Urban vs. Rural Living

Canada is supported by the Canadian Shield due to the low population compared to the resources it contains.  These valuables are exploited by industries; one main one being mining.

Besides companies prospering, it develops our country by the money it creates while mass producing jobs and creating government revenue; with the exception of the effects on the environment.

Mining is one of the leading causes of deforestation because the land must be cleared to mine and dynamite is sometimes used harming all nearby surroundings. After the land is cleared, poisonous chemicals such as mercury are used to extract the valuables, and can be released into surrounding bodies of water affecting the aquatic life and the humans that eat them.

The two categories of mining are large and small scale mining. Large scale mining causes acid mine drainage, as well as loud noise, decomposition of the land, and pollution of the water and air and it takes hundreds of years to go back to its natural state. Acid mine drainage is acidic water from mines. After large-scale mining occurs, these resources are processed and it doesn’t get any better. Depending on the ore, 30-80% is waste because the valuables are usually within the mined ore. The waste is not just an unwanted disposable product, not because of the quantity, but because of the chemically reactive substances; (possibly radioactive) and can be released into lakes affecting the aquatic life along with us because that freshwater is now unavailable. This is made possible by a “tailing impoundment act” under the mining regulations making mining companies avoid building containment ponds for the toxic waste that is unusable.

The mining industry has products to support itself by using other mined valuables such as lime to control wastewater and air pollution and manganese to purify water.

Pits and trenches have been dug up to learn the whereabouts of valuables by dynamite, manual, or machinery; but as decades go by, new technologies are developed such as remote sensing, animals, and chemical analysis of plants and soil to locate ores without having to harm the ground.

Canada has established itself as an effective metal recycling industry. There is a Federal Explosives act ensuring the use of explosives to authorized individuals. The government should imply reclamation polices, already in Nunavut and Northwest Territories stating mining companies must fix the land.

What can you do? It starts by substituting real jewellery like gold or silver for fake material. I’m not saying to always do it, but on occasion you can. Although one of the biggest mining sites is in Sudbury, many people do not know about this growing issue, so you could write to your local newspaper.