Objective: Describe three processes by which ore minerals form.
We have seen health effects to mining before. Mercury and Quicksilver mines are a health hazard. When people breathe vapors from mercury, the nose cavity is disfigured. People didn’t talk about it, because they needed the money. (Demientieff)
The first mining operations were probably gold mines. There were mines along the coastal streams and river in southeastern Alaska. The big influx of miners came with the discovery of gold in Canada, the Klondike. Then after that, mining prospectors explored most creeks, streams, and rivers of Alaska. The prospectors were in territorial wilderness, without much oversight. These small mining operations were after gold resulting from panning and digging with pick and shovels. (Demientieff)
Objective: Describe important potential environmental consequences of mining.
Consequences of mining were primarily a disruption of fisheries. Most of these small operations were conducted in creeks, streams, and rivers, which were the environment of the fish. Much of these waters could have been spawning grounds for salmon or other species, so digging and damming the waters affected the life of fish. (Demientieff)