Mines’ batteries pollute rivers and threaten health, study warns

The study, conducted by Professors Mark Macklin and Chris Thomas from the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom, provides a global view of the environmental issues and health threats associated with metal mining activities.

Using a new global georeferenced database 185,000 metal mines Using a combination of process-based modeling and empirical testing, the research assessed the global scale of metal mining pollution in river systems and its impacts on human populations and livestock.

Study Modeling pollution from all known active and inactive metal mining areasanalyzed potentially harmful pollutants such as lead, zinc, copper and arsenic that are transported downstream from mining facilities, including tailings facilities (used to store mining waste), and are often deposited over long periods of time along river channels and floodplains.

23 million people affected

Published on a date Increasing demand for metals and minerals to meet the demands of the transition to green energyThe new results highlight the widespread scale of pollution across the planet, affecting approximately 479,200 kilometers of river channels and covering 164,000 square kilometers of floodplains.

According to the results obtained; Approximately 23.48 million people live in these affected floodplainsIt supports 5.72 million head of cattle and covers more than 65,000 square kilometers of irrigated area. Due to the lack of data available for some countries, the team behind the study believes these figures are a conservative estimate.

There are several ways humans can be exposed to these metal contaminants, including direct exposure. skin contact, accidental ingestion, inhalation of contaminated dust, and consumption of contaminated food and water grows in contaminated soil.

This poses an additional danger to the health of urban and rural communities in low-income countries and communities that depend on these rivers and floodplains, especially in areas already suffering from water-related diseases.

In the industrialized nations of Western Europe, as well as in the United Kingdom and the United States, this pollution is a serious problem. Significant and growing limitation to water and food securityResearchers say it compromises vital ecosystem services and contributes to antimicrobial resistance in the environment.

“Rapid growth of global metal mining is vital for the world’s transition to green energy“said Professor Chris Thomas, one of the authors of the study.

“Most of the estimated global pollution we have mapped is It is the legacy of the industrial age; “Therefore, modern mining is encouraged to prioritize environmental sustainability,” he added.

A tool to take action

“Our new method for estimating the distribution of mining waste into river systems around the world provides governments, environmental regulators, the mining industry and local communities with a tool that will, for the first time, allow them to assess the impacts of waste on site and downstream,” said Professor Mark Macklin, who led the international team of researchers. “Basin mining has a significant impact on ecosystems and human health,” he said.

“We hope this will facilitate reducing the environmental impacts of historic and current mining and, importantly, help minimize the impacts of future mining developments on communities while protecting food and water security,” Macklin added.

Professor Deanna Kemp, from the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute, who was part of the team behind the research, described the results as “sobering”.

“These findings remind us that mining can cause major damage downstream over long periods of time,” Kemp said. “Many people benefit from mining and metals, but we must do more to understand and prevent negative impacts on people living and working in affected areas.”

Reference work: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg6704

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Contact address of the environmental department:krisclimatica@prensaiberica.es