Background:

Across the world there are many examples of cities that have become completely abandoned due to unsafe living conditions caused by mining related environmental disasters. Picher, Oklahoma (where 1/3 of the residents had elevated lead levels in their bloodstream) and Centralia, Pennsylvania (where a fire has burned beneath the city for 50 years) are a couple of American examples; However, many other cities worldwide have become toxic ghost towns due to environmental degradation related to mining. Wittenoom, Australia became so toxic from asbestos mining that 10% of its residents died from asbestos related disease and the Australian government eventually purchased all homes in the city and then took the city off of Australian maps!

Assignment Details:

Use the internet to research a city which has become unsafe for human habitation due to environmental degradation caused by mining. Write a 1 to 2 page paper where you discuss the following:

• What substance was mined in the city?
• What is the substance that was mined used for?
• How did mining of that substance lead to environmental degradation?
• What were the effects on human health?
• What were the effects on the local economy?
• What has government done (if anything) to try and restore the damaged ecosystem?
• What is the estimated cost of restoration efforts that have occurred?

Lastly, in your paper respond to the following:

What can be done to decrease environmental degradation caused by mining?