Why can it be bad for the environment?
If limestone mining is not property taken care of, here are a few key things that it can influence:
Groundwater
Groundwater is vital to both drinking and farming, as well as providing a large source of fresh water for housing, businesses, and industry. However, the quality of this underground water depends on where it originated and what it passed through. If groundwater is an important resource in your area, then it is essential that you understand the possible problems associated with it.
Quarrying can heavily affect the water table due to the pumping of aquifer water which needs to be treated before being reintroduced back into the ground. This can ultimately lead to a decrease in the amount of groundwater available, known as aquifer depletion. This decrease in water levels makes access to this resource more difficult.
Subsidence
Subsidence happens when the weight of the land above the limestone is too much for the limestone to support. If the limestone cave collapses, it can cause damage to buildings and homes. The collapse can also be dangerous to people.
Karst is a geological formation that occurs in some areas where there is a lot of limestone. It can be found in parts of the United States and Canada. It is the result of the dissolution of soluble rocks by rainwater, which causes the water to dissolve the rock. When water seeps into cracks in the rock, it dissolves the limestone and creates a cavern.
Habitat Destruction
Glancing at a map, it is evident that the majority of our planet is covered with water; 70% of the earth’s surface to be exact. Upon diving deep into this oceanic abyss, one discovers that the colossal variety of life within is so dense and entwined, it appears infinite and impossible to determine the sheer difference between water and land.
This incredible ecosystem also extends and differs drastically in caves around the world, housing unique species exclusive to their respective environments. Unfortunately, due to mining, road building and tourism among other activities, approximately 1 in 10 caves have been destroyed in the last 50 years, making up more than half of all existing natural enclaves.
Dust
Limestone is a type of rock that is composed of calcium carbonate and is used in many different ways, such as building material, road base, cement, plaster, and glass. Limestone is often mined from quarries. These quarries are often located near large metropolitan areas where there are many potential environmental issues. In addition, many of these quarries have been found to have high concentrations of arsenic in the groundwater.
Most people are aware of the dangers of fugitive dust. However, most people don’t realize how common this problem really is. In fact, most of the dust we breathe every day comes from mining sites.
Is limestone a waste material?
Green concrete are made out of recycled material like stone, sand and gravel, which are mostly used as building materials for buildings and bridges. Limestone waste is obtained as a by product during the production of aggregates through the crushing process of rocks in rubble crusher units. Substituting quarry waste for sand in construction material would solve the environmental problems caused by the large-scale depletion of natural sources of river and mining sands. Experimental investigation was undertaken to determine the effect of sand substitution with limestone waste (LSW) and marble powder (M). When used as an additive, the replacement ratio of sand with limestone waste, 25%, 50%, and 75% were practiced in the concrete mixes except in the concrete mix. Marble powder is used as a substitute for water. It is added to concrete mixes in three forms: 5%, 10% and 15%.
The effects of limestone waste as fine aggregate on several fresh and hardened properties of the concretes were investigated. The investigation involved testing of compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths, modulus of elasticity, and permeability.Q: It was found that limestone waste as fine aggregate enhanced the slump test of the fresh concretes. No matter what type of concrete you’re using, if the correct amount of cement and aggregate is used, you shouldn’t experience problems.Q:
Is limestone good for the environment?
The Lake Belt Project
Enveloping nearly 50, 000 acres located on the western border of Miami Dade County, The Lake Belt is an area of environmentally sensitive land comprised of wetlands and lakes. It serves as a potential buffer between the Everglades and conceivably negative impacts of urban sprawl from the West Miami area.
State legislatures specifically identified the Lake Belt as an important area for both the economy, as well as the environment. To maximize the utilization of this space economically while maintaining environmental preservation, state legislatures implemented the Lake Belt Committee to develop a plan to help. The Northwest Wellfield resides at the eastern edge of the Lake Belt and represents the largest drinking water wellfield in the state of Florida. It supplies approximately 40 percent the fresh, drinkable water we enjoy in Miami Dade County.
Balancing a Mutually Beneficial Relationship
The limestone industry is committed to protecting the environment, and the Everglades are a big part of that commitment. The limestone industry has contributed over $20 million to help upgrade Miami Dade’s vital water treatment facilities.
Aggregating the quarries near the local wells provides a valuable ecosystem. They help keep water pumps online, and support water storage systems. With the right techniques and knowledge, you can build an inexpensive and effective system that can bring clean drinking water to the community. A good thing to know about South Florida quarries is they serve as vital water storage facilities for the Everglades Restoration Plan and are an important part of this district’s water management system.
Protecting Our Environment from Invasive Species
Quarries provide a protective buffer for the Everglades. The goal was to use Melaleuca to help with waterlogged and flooded areas in Florida’s wetlands. However, Melaleuca displayed an insatiable thirst for water and thrived in the Everglades. This displaced native vegetation, including cypress and sawgrass. The area is already being used for mining limestone. And the trees are already there. With all of its environmental benefits, this is a further benefit and cohabitation between the limestone quarrying industry and the environment.
Limestone is important to help protect the water supply in the Everglades, because it eliminates the Melaleuca plant from its ecosystem. Quarrying limestone provides an excellent alternative to the invasive plant removal.
What are the environmental impacts of quarries?
Mining has come a long way in being safer and cleaner, yet there are still many damaging effects to the environment. Pollution and water contamination are only a couple of the local impacts arising from this industry. In addition, respiratory problems and other lung diseases can be caused by dust set off from mining processes. Florida is well known for having been used as a limestone quarry for years. Since our natural resources are dwindling with each passing day, it is essential that we take steps to prevent further destruction of our planet during resource extraction. Unfortunately, mining operations can still affect the local water table significantly: shallow wells may develop, and mine fill-up with groundwater thus decreasing its quality or contaminating surface water if precautionary measures are not taken.
Should we stop quarrying?
As long as the right people are mining the quarry, and the right regulations are taken into consideration, there is no need to stop quarrying. Here at Miami Limestone, we take care as much as possible to get you the limestone you deserve with minimal cost to the environment.