472 Mining and Health
Health Problems from Mining
Mining causes serious accidents such as fires, explosions, or collapsed mine
tunnels that affect miners and people living in communities near mines.
Even in places where mining happened long ago, people can still be exposed
to health threats from mining waste and chemicals that remain in the soil
and water. Mining damages health in many ways:
• Dust, chemical spills, harmful fumes, heavy metals and radiation
can poison workers and cause life-long health problems as
well as allergic reactions and other immediate problems.
• Heavy lifting and working with the body in awkward
positions can lead to injuries to the arms, legs, and back.
• Use of jackhammers or other vibrating machinery can cause
damage to nerves and blood circulation, and lead to loss
of feeling, very dangerous infections such as gangrene,
and even death.
• Loud, constant noise from machines can cause hearing
problems, including deafness.
• Long hours working underground with little light can
harm vision.
• Working in very hot conditions without drinking enough water can cause
heat stress. Signs of heat stress include: dizziness, weakness, rapid
heartbeat, extreme thirst, and fainting.
• Hiring and labor practices of
mining companies create
divisions among families,
neighbors, and communities.
These disagreements can lead
to tears in the social fabric,
an increase in personal stress,
and mental health problems
throughout the community.
• W ater pollution and overuse of
water resources leads to many
health problems (see Chapters
5 and 6).
• Land and soil are destroyed, leading to food scarcity and hunger.
• Air pollution from power plants and smelting factories built near mines
causes serious illness (see Chapter 16).
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012