Final answer:
Surface mining is a method to extract near-surface minerals but causes significant environmental harm despite affecting less than 0.5% of U.S. land. Mountaintop removal and strip mining can destroy ecosystems, pollute environments, and adversely affect communities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Surface mining is a method used to extract minerals and ores that are near the Earth's surface. Even though surface mines and quarries cover less than 0.5% of the U.S. land surface, the environmental concerns are significant. This is because surface mining, especially mountaintop removal and strip mining, can be extremely destructive to ecosystems, often leading to habitat destruction, pollution, and long-term ecological damage.One of the most harmful forms of surface mining is mountaintop removal mining (MTM), which involves blasting away the tops of mountains to access coal seams. The subsequent waste is disposed in nearby valleys, burying streams and crucial habitats.
Additionally, the process alters the landscape significantly and disrupts the natural flow of water systems and wildlife.Mining not only impacts the immediate area but also affects the greater environment by contributing to pollution and deforestation. Strip mining for coal or oil shale, for example, releases significant amounts of air pollutants like carbon dioxide and methane. The negative impacts extend to human communities as well, including health hazards from exposure to pollutants and the disruption of local economies and traditional ways of life. As such, environmental concerns about mining are not solely based on the percentage of land directly affected but also consider the widespread and potentially irreversible harm caused to ecosystems and communities.