- The first technological advancement that allowed for the implementation of copper mining was Thomas Edison’s invention of the light bulb (27). The high demand that copper has pushes the development of new technologies to mine for that copper. Hydraulic mining was the first shift from industrial mining, signaling a “capital-intensive industrial mining”; using expensive tools and large scale engineering techniques(38-39). This was more financially draining because only select people had the money for the tools and the remainder of people were working for the owners. This type of mining also has a huge environmental impact on soil, runoff, and forests; shifting fiscal costs of industrial mining to environmental costs of hydraulic mining (39). The other form of mining was Hard-Rock mining which was far less common, given that the individuals that know how to mine this way were learning this trade in England (40). This type of mining required miners to delve deeper into the mines, creating the need for blowers and pumps so that miners could breathe (41). This form had a huge impact on humans because more people were being killed from the hard rock mining than previous types.
- I think that mining is so detrimental to the environment because companies only care about lining their own pockets, no matter what cost that may incur. I really do not know how to fix the problems that we have already created because no one seems to care that we have these issues that affect the environment as long as they are not directly impacted. Asking how to make mining safe for humans and animals is like asking how to make cigarettes safe-there isn’t a solution. I think we need a social shift in what we care about as a society for there to be any real change. If we chose to reallocate money from other sectors of the government, I think we could start to clean up the environmental disasters that we have created.
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Hi! First off, great title. Your first paragraph does a great job of describing several technical advancements in mining. I like that you specifically describe two different types of mining and the terrible affects they have on the environment, and on human life. Your second paragraph is really insightful, I can tell how you feel about the subject. I also really like your likening mining safety to cigarettes. I agree with your approach, there just doesn’t seem to be a safe way to mine. I do think there are those that care already, and people that want to clean up the environment are already pushing for change.