The environmental impact of mining activities

The exploitation of mineral resources creates artificial environments that need to be understood and controlled. More specifically, we need to separate direct and indirect impacts. The former are the most visible, notably in the wake of catastrophic events caused by the failure of tailings dams, and through the impacts on human health, with Pneumoconiosis (silicosis, asbestosis), diseases that can be discussed through the structure and properties of the minerals responsible. In countries with a long history of mining, such as those of Western Europe, long-term impacts stem from past activities that need to be brought under control. However, their effects are felt after a few decades, in connection with the destabilization of residual minerals on the Earth's surface. The extent of contamination and its impact on health depend on the element's speciation.