look at the positives and negatives.
Positive vs Negative Impacts
Positive Impacts
Negative Impacts
• Brings jobs • Supplies materials we need • Can boost local economies
• Destroys habitats • Causes pollution • Changes the shape of land
Case Study: Super Pit, Kalgoorlie
What do you notice about the Super Pit? How have people changed the land? Would you like to live near a mine like this? Why or why not?
Mine Rehabilitation
After mining, land can be fixed up or changed for new uses. What changes do you see in before-and-after mine photos? Why is this important?
Activity: Mend That Mine!
Match each negative impact of mining with a strategy that could fix or reduce it. Share your ideas about how else we could help the land recover after mining.
Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.
Write down 2 things you want to know more about.
Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.
