— Metallic Mining —

What is sulfide mining?

Sulfide mining is the mining of metals like copper, nickel and zinc that are naturally bound to sulfur in rock. Sulfide mining removes millions of tons of rock, which is then processed to extract the small fraction of desired metals. When the sulfide mineral ore and wastes come into contact with air and water, chemical reactions produce sulfuric acid (acid mine drainage), sulfate and toxic metals, which seep into surface and ground water. This is an ongoing process for centuries to come even after the mine is closed. In wetter climates like Wisconsin, our surface water and shallow ground waters are at particular risk for contamination.

Heavy metals and other toxic compounds that are associated with sulfide mining include arsenic, asbestos, benzene, cadmium, copper, cyanide, dioxin, lead, mercury, manganese, nickel, selenium, sulfuric acid, thallium and zinc. Additionally, particulates from fossil fuels and airborne fibers are created from mining activities.

Wisconsin Case-Study: The Flambeau Mine

A small sulfide mineral deposit was mined near Ladysmith along the Flambeau River in the mid-1990’s. The Flambeau Mine severely contaminated groundwater with high levels of manganese, zinc, copper and sulfates, picked up by monitoring the backfilled pit. It also violated the Clean Water Act polluting a tributary called “Stream C”. Larger Wisconsin sulfide ore deposits create significantly more risk to ground and surface waters.

Health Effects

Heavy Metal Impacts

Heavy metals most associated with poisoning are arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Other metals that are essential to body functions in very small amounts in humans can also be toxic in larger exposures. These include copper, zinc, and manganese. Heavy metals bioaccumulate and biomagnify as they move up the food chain starting with microbes and small animal, then moving up and accumulating in larger animals.

• Arsenic affects the brain (seizures, coma), GI system (diarrhea, flu-like symptoms), heart (failure, abnormal rhythm), kidneys, and causes anemia.

• Cadmium can accumulate in fish and in agricultural soils. Long term human exposures to contaminated food sources can cause cadmium to persistent in the human body, most commonly causing kidney failure.

• Lead is a well known heavy metal in human environments (e.g. lead paint, lead pipes). It is stored in the bone but affects any organ system causing nausea, vomiting, headaches, clumsiness, anemia and many toxic brain effects.

Methylmercury Impacts

Acid mine drainage causes non-toxic inorganic mercury release into the environment. Methylmercury is the form of mercury that causes toxicity. It is formed from the action of microbes in surface waters and soils on inorganic mercury, turning non-toxic inorganic mercury into toxic methylmercury. Pregnant women exposed to methylmercury from eating contaminated fish, expose the unborn child. If exposure occurs early in pregnancy, severe immediate effects can be seen. If later in pregnancy, effects may be evident later as the child’s brain develops causing effects on language and speech development, memory, and even on visual and motor function. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is also linked to increased blood levels of mercury. These effects are likely underestimated. Methylmercury affects adults too, and is associated with heart disease and psychiatric symptoms like hallucinations.

Mercury contamination of fish is already a significant public health concern in Wisconsin due to both naturally occurring mercury and human industrial activity (e.g. coal-fired electric plants, smelting and incineration of waste). Mercury toxicity is especially of concern in populations that consume more fish such as recreational anglers, members of some ethnic or cultural groups such as members of some Native American tribes. Five Northern Wisconsin Chippewa tribes participated in a study showing a much higher consumption of fish, about 62 meals/year.

Fugitive Dust

Fugitive dust is dust generated during transport of the mining ore, as well as dust from unpaved mining roads. These dust particles of all sizes become airborne creating a health hazard to both mine workers and residents living near the mine

Elongated Mineral Particles

Elongated mineral particles (EMP’s) are non-asbestos mineral fibers that cause uncertain risk to human health. Unlike asbestos, these particles have not been as well studied for their effects on mine workers and other exposed people.

Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels are used in all aspects of mining production. Particulates release when fuels are burned affect asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and many other health conditions.

Long-Term Effects and Monitoring

Health problems resulting from these exposures are not curable, causing pain and suffering for individuals, families, and populations. Furthermore, some Native American peoples in Wisconsin are threatened by proposed mining affecting their fishing and wild rice harvesting traditions due to irreversible surface water contamination.

Many medical consensus groups have called for better monitoring and reduced exposures to toxic chemicals. Though the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) oversee and regulate mining safety, there is no comprehensive long-range medical surveillance for sulfide mining.

______________

In The News

______________

Counties Prepare For Potential Mining Projects As Moratorium Repeal Takes Effect

WPR (July 25, 2018)

The moratorium required mining companies to provide proof of a sulfide mine that had operated for 10 years and been closed for 10 years without doing environmental harm before a new permit could be issued — a bar set high enough to effectively block any new mining.

Mapping the toxic legacy of mining: Scientists reveal areas to avoid in southwestern Wisconsin

Wisconsin State Journal (October 21, 2019)

It’s been 40 years since Wisconsin’s last zinc mine closed and nearly two centuries since the Driftless area was the nation’s primary source of lead, but the toxic legacy remains, often undetected, in the soil.

As lake levels rise, so do mercury levels in Wisconsin fish

Associated Press (June 10, 2019)

Nationwide, mercury concentrations in fish are above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s human health limits in one out of every four streams, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Sources:

1. Al Gedicks and Dave Blouin: Mining moratorium law essential to protect water Capital Times Opinion Editorial January 28, 2017 host.madison.com/ct/opinion/column/al-gedicks-and-dave-blouin-miningmoratorium-law-essential-to/article_0cc3dbe2-fa5e-5157-ae5d7f4ba29bf8da.html

2. Midwest Environmental Advocates Issues and Actions midwestadvocates.org/issues-actions/actions/flambeau_mine/

3. Sulfide Mining and Human Health in Minnesota Minnesota Medicine November/December 2016 Emily Onello, MD, Deb Allert, MD et al www.savetheboundarywaters.org/sites/default/files/attachments/mn_medicine_ar ticle_on_sulfide_ore_mining_11_12_16_0.pdf

4. Heavy Metal Poisoning. National Organization for Rare Disorders rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/heavy-metal-poisoning/

5. A Literature Review of Effects of Cadmium on Fish November 2010 for The Nature Conservance by CSP Stuart M Levit, MS, JD www.conservationgateway.org/ConservationByGeography/NorthAmerica/United States/alaska/sw/cpa/Documents/L2010CadmiumLR122010.pdf

6. Brain Development and Methylmercury: Underestimation of Neurotoxicity Mt Sinai J Med. 2011 Jan-Feb Phillippe Grandjean, MD, DMSc and Katherine T Hertz, MPH, MA www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3096460/

7. Negative Confounding in the Evaluation of Toxicity: The Case of Methylmercury in Fish and Seafood Crit Rev Toxicol. 2008 Anna L Choi, Silvaine Cordier, Pal Weihe, and Phillippe Grandjean www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597522/

8. Mercury in Wisconsin’s Lakes and Fish Wisconsin Stewardship Network www.wsn.org/energy/mercurytext.pdf

9. Mining Publication: Characteristics of Fugitive Dust Generated from Unpaved Mine Haulage Roads CDC NIOSH Mining Int J Surface Min Reclam Environ 2004 Dec www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/works/coversheet360.html

10. Asbestos Fibers and Other Elongated Mineral Particles: State of the Science and Roadmap for Research Department of Health and Human Services Current Intelligence Bulletin 62 www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-159/pdfs/2011-159.pdf