Impact of Resource Use Depletion of resource nonrenewable
Impact of Resource Use
Depletion of resource non-renewable (on human scale) often occur in small localized bodies not evenly distributed
Consumption rapid slower sustainable
Resources and reserves potentially useful materials identified useable legally retrievable economically viable
Environmental impact exploration - small development – large
Environmental impact exploration - small development – large l surface disruption
Environmental impact Shaft mining small scale l large scale l
Environmental impact exploration - small development – large surface disruption l slag deposits l water pollution l air pollution l social l
Impact of coal mining strip mining disturbs large areas l reclamation l mountain-top removal l underground subsidence l fires l
Mining Methods longwall
Mining Methods room & pillar modified room & pillar panel
Herrin Coal
Colchester Coal
Impact of petroleum and gas exploration and development roads drilling old - straight down, multiple sites l new - multi directional, one site l wastewater spills refining energy use
Acid deposition source burning fossil fuels l SOx & NOx l effect - damage vegetation l water ecosystems l human structures l solutions buffer lakes l clean emissions l clean fuel l
Fission: environmental effects problems l l l highly toxic (some) difficult to contain (some) long-lived (some) bad publicity (bombs) could be used by bad people waste l low-level: regional disposal trans-uranic: WIPP high-level: Yucca Mtn
Restoration & Reclamation regulations biotechnology return site to near original state if possible new use for site
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