Illegal mining

Certified mining causes less threat and destruction to the environment than illegal mining because the guidelines they are required to follow aim to preserve the environment while extracting resources. Illegal miners generally lack knowledge or simply do not care about the environment they are mining. Illegal mining can destroy ecosystems in a variety of ways. One of the simplest methods is the creation large mining pits that are not back-filled when they are finished, causing many people and animals to die from these pits. Water pollution Illegal gold mining operations often use heavy metals such as mercury and cyanide to extract gold from waste material. The mercury and cyanide leaches into the natural environment causing pollution. Illegal miners often dump excess mercury into the nearby waterways for disposal. Water pollution affects surrounding aquatic and land ecosystems due to the hydraulic cycle. The polluted water is also used for irrigation of farmland and as drinking water, which further spreads pollution and leads to illness and death. There have been many efforts to protect and rehabilitate forest ecosystems in recent years to prevent and limit the effects of deforestation. Soil erosion and degradation Deforestation by itself contributes to soil erosion since the roots of trees provide the soil with stability. Illegal mining can also cause soil degradation. Removing topsoil affects the fertility of the soil and decreases the chance of restoring vegetation, toxic chemicals pollute soil to an extent where plants cannot grow, and large amounts of mining waste such as rock, sediment and soil that lacks nutrients are dumped onto the land, engulfing the fertile topsoil and stopping the growth of plants. Poorly contained mining tails are hazardous to the environment because there are no efforts to treat the soil to get rid of toxic chemicals. Soil erosion can also lead to natural hazards such as landslides due to loose soil and flooding. == Social impacts ==

Crime Illegal mining is by its very nature a criminal activity, but is often linked to other criminal activities taking place in the same area. For example, organized crime groups such as drug cartels in Latin America realized the profitability of illegal mining and began to mine precious metals. There is less available land for farming causing competition and higher costs for farmers. The illegal miners trespass through farmland to construct roads through farms, destroying the cocoa trees in the process. When illegal mining operations abandon their pits, there is no way for local authorities to track and prevent the open pits to decrease the spread. Illegal miners may also not take proper precautions to protect themselves when mining, increasing the risk of transmission. ==Regional issues==

Sub-Saharan Africa Spurred by widespread poverty and a lack of alternative income-earning opportunities, illegal artisanal mining is a well-documented phenomenon in sub-Saharan Africa. While legalization opportunities for artisanal and small-scale mining are often available, inefficient government bureaucracy structures can make noncompliance more appealing for workers. In addition, to attract foreign investment, many governments in sub-Saharan Africa have loosened national mining investment codes. An expansion of large-scale mining projects fuelled by foreign investment has displaced rural mining communities, many of which revert to illegal mining on concessions given to the formal mining sector. Some countries have responded to these issues - for example, Ghana launched Operation Vanguard in 2017 to restrain illegal artisanal mining in Ghana. Latin America Latin America is home to the Amazon rainforest which contains many ecosystems. Illegal mining causes deforestation of this protected rainforest. The use of mercury in illegal mining contaminates the soil, water and air, harming surrounding communities and the wildlife living in the forest. India Nigeria Nigeria is rich in precious metals, attracting foreign mining enterprises. This causes violence and conflict between the local and foreign illegal miners in some parts of Nigeria. The Nigerian government does not have the funds, capacity or authority needed to enforce the law that prohibits illegal mining The environmental and water quality deterioration caused the President of Ghana to make a press release explaining the urgency and need for public support to aid in fixing the problem. Illegal mining operations in Ghana have contributed to the reduction of poverty. Illegal mining is an employment option for men and women with no education and it is an easy way to make quick money. The government is offering alternative sources of income in the agricultural field. Illegal miners will continue to make money once their mine is shut down or change jobs to work an agricultural job that is much safer and legal. ==See also==