Our Environment - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 291

As mentioned above, the natural environment consists of two distinct, but closely inter-
related parts, the physical/chemical and the biological (or living) environment.
The physical/chemical environment, that is air, land, and water, also known as the abi-
otic or inorganic environment, comprises everything in nature that is not living (climate,
weather, noise, topography, hydrogeology, non-organic soil matrix, minerals, etc.). The
physical/chemical environment has two sub-components, abiotic inputs (e.g. energy, cli-
mate, atmospheric, aquatic, and terrestrial conditions) and abiotic matter (e.g. soil matrix,
sediments, particulate matter, dissolved organic matter, nutrients in aquatic systems and
dead or inactive organic matter in terrestrial systems).
The biological environment is all that in nature which is living (the fauna and flora)
and includes all levels of life from genes to species and ecosystems. Thus, the biological
environment is strongly linked with the concept of biodiversity. Biodiversity is, essentially,
all life on Earth and the systems that support it.
The human environment also consists of two parts: the social sphere defined by human
aspects such as demographics, community health, religion, norms and values, tradition,
education, community cohesion, and cultural and heritage resources; and the economic
sphere, defined by aspects such as economic and institutional structures, public and private
infrastructures, production and consumption patterns, and the many facets of natural, and
renewable resource availability and use.
It is important to recognize that dividing the environment into a natural and built envi-
ronment is somewhat misleading. Nearly all natural environments have been directly or
indirectly influenced by humans at some point in time. However it is this subdivision and
the perception of the relation between humans and other living beings that often defines
people and their attitude towards nature and development.
Some people argue that humans, because of culture and technology, have separated sig-
nificantly from nature (Angermeier 2000). This separation is accompanied by a massive
human occupation of land and over-exploitation of natural resources. Humans, they say,
are responsible for the current biodiversity crisis, and consequently the natural imperative
of economic development is to protect and conserve environmental integrity. This group
advocates human humility and respect towards non-human nature. It is this thought of
separation from nature that seems to guide and motivate most anti-mining advocacies.
Other people defy a separation of humans and nature. Humans are seen as participants
in ecosystems, and from this point of view, the imperative of economic development is to
guide a sensible and sustainable human use of natural resources (Callicott and Mumford
1997; Povilitis 2001). Not surprisingly, government and mining companies adopt the sec-
ond school of thinking. However, despite the obvious differences in thinking, both schools
agree that without a deep respect for nature, neither view of the human-nature relation-
ship can justify human behaviour that diminishes the Earth's integrity and diversity.

Nearly all natural environments
have been directly or indirectly
infl uenced by humans at some
point in time.

7.1 THE ATMOSPHERE - AIR, WEATHER, AND CLIMATE

Mining projects are very much influenced by the climatic conditions experienced at the
mine site. Temperature, precipitation (or lack of it), temperature, visibility, wind, and their
variations are all important factors in the design and operation of mining and processing
facilities. Mining and mineral processing, however, can also influence climatic conditions,
at local and global scales, but more importantly can impact local air quality affecting
human health and comfort. Hence, the importance of understanding local climate and air
quality.

Mining projects are very much
infl uenced by the climatic
conditions experienced at the
mine site.