Techno-fixes have worked in part with the mining industry since its birth. LeCain brought up three types of techno-fixes that have been used in the mining setting (LeCain,138). Specifically in the Ducktown and Anaconda cases. Though the techno-fixes intention was to better the overall mining process, the combination of the fixes used eventually resulted in environmental problems (LeCain,139). The techno-fix that was used in the Ducktown case was a system that converted sulfur dioxide gas into sulfuric acid. This turned the once pollutant sulfur dioxide gas that had detrimental environmental effects into a profitable by-product. The sulfuric acid was sold to superphosphate fertilizer manufacturers. This was an example of transformational and relocation fixes. This fix seemed like a win win in the beginning but the fertilizers that were being manufactured also came with environmental downfalls. The fertilizers would compromise runoff and eventually would take over lakes and ponds in the form of fertilizer-red algae.This had detrimental effects on the aquatic life of large bodies of water in the area.
The majority of mining projects that have triggered an effect on the environment have already occurred, but their effects will be lasting. The results of poor mining practices have caused loads of problems worldwide. I think that as a growing society we need need copper and other minerals to continue to progress as a people and to develop new technologies. Copper is a large part of our technological world. I think that instead of mining for copper, companies should further there search for copper into abandoned technological products and re-use the copper that is sitting in old cellphones and televisions. To conclude, I do think we need copper and other minerals but we need to change the way we go about getting them.
Fritz-
Nice job. That was a super thorough review of LeCain’s writing and you made your posts clearly and effectively. It is clear that you read well and understood everything. You also did a really nice job explaining the three different types of technological fixes. I think you have a really great point to make about copper and minerals in our future. I think it would be really hard to just stop using those things entirely, and I agree with you when you say that we need copper and minerals in order to further our progress. I found your point about repurposing copper from old cell phones and televisions to be insightful and clever. I also agree that our ways must be changed because we are doing too much damage to our earth. I also thought your title was funny. 🙂
Your blog post was very thorough and very well thought out from what I could tell. You touched very nicely on the three different types of techno-fixes and I love that you included examples of each use of such techno-fixes involved in the Ducktown Mine. I also like how you included the long term effects involved in the relocation aspect of the techno-fixes because that is often the thing that people forget about the most, that just because you moved it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t still exist. Your take on the copper situation is not something I usually would’ve considered but it had a lot of merit in it, seeing as you are right, we do have a lot of old copper just lying around unused in old technology. Overall, very good and thorough and I really enjoyed reading it.