Environmental Science 15th Edition by Scott Spoolman,Tyler Miller

Exercise 4

What is surface mining ? Define overburden and spoils. Define open-pit mining and strip mining , and distinguish among area strip mining , contour strip mining , and mountaintop removal mining. Describe three harmful environmental effects of surface mining. What is subsurface mining ? Summarize the harmful effects of gold mining. Define tailings and explain why they can be hazardous. What is smelting and what are its major harmful environmental effects?