A groundbreaking study has provided new insights into the extensive impact of metal mining contamination on rivers and floodplains across the world, with an estimated 23 million people believed to be affected by potentially dangerous concentrations of toxic waste. The study used a new georeferenced global database of 185,000 metal mines compiled by the team alongside a combination of process-based modelling and empirical testing to predict the dispersal of mine waste in river systems to offer a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and health challenges associated with metal mining activities, examining both historical and active mining operations. With the rapid growth of metal mining crucial to the world making the transition to green energy, the study provides governments, mining companies, environmental regulators, and communities impacted by mining operations with a tool to understand the impacts of environmental impact of mining. Ultimately it is hoped that this will make it easier to mitigate the environmental effects of historical and present mining and help to minimise the impacts of future mining development on communities, while also protecting food and water security.
has provided new insights into the extensive impact of metal mining contamination on rivers and floodplains across the world, with an estimated 23 million people believed to be affected by potentially dangerous concentrations of toxic waste.
The study modelled contamination from all known active and inactive metal mining sites, including tailings storage facilities -- used to store mine waste -- and looked at potentially harmful contaminants such as lead, zinc, copper, and arsenic, which are transported downstream from mining operations, and often deposited along river channels and floodplains for extended periods.
Released against the backdrop of growing demand for metals and minerals to feed the demands of the green energy transition, the new results highlight the widespread reach of the contamination, affecting approximately 479,200 kilometres of river channels and encompassing 164,000 square kilometres of floodplains on a global scale.According to the findings released today, approximately 23.48 million people reside on these affected floodplains, supporting 5.
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