Is shale gas drilling an energy solution or public health crisis?

High-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing, a controversial new mining technique used to drill for shale gas, is being implemented worldwide. Chemicals used in the process are known neurotoxins, carcinogens, and endocrine disruptors. People who live near shale gas drilling sites report symptoms that they attribute to contaminated air and water. When they seek help from clinicians, a diagnosis is often elusive because the chemicals to which the patients have been exposed are a closely guarded trade secret. Many nurses have voiced grave concern about shale gas drilling safety. Full disclosure of the chemicals used in the process is necessary in order for nurses and other health professionals to effectively care for patients. The economic exuberance surrounding natural gas has resulted in insufficient scrutiny into the health implications. Nursing research aimed at determining what effect unconventional drilling has on human health could help fill that gap. Public health nurses using the precautionary principle should advocate for a more concerted transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. Any initiation or further expansion of unconventional gas drilling must be preceded by a comprehensive Health Impact Assessment (HIA).

Sulfide tails management within the framework of sustainable development in mineral sand mines--the case study of Sierra Rutile Ltd.

The study discussed here assessed Sierra Rutile Ltd.'s (SRLs) water-cover sulfide tails management method. Monthly and quarterly water samples from SRLs Sulfide Tails Pond (STP), Total Tails Pond (TTP), and the Titan Domestic Pond (TDP) were analyzed for 15 months. Results indicated acceptable quality for the STP. From Student's t-test analysis, it was found that the mean pH of the TTP was significantly lower than that of the TDP (p < .05). Results did not indicate pollution of the TDP by SRLs tailings management. The water-cover method significantly suppressed sulfide oxidation in the STP. Concerns to be addressed, however, include potential overtopping of the pond, water level fluctuations, and the need for periodic reinforcement of the tailings embankments. A dedicated environmental monitoring campaign that includes other proximate water bodies is suggested; this should inform timely mitigation of any environmental contamination and promote sound environmental and public health outcomes.

Using performance indicators to evaluate an environmental education program in artisanal gold mining communities in the Brazilian Amazon.

The Tapajos River Basin in the Brazilian Amazon is the location of one of the largest concentrations of artisanal and small-scale miners in the world. Today, 40,000 miners produce 8 t of gold annum(-1) and at least double this amount of mercury is released into the environment. This region was selected under the Global Mercury Project, a United Nations program that aims to reduce the environmental and health impacts caused by mercury through the application of cleaner technologies and increased awareness. A group of educators provided support to miners, training 4200 people in 141 mining locations. The effectiveness of this training was evaluated based on 20 performance indicators. After 120 days of training, an absolute improvement of approximately 29% had been achieved. As a result of this training, it is estimated that annual mercury emissions in Tapajos have been reduced by 1762 kg or around 10% of the total mercury released in the region.

Occupational Health Programs for Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining: A Systematic Review for the WHO Global Plan of Action for Workers' Health.

Background: Workers in the informal economy often incur exposure to well-documented occupational health hazards. Insufficient attention has been afforded to rigorously evaluating intervention programs to reduce the risks, especially in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). Objectives: This systematic review, conducted as part of the World Health Organization's Global Plan of Action for Workers' Health, sought to assess the state of knowledge on occupational health programs and interventions for the informal artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, an occupation which directly employs at least 50 million people. Methods: We used a comprehensive search strategy for four well-known databases relevant to health outcomes: PubMed, Engineering Village, OVID Medline, and Web of Science, and employed the PRISMA framework for our analysis. Findings: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria of a primary study focused on assessing the impact of interventions addressing occupational health concerns in ASGM. There were no studies evaluating or even identifying comprehensive occupational health and safety programs for this sector although target interventions addressing specific hazards exist. Major areas of intervention-education and introduction of mercury-reducing/eliminating technology were identified, and the challenges and limitations of each intervention taken into assessment. Even for these, however, there was a lack of standardization for measuring outcome or impact let alone long-term health outcomes for miners and mining communities. Conclusion: There is an urgent need for research on comprehensive occupational health programs addressing the array of hazards faced by artisanal and small-scale miners.

Innovation, systemic appropriation and prevention in the granite mining sector: The case of humidification.

BACKGROUND: This research was conducted in the Brazilian granite mining sector. After epidemiological studies, it was established that professional pneumoconiosis is related to the inhalation of dust. Therefore, the Brazilian mining health and safety regulatory standard made it compulsory to provide humidification throughout the extraction and mineral treatment processes. OBJECTIVE: To develop the concept of systemic appropriation of the technological innovations that aim to protect the worker's health. Until now, appropriation has usually been presented in its individual dimensions. In this article, the focus is placed on the collective and organizational aspects of this appropriation. METHODS: Two methodological approaches were used: interviews with the different individuals involved in order to report the history of the implementation of technical devices which meet the humidification norm; and ergonomic analysis of the work of the operators who used these devices. RESULTS: The appropriation of the technical devices occurred at two distinct levels: 1) Individual, related to the direct contact of the operator with the instrument; 2) Systemic, as the effects of the innovation propagated through the system affecting interdependent tasks, adaptation of the work organization and new production strategies. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of prevention norms require innovations which are necessarily accompanied by transformations in the companies' techniques, work and management.

Integrated assessment of artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Ghana--part 1: human health review.

This report is one of three synthesis documents produced via an integrated assessment (IA) that aims to increase understanding of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Ghana. Given the complexities surrounding ASGM, an IA framework was utilized to analyze economic, social, health, and environmental data, and co-develop evidence-based responses with pertinent stakeholders. The current analysis focuses on the health of ASGM miners and community members, and synthesizes extant data from the literature as well as co-authors' recent findings regarding the causes, status, trends, and consequences of ASGM in Ghana. The results provide evidence from across multiple Ghanaian ASGM sites that document relatively high exposures to mercury and other heavy metals, occupational injuries and noise exposure. The work also reviews limited data on psychosocial health, nutrition, cardiovascular and respiratory health, sexual health, and water and sanitation. Taken together, the findings provide a thorough overview of human health issues in Ghanaian ASGM communities. Though more research is needed to further elucidate the relationships between ASGM and health outcomes, the existing research on plausible health consequences of ASGM should guide policies and actions to better address the unique challenges of ASGM in Ghana and potentially elsewhere.

In situ biodegradation of naphthenic acids in oil sands tailings pond water using indigenous algae-bacteria consortium.

In this study, the biodegradation of total acid-extractable organics (TAOs), commonly called naphthenic acids (NAs), was investigated. An indigenous microbial culture containing algae and bacteria was taken from the surface of a tailings pond and incubated over the course of 120days. The influence of light, oxygen and the presence of indigenous algae and bacteria, and a diatom (Navicula pelliculosa) on the TAO removal rate were elucidated. The highest biodegradation rate was observed with bacteria growth only (without light exposure) with a half-life (t(1/2)) of 203days. The algae-bacteria consortium enhanced the detoxification process, however, bacterial biomass played the main role in toxicity reduction. Principal component analysis (PCA) conducted on FT-IR spectra, identified functional groups and bonds (representing potential markers for biotransformation of TAOs) as follows: hydroxyl, carboxyl and amide groups along with CH, arylH, arylOH and NH bonds.

Destruction of cyanide in gold mill effluents: biological versus chemical treatments.

In gold mining, cyanide has been the preferred lixiviant worldwide since 1887. Although cyanide can be destroyed and recovered by several processes, it is still widely discussed and examined due to its potential toxicity and environmental impact. Biological treatment of cyanide is a well-established process and has been commercially used at gold mining operations in North America. Biological treatment processes facilitate growth of microorganisms that are essential for the treatment. The present review describes the advances in the use of biological treatment for the destruction of cyanide in gold mill effluents.

Development and application of biotechnologies in the metal mining industry.

Metal mining faces a number of significant economic and environmental challenges in the twenty-first century for which established and emerging biotechnologies may, at least in part, provide the answers. Bioprocessing of mineral ores and concentrates is already used in variously engineered formats to extract base (e.g., copper, cobalt, and nickel) and precious (gold and silver) metals in mines throughout the world, though it remains a niche technology. However, current projections of an increasing future need to use low-grade primary metal ores, to reprocess mine wastes, and to develop in situ leaching technologies to extract metals from deep-buried ore bodies, all of which are economically more amenable to bioprocessing than conventional approaches (e.g., pyrometallurgy), would suggest that biomining will become more extensively utilized in the future. Recent research has also shown that bioleaching could be used to process a far wider range of metal ores (e.g., oxidized ores) than has previously been the case. Biotechnologies are also being developed to control mine-related pollution, including securing mine wastes (rocks and tailings) by using "ecological engineering" approaches, and also to remediate and recover metals from waste waters, such as acid mine drainage. This article reviews the current status of biotechnologies within the mining sector and considers how these may be developed and applied in future years.

Accumulation of Indium and other heavy metals by Eleocharis acicularis: an option for phytoremediation and phytomining.

Eleocharis acicularis was exposed to different concentrations of In, Ag, Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn in the laboratory to assess its capability in accumulating these metals. After 15 days, 477 mg/kg dry wt. of In was accumulated by the roots; concentrations of Ag, Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn in the shoots were 326, 1120, 575, 195, and 213 mg/kg dry wt., respectively. The results indicate that E. acicularis has the ability to accumulate these metals from water, making it a good candidate species for phytoremediation and phytomining.

Remediation of chromite ore processing residue by pyrolysis process with sewage sludge.

The present work developed a novel technique to treat chromite ore processing residue (COPR). The process involved mixing the COPR with sewage sludge followed by pyrolysis. The gaseous organic fraction generated during pyrolysis of sludge was beneficial to Cr(VI) reduction. Process variables, such as the amount of sludge added to COPR (sludge-to-COPR (S/C) ratio), heating temperature, reaction time and particle size, were systematically varied, and their influences on the Cr(VI) reduction in COPR were investigated. Cr(VI) content had decreased greatly, from 3384 mg kg(-1) for untreated COPR to less than 30 mg kg(-1) for COPR treated at 600 degrees C.

Microbial destruction of cyanide wastes in gold mining: process review.

Microbial destruction of cyanide and its related compounds is one of the most important biotechnologies to emerge in the last two decades for treating process and tailings solutions at precious metals mining operations. Hundreds of plant and microbial species (bacteria, fungi and algae) can detoxify cyanide quickly to environmentally acceptable levels and into less harmful by-products. Full-scale bacterial processes have been used effectively for many years in commercial applications in North America. Several species of bacteria can convert cyanide under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions using it as a primary source of nitrogen and carbon. Other organisms are capable of oxidizing the cyanide related compounds of thiocyanate and ammonia under varying conditions of pH, temperature, nutrient levels, oxygen, and metal concentrations. This paper presents an overview of the destruction of cyanide in mining related solutions by microbial processes.

Reducing workers' dust exposure during bag stacking in enclosed vehicles.

The Bureau of Mines has evaluated cost effective systems to ventilate enclosed vehicles being loaded directly with bagged product material at mineral processing plants. This evaluation included both forms of transportation: railcars and trailer trucks. The goal of this research was to lower the dust exposure of workers stacking bags in these enclosed vehicles; these workers usually have the highest dust exposures in the entire processing plant. The problem occurs because there is no mechanical ventilation inside these vehicles. As the vehicle is being loaded, dust concentrations increase to substantial levels because released dust has no means of exiting the vehicle or of being diluted with fresh air. In cases where the dust is hazardous, as with silica sand, this may present a serious health hazard. This research project was a two-step effort. The first step was a qualitative laboratory evaluation performed in a railcar to compare different types of ventilation systems (blowing, exhaust, and push-pull systems) using a methane (CH4) tracer gas technique. An exhaust system located over the snake conveyor was the most effective system at reducing gas levels in and around the bag stacker's work area. The second step then involved a field evaluation at a silica sand processing plant to determine the system's effectiveness in the actual work environment. Three different versions were evaluated in an attempt to optimize the exhaust ventilation system's effectiveness. The most effective version involved exhausting 54.5 m3/min (2000 ft3/min) through a fiberglass tube located 1.1 m past the end of the slinger at a 2.0-m height so as not to interfere with the bag stacker's job function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)