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June 6, 1987
May 22, 2002
The Grasberg copper and gold mine located in the remote
Sudirman Mountain Range in the province of Papua, Indonesia,
is approximately 4200mabove sea level.
Photo
©
Nasa Johnson
Poorly managed waste generated in mountain areas can move
downslope, transported by water or sediment (a mechanism that
is sometimes intentionally used to dispose of mine waste – see
Ok Tedi case study). This means that mountain mines and associated
communities have the potential to expand their waste footprint to
areas very distant from the original waste source. Containing mine
waste against the forces of gravity is expensive and requires careful
management, planning and monitoring. Transporting community
waste to lower elevations for processing or disposal is sometimes
required, which also involves resources and planning.
A comparison of coalmine area (1987 to 2002) in the Appalachian Mountains (United States) showing the extent of land clearing and road
development associated with the expansion of the mine.
Image NASA Earth Observatory/Jesse Allen/University of Maryland’s Global Land Cover Facility