Mining-(Ok Tedi Mine) Environmental Degradation & Sustainability Blog

            The Ok Tedi Mine is a very unique mine compared to mines all around the world because it is an open pit mine. It is located in the Star Mountains of Papua New Guinea, which contains copper and gold.Gold and copper have a multitude of uses. Both are called currency metals since they have been used to make money for thousands of years.
Gold’s qualities make it one of the most coveted metals in the world. Not only can it be beautifully shaped and sculpted, the yellow metal conducts electricity and does not tarnish.Gold is a highly efficient conductor of electricity and is used in most electronic devices, including cell phones. Gold contained in connectors, switches and relay contacts allows phones to remain free of corrosion. Presently, copper is used in building construction, power generation and transmission, electronic product manufacturing, and the production of industrial machinery and transportation vehicles. Copper wiring and plumbing are integral to the appliances, heating and cooling systems, and telecommunications links used every day in homes and businesses. Copper is an essential component in the motors, wiring, radiators, connectors, brakes, and bearings used in cars and trucks.


              The Ok Tedi mine is an open pit mine, which means that the native rock and other sediments are removed from a large tract of land to reach the wanted substances. The mine uses techniques such as blasting and drilling to extract the rock (Kentucky Coal Education) ("OK Tedi Mine, Oceania, Papua New Guinea"). The excavated rock is then crushed into 200 mm pieces by gyratory crushers, then ground into sand on a grinding circuit including “semi-autogenous grinding mills and ball mills”  ("OK Tedi Mine, Oceania, Papua New Guinea"). The ore is then placed in flotation cells with reagents that create air bubbles that separate the copper and gold from the other materials. These compounds then float to the surface and are able to be collected  ("OK Tedi Mine, Oceania, Papua New Guinea"). It is then sent through a pipeline to the Kiunga river port and is transported to consumers  ("OK Tedi Mine, Oceania, Papua New Guinea"). After it has been retrieved, the ore is first crushed into 200 mm pieces by gyratory crushers, then ground into sand on a grinding circuit that includes "semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mills and ball mills" ("OK Tedi Mine, Oceania, Papua New Guinea"). The sand is then placed in flotation cells with reagents to create air bubbles, which attract the copper and gold minerals. Later, these compounds float to the surface for collection ("OK Tedi Mine, Oceania, Papua New Guinea"). The condensed slurry is sent through a 157 kilometer (97.5 mile) pipeline to the river port of Kiunga, where it is transported to consumers ("OK Tedi Mine, Oceania, Papua New Guinea").
                  According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), “Up to 80,000 tonnes of waste rock and 120,000 tonnes of tailings are disgorged from the Ok Tedi/Fly River system - every day. In addition, 30 million tonnes of tailing ‘fine sand’ are discharged annually into local rivers.” (WWF) As a result, the lifestyle of around 30,000 locals, most notably the Yonngom, a group of about 4,500 living in the Lower Ok Tedi area, has been disrupted. Due to river pollution, they are no longer able to sell their garden produce, and the fish stocks have been severely depleted. "Ok Tedi’s reports revealed that fish stocks in the upper Ok Tedi had declined between 50% and 80% from pre-mining levels." (WWF).

According to the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), by the 1990s the first 70 km of the river was "almost biologically dead and species diversity over the next 130 km had been dramatically reduced. Fertile river bank subsistence gardens, plantations and approximately 8 km2 of forest have been destroyed." (Banks G).

 

              The mining operation was always expected to have a severe impact on the Ok Tedi river (I need more information on this part), but it has also affected the Fly river. The increased sediment has caused aggradation, which is “the increase in land elevation due to the deposition of sediment” (Wikipedia 2015). This aggradation altered the flooding in the river and caused a floodplain dieback (Campbell).

            However, there is hope for the Ok Tedi area. In June of 1996, the Broken Hill Proprietary Company (which is the world's largest mining company) and local indigenous leaders reached an out-of-court settlement that included a binding agreement that BHP and Ok Tedi Mining Ltd. would create a $350 million tailings containment facility. This agreement would cause BHP and the Ok Tedi mine to become the first mine to not release tailings directly into rivers or the sea. The government originally only agreed to allow the mine if it had a tailings dam to filter out the waste from the mine before it entered the river. However, after the original dam was destroyed in a landslide, the owners of the mine successfully pushed to continue their mine operations without a replacement dam, which has caused widespread pollution.

             The government has suggested that the mine only operates if there was a tailings dam built to filter out pollutants from the water. One was built but was destroyed by a landslide, and since then the mine operators are adamant on not building a new one. Overall, Government policies are not enforced enough that the mine actually follows these rulings.

Works Cited

Agency, Environmental Protection. “What Is Acid Mine Drainage.” Sos Blue Waters. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://www.sosbluewaters.org/epa-what-is-acid-mine-drainage%5B1%5D.pdf>.

“Basics of an Open Pit Mine.” mine-engineer.com. mine-engineer.com, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <http://www.mine-engineer.com/mining/open_pit.htm>.

“BHP Billiton Withdraws from Ok Tedi Copper Mine and Establishes Development Fund for Benefit of Papua New Guinea People.” BHP Billiton. BHP Billiton, 8 Feb. 2002. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. <http://www.bhpbilliton.com/home/investors/news/Pages/Articles/BHP%20Billiton%20Withdraws%20from%20Ok%20Tedi%20Copper%20Mine%20and%20Establishes%20Development%20Fund%20for%20Benefit%20of%20Papua%20New%20Guinea.aspx>.

Bice, Sarah. “Ok Tedi Immunity Gone, with Implications beyond BHP.” The Conversation. Conversation US, 22 Oct. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://theconversation.com/ok-tedi-immunity-gone-with-implications-beyond-bhp-19188>.

Burton, Bob. “BHP Admits Ok Tedi Mine is Environmental Disaster.” Asia Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://www.atimes.com/oceania/AH13Ah01.html>.

Campbell, Ian. “Ok Tedi Mine – Leaving Time Bombs on the Fly River Floodplain.” River Symposium. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://archive.riversymposium.com/index.php?element=CAMPBELL_IANppt>.

“The Coinage Metals: Copper, Silver, and Gold.” ChemWiki. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Inorganic_Chemistry/Descriptive_Chemistry/d-Block_Elements/Group_11%3A_Transition_Metals/The_Coinage_Metals%3A_Copper,_Silver,_and_Gold>.

“Facts About Copper.” Geology.com. Geology.com, Jan. 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <http://geology.com/usgs/uses-of-copper/>.

Fox, Liam. “PNG Government Takes Control of Ok Tedi Mine, Repeals Laws Protecting BHP from Legal Action over Pollution.” ABC News. ABC, 19 Sept. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-19/png-government-takes-control-of-png-ok-tedi-mine/4967004>.

Garrett, Jemima. “New Profit and Ownership Woes at PNG’s Ok Tedi Gold Mine.” ABC News. ABC, 10 Mar. 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-10/png-ok-tedi-woes/5310896>.

“Glossary of Mining Terms.” Kentucky Coal Education. Kentucky Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <http://www.coaleducation.org/glossary.htm#B>.

Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. <http://www.lonelyplanet.com/papua-new-guinea/gulf-and-western-provinces/daru/sights/historic/ok-tedi-mine>.

“The Many Uses of Gold.” US Funds. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://www.usfunds.com/slideshows/the-many-uses-of-gold/#.VQcOJWTF9Ex>.

“OK Tedi Mine, Oceania, Papua New Guinea.” Mining-Technology.com. Kable, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <http://www.mining-technology.com/projects/ok-tedi-mine/>.

Ok Tedi Mining. Ok Tedi Mining, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. <http://www.oktedi.com/>.

“Ok Tedi, Papua New Guinea.” World Wide Fund for Nature. World Wide Fund for Nature, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/new_guinea_forests/problems_forests_new_guinea/mining_new_guinea/ok_tedi_forest_new_guinea/>.

“Papua New Guinea’s Government Opens New Controversy regarding the Ok Tedi Mine.” Mining Examiner. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <http://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/png-makes-bhp-liable-for-environmental-damage-from-mine>.

“Papua New Guinea’s Government Opens New Controversy regarding the Ok Tedi Mine.” Mining Examiner. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/png-makes-bhp-liable-for-environmental-damage-from-mine>.

“Waste from Consumption and Production - The Ok Tedi Case: A Pot of Gold.” GRID Ardenal. GRID-Ardenal, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. <http://www.grida.no/publications/vg/waste/page/2859.aspx>.

Biodiversity Hotspots: Philippines

         As everybody knows, biodiversity is a huge part of the planet we call Earth. Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. To be classified as a hot spot, it has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation. What makes the Philippines full of biodiversity is that the terrestrial and marine habitats contain some of the richest diversities of flora and fauna (which refer to plant and wildlife),and its waters are considered a part of the bio diverse Coral Triangle, which is a marine area located in the western Pacific Ocean. The Philippines is a cluster of more than 7,000 islands, and are of volcanic origin. A large part of the terrain is mountains, with fertile soils and very spectacular landscapes. (Goldman)

      

Also, in the Philippines there is an island that is so amazing that no island has more to offer than the island province of Palawan. There are thousands of kilometers of unexplored forests and coastlines. However, this location is classified as tropical and subtropical dry broad leaves forest. Either way, since the Philippines is an island, it can also be called an aquatic ecosystem. Here are both terrestrial food web and aquatic food web:

The level of net primary productivity in these biomes are 7,600 kcal/m^2/yr., and 8,800. This Island has many types of ecosystems, ranging from coastal wetlands to upland region watersheds, so its hard to pick just one.

            Not only do the Philippines contain biodiversity, it offers plenty of ecosystem services that are critical to the nation.The Philippines has a bounty of minerals, cropland, timber, and coastal and marine resources. These natural resources make up an estimated 36 percent of the nation’s wealth. Also, the patchwork of isolated islands, the tropical location of the country, and the once extensive areas of rainforest have resulted in high species diversity in some groups of organisms and a very high level of endemism. At the very least, one-third of the more than 9,250 vascular plant species native to the Philippines are endemic (this means growing or existing in a certain place or region)

           In 2006, Catibog-Sinha and Heaney wrote that an estimated number of over 38,000 vertebrate and invertebrate animal species have been described within Philippine territory, with over half being endemic species. The number of plant species, meanwhile, ranges over 16,000 based on the latest data (as of February 2013) published by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (formerly the Protected Areas and Wildlife Burea). About 45% to 60% of these identified native vascular and non-vascular plants are endemic to the Philippines. Estimates are even higher for flowering plants found within primary forests, as 70% to 80% are endemic species.
           On top of these numbers, the country also currently has the highest rate of discovery in the world –  with no small thanks to its growing popularity as one of the world’s most biologically endowed, which has therefore inspired further research efforts. Indeed, among terrestrial mammals alone, at least sixteen new species have been introduced to science over the past decade.

           As this paper demonstrates, the Philippines is undergoing much environmental degradation, mainly in the form of deforestation, soil erosion, over-exploitation of fisheries, destruction of coral reefs, and more. These problems are accentuated by the pressures of a large, fast-growing and impoverished population; and they may shortly start to be aggravated yet more by climatic change in the wake of the global ‘greenhouse effect’.

            Here is a list of endangered animals in the Philippines:

Philippine Eagle:

The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) also referred to as monkey-eating eagle, is an eagle subspecies that belong to the family of Accipitridae and is native to Philippine. These eagle display white-colored plumage together with the shaggy crest, averaging 86 – 102 cm (2 ft 10 in to 3 ft 4 in) in length. The weight of these species measure around 4.7 – 8 kg (10 – 18 lb). As far as the eagle’s length is concerned, Philippine eagle is the largest, harpy eagle and the stellar’s sea eagle being the other contenders. They are also regarded as the rarest and the most powerful birds in the world. Philippine eagle is also the national bird of Philippine. One of the foremost causes of the population decline is habitat loss or deforestation.

Philippine Tastier:

The Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta) also called Luzon is an endangered species that is endemic to the Philippines. These animals are found in the south-eastern region of archipelago. Philippine tarsier is also the inhabitant of the islands of Leyte, Boho, Samar, and Mindanao. Some of these species are known to reside in Siagao Island, Dinagat Island, and Maripipi Island. The length of the Philippine tarsier measures around 118 – 149 mm, with weigh measuring at 113 – 142 grams.

        
       

            In conclusion, degraded ecosystems are being restored with many different ideas, for example improving human behavior regarding aquatic and terrestrial systems can improve the habitats of all the plants and animals that reside in this special hotspot. Getting the word out there is a slow but necessary process, so people aren't ignorant and have to the knowledge that if we don't stop the degrading we will no longer have the resources we need. The world will lose resources, money, and the chance to experience these amazing places that are unique and need to be protected. After all, most animals are worth more alive than dead.







Works Cited:

Goldman, Lee. "A Biodiversity Hotspot in the Philippines." WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund, 10 Aug. 2010. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.


"Food Web." Tropical Dry Forest Biology 9E. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.


Reynolds, Brad. "Cold Blooded Killers." Cold Blooded Killers. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.


"Biodiversity." Foundation for the Philippine Environment. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.

Learning About Food Webs and Energy Pyramids Summary

          In the world, there's many relationships and patterns that all species and beings go through. The circle of life involves many organisms chaining together to be able to receive what they need to survive. Each animal/plant is in a specific trophic level, the first one being a producer, then primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, and finally the decomposes/scavengers. All these organisms form food chains, and eventually a food web which shows how member of different food chains interact with each other, forming a complicated set of relationships. At the producer level, they get energy from the sun and it goes up after that. Decomposers obtain energy from the left over energy from the tertiary consumers' waste. Also, there are 100 original units that come from the sun (photosynthesis) that the producer soaked up. Each level up, only about 10% is kept. The rest of it dispersed into heat. This means, that the organisms at the top of the pyramid get less energy as it passes on.

 



          This is an example of a food web, and it shows all the interconnections of all these sea animals. As you can see, there are 5 trophic levels in each food chain. For example, the green algae is a producer, the oysters are primary consumers, the emperor angel fish is a secondary consumer, the killer whale is a tertiary consumer, and finally the sea urchins are scavengers. Each organisms receives an even smaller fraction of energy, as it goes up.

          This food web is a part of the ocean biome, so it includes animals like whales, krill, octopus, turtles, and much more. In the ocean, there's a not a lot of producers that can get too much of the sun rays so its more difficult to pass on energy. In conclusion, people should eat vegetables and everything that comes from plants to get enough energy the first time, rather than having to consume more of higher levels. Its healthier, and also doesn't kill as many animals.

        

 

 

Ecological Footprint Summary

          The way this world works, there's got to be some kind of limit to the resources that we are using every single day. The ecological footprint measures how much area of biologically productive land and water an individual requires, in order to produce all the resources it consumes, and to absorb the waste it generates. The ecological footprint should always be lower than the biocapacity of the earth. Biocapacity is all the materials the earth can generate. As of now, if we keep doing what we're doing we will need 3 Earth's to support us when we only have one. Many problems would surface if that time comes. But, if we rapidly reduce all the things were using it will allow earth to last much longer. On the other hand, I learned my own ecological footprint. I was WAY over the capacity of one earth, so I decided to change some of my habits and I'm really proud of my changes and how big of a difference it really makes.