Does the mining of precious metals and gemstones negatively impact the environment?

Question

No one ever talks about mining for gold and diamonds and other precious and semi-precious stones as being bad for the environment but do I need to give up these to live a Greener existence?

Answer 1

A truly WONDERFUL question for sure. Yes, mining for precious metals and stones is VERY destructive to the environment. Especially for precious stones as a LOT of waste (called spoil) must be romoved to find just ONE useable diamond, ruby or other precious stone. This spoil has ended up filling in entire valleys in some places like Columbia where Emerald mining has destroyed hundreds of acres of what was once lovely rainforest. Not only is it environmentally destructive it is also socially destructive as many mines simply enslaved, coerced or forced the local people to work in the mines for little or NO pay, under horrid living and working conditions under oftentimes very dangerous conditions. I don't think that you need to give up having a diamond or emerald as a jewel, just make sure of the source and the conditions that the jewel was obtained. Many reputable dealers in jewels will have some sort of certification to show how and where a particular gem came from and it's up to YOU to decide whether or not you agree with the methods and environmental or social context of the acquisition would be undesirable.

Raji the Green Witch

Answer 2

Diamond Girl - Seals & Crofts Ruby Tuesday - Rolling Stones/Melanie Gold Dust Woman - Fleetwood Mac or Stevie Nicks Queen of the Silver Dollar - Dr Hook & the Medicine Show

Answer 3

It depends on the mining process. The idea of humans utilizing the precious stones and metals has little effect on the planet, but how we mine these is another story. For example, the mining of gold requires tremendous amounts of electricity and water to retrieve from the earth and leaves large caves that could potentially collapse. Copper mines (like in Chile) are typically strip mines and there by leave large craters in the earth.

This being said, many mining companies have taken steps to try and minimize the effects of their operations. Many strip mining operations, for example, save the top soil, and when finished return the unusable material to the hole they created and place the topsoil back on top and replant it with native vegetation.

Some gems are also mined, others are found in rocks on the surface of the earth, others like pearls are "grown" in oysters. Many of these pearls are grown and harvest almost like milk or meat products, have little net impact on the earth.

Answer 4

Yes. Metals are precious because they are found in very low concentrations in the Earth's crust. In order to mine gold or diamonds, one must also mine tons of worthless soil and rock that is then left as waste known as tailings. In addition to completely disrupting any ecological activity on the mining site, tailings, which are exposed to the weather when removed from mines deep underground, erode into nearby streams, often contaminating the water with harmful substances found in the tailings such as mercury, uranium, lead, and arsenic (particularly in gold mines), and causing harm to aquatic ecosystems. All mercury found in fish comes from mining.

Answer 5

Yes it does. Cyanide is used in the processing of silver and gold. Silver, if ingested, is hazardous to your health. Makes you feel good about silver crowns doesn't it?
Open pit mining causes heavy metals to leach into our water supply along with tearing to pieces hill sides.
To Brad L. The U.S. stopped using the gold standard in the 70's to base the value of our currency on.

Answer 6

The Buddhists say it upsets the natural balance. They are not ment to be taken from the earth.

Indeed the study of ley lines, natural paths of electricity in the earth, are destroyed by mining.

Answer 7

omg after seeing some of those answers, I'm afraid to call my self human, think about it for one second......................... what is this country founded on, not a dollar bill but the gold that , that dollar bill represents, to not mine for gold is stupid, and also everyone talks about ozone this ozone that, just look at how much co2 is put out every day , at say Hawaii, or Yellowstone, or out of the ocean every day, look at the mount St Helen's eruption

Answer 8

Not only bad for the enviroment, but bad for Humans. Check into what Blood Diamonds are.

Answer 9

CHEK TO LINK

http://ar.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aj_st0KjTWSNCFru6I0z2SGA9gt.?qid=20070604124524AAwiKgn

= )

Answer 10

I dont think so!. it would have a negative affect, if those gemstones improved the looks of the earth,
I would rather see them on the neck, or wrist, of a beautiful woman.