Geographic Variability in Radon Exhalation at a Rehabilitated Uranium Mine in the Northern Territory, Australia

In this study, dry season radon flux densities and radon fluxes have been determined at the rehabilitated Nabarlek uranium mine in northern Australia using conventional charcoal canisters. Environmental background levels amounted to 31± 15 milli Becquerel per m² per second (mBq m⁻² s⁻¹). Radon flux densities within the fenced rehabilitated mine area showed large variations with a maximum of 6500 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹ at an area south of the former pit characterised by a disequilibrium between ²²⁶Ra and ²³⁸U. Radon flux densities were also high above the areas of the former pit (mean 971 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹) and waste rock dump (mean 335 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹). The lower limit for the total pre-mining radon flux from the fenced area (140 ha) was estimated to 214 kBq s⁻¹, post-mining radon flux amounted to 174 kBq s⁻¹.Our study highlights that the results of radon flux studies are vitally dependant on the selection of individual survey points. We suggest the use of a randomised system for both the selection of survey points and the placement of charcoal canisters at each survey point, to avoid over estimation of radon flux densities. It is also important to emphasize the significance of having reliable pre-mining radiological data available to assess the success of rehabilitation of a uranium mine site.2006 Springer. The Australian Government's right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty free licence in and to any copyright is acknowledged.     

Health and environmental assessment of mercury exposure in a gold mining community in Western Mindanao, Philippines

The small-scale gold mining activities using mercury began in the late 1980s in Sibutad, Western Mindanao. It is located very near the Murcielagos Bay with tailing ponds directly discharging into bodies of water. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the health and environmental effects of gold mining activities on the community. Residents were randomly selected and classified into two groups, namely, the directly exposed and indirectly exposed populations using a set inclusion criteria. Complete medical and laboratory examinations were performed. Environmental and biologic samples were collected for total mercury and methylmercury determinations. The results showed that the directly exposed group had significantly higher mean blood total mercury and methylmercury levels in comparison with the indirectly exposed population. Although there were no significant differences between hair total mercury and methylmercury levels, there was a trend for higher levels of these biomarkers among the directly exposed residents as compared with the unexposed group. The absence of statistically significant differences may be attributable to the small sample size. Ambient air quality monitoring for mercury exceeded the allowable levels. However, levels of mercury in drinking water and sediments were within allowable limits. Frequency of gastrointestinal complaints was significantly associated with elevated hair methylmercury levels (p=0.02). Also, there appears to be a trend towards higher blood total mercury levels and frequency of gastrointestinal complaints (p=0.09). An interesting finding in this study was the increasing incidence of elevated diastolic blood pressure with elevated hair total mercury levels (p=0.07). Mercury storage at home is a risk factor.     

Environmental assessment of mercury dispersion, transformation and bioavailability in the Lake Victoria Goldfields, Tanzania

Environmental dispersion and transformation of mercury discharged from gold mining operations has been investigated in field and laboratory studies in order to provide better understanding of the degree of mercury (Hg) pollution and bioavailability in the Lake Victoria goldfields (LVGF) ecosystems. This paper reviews results already published elsewhere and presents additional data on Hg dynamics in the LVGF. Studies conducted at the Mugusu and Rwamagaza artisanal mines indicated different degrees of Hg contamination and dispersion in environmental matrices. Mercury concentration in contaminated river sediments near the Mugusu mine varied from 6.0 to 0.5 mg/kg on a dry weight basis. The highest Hg contamination levels (165-232 mg/kg) were associated with mine tailings at the Rwamagaza mine. Mercury concentrations in fish representing different dietary habits on the southwestern shore of Lake Victoria at the Nungwe Bay were very low (2-35 microg/kg) and thought to represent background levels. These and other results suggested that the use of Hg in gold extraction in the LVGF has not caused high Hg levels in lake fish. The study of Hg in lichens showed Parmelia lichen to be an effective bioindicator for atmospheric Hg contamination due to Hg emissions from gold-amalgam firing and purification operations. The Hg levels in the lichens around the Mugusu mine ranged from 3.1 to 0.1 microg/g; the highest levels were recorded in the lichens sampled close to gold-amalgam processing sites. The regional background level in the Parmelia lichen was 0.05-0.10 microg/g, with a mean level of 0.07 microg/g. Studies of Hg transformation in the mine tailings revealed unexpectedly high methylmercury (MeHg) levels in the tailings (629-710 ng/g), which indicated that oxidation and methylation of metallic Hg in the tailings occurred at significant levels under tropical conditions. Re-equilibration of the tailings with freshwater (FW) indicated the MeHg was firmly bound in the tailings and therefore very little MeHg was released to the water column (0.2-1.5 ng/L). The methylation of Hg in tropical loamy clay soil contaminated with HgCl(2) (5 mg Hg/kg) yielded MeHg concentrations of 11 and 14 ng/g when inundated with seawater and FW, respectively, for 4 weeks. Little MeHg was transferred from the soil to the equilibrated water (< or = 0.4 ng/L). Atmospheric exposure of the soil pre-inundated with FW resulted in net degradation of MeHg during the 1st week of exposure, followed by net production and accumulation of MeHg in the soil (up to 15.5 ng/g) during atmospheric desiccation. Mercury uptake by fish from the Hg(0)-contaminated aquatic sediment-tailings system in the aquarium experiment was found to be low, suggesting the low availability of MeHg for bioaccumulation in the system. These and other results provide useful insights into Hg transformation, mobility and bioavailability in tropical aquatic systems affected by Hg pollution from gold mining operations.     

煤炭行业推行安全生产责任保险作用及问题探讨

为了减少事故及其造成的损失,使企业不致因灾后赔付而陷人困境和摆脱“企业赚钱,政府发丧”的怪圈,在煤炭行业推行安全生产责任保险,把商业保险模式引入安全生产领域,分散转移风险,并运用保险行业风险管理方法,规避、控制和管理风险,强化事故预防,以达到安全发展、可持续发展的目标。笔者在认真研究有关政策法规,搜集整理相关资料,实地凋研考察的基础上,结合我国煤炭行业安全生产以及煤炭行业责任风险管理现状,对我国煤炭行业推行安全生产责任保险的作用以及试点省市安全生产责任保险实施过程中遇到的问题进行了分析探讨。     

我国矿业城市的产业结构调整及其发展途径

由于受资源递减规律影响,矿业城市的发展必将受到其不合理产业结构的限制。产业结构调整是矿业城市得以持续发展的必由之路,基于其资源与区位优势发展替代性产业是矿业城市产业结构调整的最佳选择。本文探讨了矿业城市产业结构调整的一些原则,提出了一些对策和建议。     

负外部成本内部化约束下的煤炭开采税费水平研究

煤炭开采中面临严重的代际负外部性和生态环境负外部性问题,分别运用使用者成本法和直接市场法测算了煤炭资源开采中的代际负外部成本和生态环境负外部成本。根据两个负外部成本充分内部化的要求,提出煤炭开采中税费水平的调整目标。以2008年为例,煤炭开采中资源税的征收标准应由目前的从量0.3-5元/t(约从价1%)提至从价10%;开采吨煤应交的生态环境费用标准应由目前的24元/t提至64.23-68.47元/t,即每吨提高40.23-44.47元。综合资源税和生态环境费用的提高幅度,煤炭开采活动中的税费水平应提高约21-22个百分点;通过比较现行税费制度下煤炭开采企业实交的资源税费、生态环境税费总额与企业应交的资源、生态环境费用总额之间的差距,指出目前我国政府对开采企业隐性税费补贴的规模水平,根据价差法计算得出取消此部分税费补贴将可以削减3 653.69万tCO2排放。     

以多联产为支撑点的"合成气城市"规划 --煤炭城市的可持续发展

目前,中国煤炭城市普遍面临城市产业结构迫切需要转型、城市生态环境问题严重、城市人口就业形势严重等挑战。在低价高硫煤资源丰富、石油和天然气资源缺乏、经济发展水平适中、产业结构亟待调整的典型地区实施以多联产为支撑点的“合成气城市”规划,是这类煤炭城市实现经济、社会、环境、资源相互协调的可持续发展之路。本文初步探讨了“合成气城市”规划研究的内容,并以山东省济宁市是为例分析了实施“合成气城市规划”的收益。     

中国西部能源及矿业开发与环境保护协调发展研究

中国西部地区自然环境脆弱且恶劣,但能源及矿产资源分布相对集中,能源及矿业开发已经成为其经济社会发展的支柱产业.本文力图从西部能源及矿业开发与环境保护协调发展、促进资源开发与生态保护的视角,综合辨析出西部地区能源及矿业开发引发的地质环境及生态环境恶化问题,主要包括土壤污染与土地破坏、水资源污染与短缺、矿区大气污染、噪声污染以及采矿诱发的各类地质灾害和生态环境破坏等.文章认为:西部地区矿产资源和能源开发等人为因素引发的地质环境及生态环境恶化问题日益突出,增强西部地区可持续发展能力,确保资源开发与环境保护的协调发展是西部地区提高能源资源保障能力的现实选择,也是转变发展方式、建设“两型”社会的必然要求.为此,本文对西部地区能矿资源开发与环境保护的协调发展提出了相关建议,主要包括:大力推行绿色发展,极开发绿色新能源;加强资源管理与污染控制,建立、健全矿产资源开发环境保护相关法律法规和体系,健全生态补偿机制;通过市场准入制度设立绿色门槛,继续整合小矿山;加强西部资源型城市与沿海地区的区域融合,减少资源开发的负外部性,破除“资源诅咒”;借鉴国际上“责任矿产开发倡议”,提高能源及矿产资源开发利益相关者的参与能力;统筹协调资源税费、地方发展基金,明确资源税的调节作用,健全利益分配机制,设立绿色发展基金;加强能矿资源开发全过程的第三方独立监管,在能源及矿产资源开发过程中实行有效透明的监管等.     

A conceptual approach to model sand–gravel extraction from rivers based on a game theory perspective

Sand–gravel mining is a significant parameter of economic development and social welfare function in modern societies. As demand for aggregate increases in construction industry, conflicts for the availability of the resource and environmental impacts become more intense. The present paper describes the contested status quo in riverbed sand–gravel mining activities with an example from Greece, as a case study. The scope is to propose a methodology about good governance of the mining sector that promotes a sustainable sharing of aggregate resource by securing environment and safekeeping revenues in the mining trade market.     

Balancing environmental and industry sustainability: A case study of the US gold mining industry

Mandatory insurance requirements and/or mitigation fees (royalties) for mining companies may help reduce environmental risk exposure for the federal government. Mining is examined since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory reveals that this sector produces more hazardous waste than any other industrial sector. Although uncommon, environmental expense can exceed hundreds of millions of dollars per development. Of particular concern is the potential for mines to become unfunded Superfund sites. Monte Carlo simulation of risk exposure is used to establish a plausible range of unfunded federal liabilities associated with cyanide-leach gold mining. A model is developed to assess these costs and their impact on both the federal budget and corporate profitability (i.e., industry sustainability), particularly if such costs are borne by offending firms.