The Open-Pit Mine Project of Rosemont Copper Company - Admission/Application Essay Example

?(Insert The Open-Pit Mine Project of Rosemont Copper Company Rosemont Copper company isan Arizona based mining company whose main focus is mining copper. The company has a rich history in the mining sector. The controversial issue that surrounds the company at the moment regards the open-pit mining project whose site is south of Tucson in the Santa Rita Mountains. The name of the specific area is Helveita mining district. The vast reserves of copper in the area were discovered by two entrepreneurs in 1875. The first mining companies to explore the area were Omega Copper Company and Columbia Mining & Smelting Company (USDA Forest Service 7). However, the area came to a shut-down after the mine was closed in 1911 owing to the low commodity prices at the time. Years later, the potentiality of the area to produce copper has emerged. The Rosemont company is the major stakeholder and the force behind the reviving of the project. However, the project has been under scrutiny and vetting ever since it was suggested in 2006. This is because the company has to gain permission from various state officials before commencement. The Forest Service is one of the state offices that the company has been pursuing seeking for permission to commence the project (USDA Forest Service 10). In October 2011, the Forest Service released a draft environmental impact statement of the proposed Helveits project. The report enlisted the perils that can result from an undertaking of the project together with a list of alternative actions. The Rosemont Company is adamant on the fact that employing water conservation techniques and recycling techniques will reduce the detrimental outcomes of the project. The company has even dubbed the project as “Setting A New Environmental Standard”. However, my opinion is contrary to their stand. This is because the demerits of the project outweighs its merits. For the project to commence, the land must be cleared. This will mean that vegetation in the area will be cut down. It would also mean that the soil will have to be stockpiled for the exposing of the mineral. These activities will cause ground disturbance and the expected results of this are accelerating erosion in the area and a possible reduction in the productivity of soil. This activity may also cause the rock pilings to be unstable over time. This would mean that land cannot be adequately reclaimed because the vegetation would be unstable. In addition, clearing of the land will have an impact on the animals. This is because those that have habituated the area will lose their habitats. The noise that will be produced from the mining cite will also have an impact on the behaviors of animals in a negative way. Secondly, if given the go-a-head, the project would cause contamination of the air. This is because the mining process will cause a disturbance in the soil particles and they would be suspended in the air. It would also cause a chemical contamination of the air around the proposed cite from the mineral itself, the earth, and any other chemical that might be used in the process. This would in turn result to an increase in the concentration and emission of greenhouse gases in the area notwithstanding the possibility of climatic changes in the area. The water needed to run the whole project cannot be quite estimated. The company, in its defense, has 9 years’ worth of mine process water in storage. In their proposal, the initial water supply will be ground water from wells in the upper Santa-Cruz Sub-basin. There is a risk of groundwater levels receding in the area because of this. The use of the water will also alter the quality of ground water because it will lead to the formation of a permanent lake which will concentrate dissolved metals and toxins and alternatively degrade the aquifer. The surface water availability and quality will also be altered as a result of the project. Considering that the area was previously inhabited, then the mining process will be tampering with the cultural resources that are within the area. Excavation in the area will cause destruction or burying of archeological sites or evidence in the area. The process will also cause excavation of the corpses which have been buried in the area and this is unethical. Some springs and high vision points have been identified as sacred sites in the area. The mining process will cause depletion of these sacred sites in the area. The mining process will lower the aesthetic value of the area. Other than the clearing of vegetation, the rock and soil pilings may be an obstruction to scenic views in the area. For example, pilings may be un-strategically placed and they can block the view of the Santa Rita Mountains. The whole mining process will be harmful to the public in almost every aspect. In terms of health, the dust particles in the air will be inhaled by the people who live around the area. In addition, people who will decide to visit the area are at a risk of inhaling the chemicals in the air. This can lead to respiratory related complications among the people living in the area. The above are the reasons why the project is an issue of controversy. The fact that the project can have an immense positive impact on the socioeconomics of the area cannot be overlooked. It would however not be prudent if this was done at the expense of all that has been highlighted above. Work Cited USDA Forest Service. Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Rosemont Copper Project: Executive Summary. October, 2011. Web. November 19, 2012. Read More