Extractivism Environmental Costs Quiz

Extractivism often leads to significant environmental degradation, including the destruction of habitats and loss of biodiversity. As natural resources are extracted, ecosystems are disrupted, leading to a decline in various species and the overall health of the environment. This detrimental impact outweighs any short-term economic benefits derived from resource extraction.

Strip mining is a surface mining technique where the topsoil and vegetation are removed to access minerals beneath the surface. This method is typically used for minerals located close to the earth’s surface and involves stripping away layers to expose and extract the desired resources efficiently.

Underground mining is a technique used to extract minerals and ores from beneath the Earth's surface. This method involves creating tunnels and shafts to access deposits located deep underground, allowing for the efficient retrieval of valuable resources while minimizing surface disruption.

Acid mine drainage occurs when sulfide minerals, such as pyrite, are exposed to air and water during mining operations. This exposure leads to a chemical reaction that produces sulfuric acid, which can leach heavy metals from surrounding rocks, contaminating nearby water sources and harming ecosystems.

Deforestation from agricultural and mining activities leads to the release of carbon dioxide as trees, which absorb CO2, are cut down. This process not only reduces the planet's capacity to sequester carbon but also releases stored carbon in trees and soil into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change.

Large-scale agricultural expansion often involves intensive farming practices that deplete nutrients from the soil, leading to soil degradation and a decline in fertility. This can result from over-cultivation, chemical use, and deforestation, which disrupts the natural balance and health of the soil ecosystem, ultimately affecting agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Mining operations produce large volumes of waste rock and tailings, which are typically stored in designated tailings ponds or waste dumps. These facilities are specifically designed to manage and contain the waste, preventing environmental contamination and ensuring safe disposal while minimizing the impact on surrounding ecosystems.

Exporting raw materials from developing to developed nations fosters economic dependency, as developing countries rely on these exports for revenue while remaining vulnerable to fluctuations in global markets. This relationship often limits their ability to diversify their economies and develop local industries, perpetuating a cycle of reliance on external entities for economic stability.

Extractivism, such as mining and resource extraction, often leads to significant environmental degradation. Water pollution occurs from mining runoff, harming aquatic ecosystems. Habitat fragmentation disrupts wildlife migration and breeding. Additionally, soil erosion and desertification can result from land disruption, further diminishing biodiversity and ecosystem health. Increased agricultural productivity is not typically a consequence of extractivism.

Extractivist economies focus on the extraction of natural resources for immediate economic gain, often prioritizing short-term profits over environmental conservation and sustainability. This approach can lead to significant ecological degradation, as the emphasis is on maximizing resource extraction without considering long-term environmental impacts or the health of ecosystems.

Large-scale commercial agriculture is characterized by the extensive clearing of forests to create space for cattle ranching or monoculture crops. This practice prioritizes high yields and profit, often at the expense of biodiversity and ecosystem health, making it prevalent in extractivist economies that focus on maximizing resource extraction for economic gain.

Mining activities often release heavy metals into the environment, which can leach into groundwater and surface water. This contamination poses significant risks to aquatic ecosystems, leading to toxic effects on wildlife and disrupting ecological balance. Thus, the pollution resulting from these heavy metals is termed heavy metal pollution.