Mining Impacts

Long gone are the days when metals like gold were mined with picks and axes. Modern mines are enormous operations that leave behind scarred landscapes, polluted water and damaged communities. Hardrock mining, the extraction of metals such as gold, silver and copper, can cause significant impacts on the environment, potentially affecting ground and surface waters, aquatic life, vegetation, soils, air, wildlife, and human health.

Water Impacts
Mining's most serious impact on western communities is water pollution. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), mine waste has contaminated more than 40 percent of the headwaters of western watersheds.

Human Health Impacts
The hardrock mining industry releases billions of pounds of toxic chemicals into the environment each year. In 2001 alone, the hardrock mining industry released 2.8 billion pound of toxic waste, according to the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory. Many toxic chemicals found in mining waste can pose serious risks to human health.

Wildlife Impacts
The toxic pollution released by hardrock mines also impacts wildlife. Acid mine drainage can deaden entire streams, killing all aquatic life. The vast array of toxic chemicals released by the mining industry can also seriously harm birds and mammals. The average mine disturbs over a thousand acres of land with waste piles, open pits and tailings - pushing wildlife out of their natural habitat.

Economic Impacts
Hardrock mining is no longer the job-creating orce it once was in the West.  Mechanization, boom-bust cycles, and water pollution have thrown the costs and benefits for western communities and taxpayers out of balance.

State Impacts
Water quality, community health, and economic impacts of hardrock mining are described for each hardrock mining affected state on these pages.