Mining and its Impact on the Environment

Winner of the 2007 E.B. Burwell, Jr. Award of the Geological Society of America

Mining activity has left a legacy of hazards to the environment, such as waste, unstable ground and contamination, which can be problematic when redeveloping land.

This book highlights the effects of past mining and provides information on the types of problems it may cause in both urban and rural areas. By way of example, the book also demonstrates how such problems may be anticipated, investigated, predicted, prevented and controlled. Furthermore, it shows how sites already affected by mining problems and hazards can be remediated and rehabilitated.

Covering subsidence, surface mining, disposal of waste, problems resulting from mine closure and mineral processing, Mining and its Impact on the Environment is an excellent reference for practising mining and geotechnical engineers, as well as students in this field.

Fred G. Bell is a Research Associate with the British Geological Survey, formerly Professor and Head of Department of Geology and Applied Geology at the University of Natal, Durban, South Africa. He has acted as a consultant and advisor to numerous organizations. He is the author or co-author of some 230 papers and author or editor of 20 books.

Laurance Donnelly is presently a consultant geologist with the Halcrow Group and was previously with International Mining Consultants and the British Geological Survey. He has worked in the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, Middle East, Central and South America and the Caribbean on mining related projects. He is the author or co-author of some 70 publications.