Mining

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MINING  By Alana and Rachel



WHAT IS MINING

Mining is the extraction of valuable and useful materials from the Earth. Mining takes place all over the world but is an especially important industry in Australia. Large amounts of materials are extracted from Australia's landscape, including:
 * Iron ore
 * Nickel
 * Aluminum
 * Gold
 * Silver
 * Copper
 * Diamond
 * Opal
 * Oil Shale
 * Uranium
 * Coal
 * Petroleum
 * Zinc
 * Natural Gas

All of Australia's States and Territories have mining locations but some that have more significant importance include: 
 * the Goldfields and Pillara regions of Western Australia
 * the Hunter Valley - NSW
 * Bowen Basin - QLD
 * Latrine Valley - VIC
 * parts of the Outback

WHAT IMPACT DOES MINING HAVE

Mining has had a substantial environmental impact in some areas of Australia. During Gold Rush periods in Victoria, deforestation and arsenic pollution occurred and som effects can still be seen today in some areas. However, many environmental impacts of mining today are minimised because of the well designed, well operated and well regulated mining conditions.

Mining also brought much tourism and interest to Australia during the Gold Rush. This was due to the many that were poor and hoping to strike it rich! Mining also plays an important part of exports for Australia as many of the mined materials are significant exports to countries that do not contain such rich sources of these various materials. These exports aid in Australia's economy.

DANGERS

Some dangers that mining poses as threatening for miners include:
 * Mine Collapse
 * Lack of oxygen
 * Natural Gas leaks

When mining, the mine can collapse causing the miners to be trapped underground. Sometimes the miners can be left there for numerous days and suffer from lack of food, water and oxygen. Lack of oxygen can also occur without a mine collapse. Underground there are many different natural gases. These unfamiliar natural gases can suffocate the miners and have many devastating effects.

In April 2006, there was a serious mining disaster at Beaconsfield, Tasmania where seismic activity caused a rock fall. This caused the death of one of the miners and two to be trapped 925 metres underground for 14 days. This is an example of the dangers mining can cause and demonstrates the importance of safety checks and emergency exits but also emphasises the hard work miners do and that their lives are at risk to uncontrollable things.



