Deny the Mine

Running head: DENY THE MINE 1

Deny The Mine

Solution Essay

Katie Delph

Washtenaw Community College

Author Note

This paper was prepared for English 111, Section 15, taught by Dr. Jo

DENY THE MINE 2

Making environmental changes, like creating a 158 acre sand and gravel mine site in Chelsea, Michigan, is naturally going to have many effects on the surrounding community. Rural areas have too high of a population to try and create a large mine site like McCoig Gravel, a ready-mix concrete company, is attempting to do. Studies show that the impact of a mine in a highly populated rural area raises concerns for the environment and the health of the citizens. Attempting to put a stop to the creation of the mine in the city of Chelsea is in the best favor of the community. Choosing to use the large amount of land in a more useful way is an option that hasn’t been considered very much but would be a good alternative to mining.

Mining in rural areas causes a lot of problems even after the mining processes are over. Environmental concerns are one of the main problems with mining. Chemicals like: cyanide, mercury, and methyl mercury are discharged into nearby rivers, streams, and lakes polluting the clean water and contaminating the fish in the water. If the water or fish are consumed by the people it can cause serious health issues. Mining can also cause contamination of the groundwater if the mining goes too deep. Health concerns are also a huge factor for a community around a mining site. Abundant toxic waste is polluted into the air and water which can cause skin rashes, headaches, vomiting, and diarrhea. Mining pits cause stagnant water to sit and become a breeding pool for mosquitoes and other water-born insects which increases water-born diseases for people living around area. Air quality will be decreased as well because of all the dumping of sand and gravel into trucks and on the land. Electablog (2014) mentioned that...