Mining has always been a dangerous and hard job that for many centuries wouldn’t be able to go far below the surface due to the rising temperatures. The lower miners got the hotter and stuffier it got, this made conditions in the mines damn near impossible. Mining Engineers worked very hard to make mining conditions better and safer. As mines went deeper the engineers would work on pumping systems for subterranean flooding, ventilation to make breathing conditions calmer and cooling systems to help out with the heat rising. (LeCain, pg. 37) With all these advancements mines would be able to dive deeper and pull out more material than ever before. Though there many great things to come out of these advancements, there are still consequences that get overlooked. If the machines failed not only would it cause damage to the surrounding environment, but it could also cause the deaths of many miners.
The consequences of mining are subject to be observed and debated over, before the mine is opened, during the operation of the mining the minerals, and after the said mines are closed. This way they can determine what can be done during all phrases of the mining process. Personally, I believe that mining will never be safe for both people or the environment. There is so much that could go wrong in mining that no matter what precautions we make, accidents will always happen. Mining does so much for the world if it is performed properly with the thought of the environment in place and safety of the miners a lot of good can come from it. So, no matter how safe you try to make mining there will always be issues with it that can cause catastrophic accidents.
I think your response is very true and very humbling for people to hear. In the end we are people, mistakes will happen. I think your response can become a call to action for managers who are waiting for a technical fix. I agree that mining can get a lot better and that it will never be perfect. What ideas do you have to make it better? Is there anything that managers can do? I liked your perspective of looking out for the miners though. I think it is easy to get so wrapped up in the pollution and the tremendous problem of cleaning up that we forget about the people that actually work in the mines.
Bryce Dawkins
Hi Chisum, very good blog post. I really enjoyed your point of view and how you were straight to the point with what you were thinking. Do you believe that the human race could continue on without mining, without looking and destroying the environment for the elements and minerals that we have used for years? The environment will always be in harm’s way, mining will never be a safe place for miners, your underground which could collapse on you at any moment, not the most ideal situation. Another way to look at it is if we stop mining completely worldwide then we would begin the clean up process. We would have to begin to plan to stop zombie mines from forming and would begin to spend billions of dollars on just one mine. So basically financially, environmentally and economically we are in a tight spot.
Hello,
I really enjoyed your blog post “There Are Dangers Down Below”. I enjoy your optimistic approach and outlook on mining because, like what you said, mining does contribute lots to our world. But are these benefits worth the consequences? I have a hard time making a decision. There are so many consequences and I feel as though we could do without mining, or at least with a lot less of them. These articles we read make us think about the risks we are putting workers and the environment in. So who gets to decide what is the best choice? Is it the environmental engineers or the workers who are employed by these mines? Is it a government policy or private mining companies? I feel as though there are many questions that don’t have easy answers. In the end, I hope the mining industry does not cost us in detrimental ways.