Impacts of Dirty Gold on Communities
In the air, under the ground, across communities, gold mining is a pervasive threat to communities.
In the air, under the ground, across communities, gold mining is a pervasive threat to communities.
Every stage of the mining process, including the ore extraction, generation of solid waste, and ore refining and processing, creates air pollution that has environmental and public health impacts.
Gold mining can contaminate drinking water and destroy pristine environments, endangering the health of people and ecosystems.
Industrial-scale mine waste storage dams are collapsing more frequently and more severely, literally killing communities and ecosystems.
Until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adopted a new rule in 2016, the oil and gas industry was allowed to dispose of wastewater at municipal wastewater treatment plants. But because municipal plants aren’t capable of handling toxic and radioactive substances, wastewater can contaminate rivers and streams when it is discharged after treatment.
Both liquid and solid wastes are stored at well sites in reserve or storage pits. Liquid wastes (as well as freshwater reserves for fracturing) may also be stored in giant impoundments that can hold millions of gallons.