Portugal’s mining strategy may favour copper over lithium
Portugal already has the largest copper mine in the European Union, operated by Lundin Mining.
The controversial practice of fracking — which involves pumping a mix of sand, water and chemicals into a well to fracture the rock and release natural gas — has attracted widespread criticism for its potential to contaminate drinking water and cause minor earthquakes.
Now a new environmental threat is emerging from the process: sand mining.
Reuters reports that environmentalists and concerned residents are raising the alarm about sand mining being a threat to air and water quality because heavy machinery and a lot of water are needed to remove the top layer of overburden above a sandstone deposit:
If inhaled, crystalline silica, a building block in so-called frac sand, is a potential carcinogen and can cause lung and other diseases, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The mining process can also cause erosion and run-off that can fill nearby rivers with sediment, reducing oxygen levels for fish and plants.
2 Comments
Asdf
The big question: Are these environmentalists just dumb or are they really evil?
GWMoffat
This is another example of the stupid conclusions environmentalists come up with. Using their rational they would probably suggest you should stay away from the beach if the wind is blowing.