AQA · GCSE · Chemistry
Course version: 8462 · Version from Sept 2018
Obtaining raw materials from the Earth by quarrying and mining causes…
Full specification wording
Ways of reducing the use of resources: Obtaining raw materials from the Earth by quarrying and mining causes environmental impacts.
Quarrying and mining remove rock and ore from the Earth's crust, and both cause a range of environmental impacts.
Checked against the AQA 8462 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 4 of 11
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Quarrying and mining remove rock and ore from the Earth's crust, and both cause a range of environmental impacts. Large areas of land are cleared, destroying habitats and landscapes, and the pits and spoil heaps remain after extraction ends. Blasting, crushing and transporting rock create noise, dust and vibration, and dust can settle on plants and buildings. Water running through spoil heaps can become acidic or carry dissolved metals, polluting rivers and groundwater. Fossil fuels burned by machinery and vehicles release carbon dioxide and other pollutants. Mining can also cause subsidence and, in some cases, release harmful gases. These impacts are reduced when less raw material is needed, which is why reducing, reusing and recycling matter.
What earns the marks
- Quarrying and mining clear large areas of land, destroying habitats and changing landscapes.
- Blasting, crushing and transport produce noise, dust and vibration that affect local communities and wildlife.
- Run-off from spoil heaps can pollute rivers and groundwater with acidic or metal-containing water.
- Burning fossil fuels in machinery and vehicles releases carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
- Mining can cause subsidence and release harmful gases from underground.
- Reducing, reusing and recycling materials lower demand for newly extracted raw materials and so reduce these impacts.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Listing only visual damage such as holes in the ground.
Put it right: Noise, dust, water pollution, emissions and habitat loss are also significant impacts.
Confusing quarrying with mining.
Put it right: Quarrying extracts rock from open pits near the surface, while mining may follow deep underground seams or veins.
Claiming the impacts end when extraction stops.
Put it right: Spoil heaps, flooded pits and polluted water can persist for many years.
Exam tips
- Name the specific impact and its cause, for example dust from blasting or acidic run-off from spoil heaps.
- Use the phrase environmental impacts and give at least two different types, such as habitat loss and water pollution.
- Link the impacts back to reducing, reusing and recycling, because that is the specification context.
Try the lesson
The start of the Ways of reducing the use of resources: Obtaining raw materials from the Earth by quarrying and mining causes environmental impacts. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following is a direct environmental impact of quarrying for rock such as limestone?
Listen
Quarrying and mining remove rock and ore from the Earth's crust, and both cause a range of environmental impacts. Large areas of land are cleared, destroying habitats and landscapes, and the pits and spoil heaps remain after extraction ends. Blasting, crushing and transporting rock create noise, dust and vibration, and dust can settle on plants and buildings. Water running through spoil heaps can become acidic or carry dissolved metals, polluting rivers and groundwater. Fossil fuels burned by machinery and vehicles release carbon dioxide and other pollutants. Mining can also cause subsidence and, in some cases, release harmful gases. These impacts are reduced when less raw material is needed, which is why reducing, reusing and recycling matter. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Quarrying and mining clear large areas of land, destroying habitats and changing landscapes. Blasting, crushing and transport produce noise, dust and vibration that affect local communities and wildlife. Run-off from spoil heaps can pollute rivers and groundwater with acidic or metal-containing water. Burning fossil fuels in machinery and vehicles releases carbon dioxide and other pollutants. A common slip: Listing only visual damage such as holes in the ground. Instead, noise, dust, water pollution, emissions and habitat loss are also significant impacts. Exam tip: Name the specific impact and its cause, for example dust from blasting or acidic run-off from spoil heaps.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Environmental cost of extracting raw materials
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Habitat and landscape destruction
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Pollution of water, air and soil
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Resource reduction as a mitigation strategy
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See every definition
- Environmental cost of extracting raw materials
- Obtaining raw materials from the Earth by quarrying and mining causes environmental impacts.
- Habitat and landscape destruction
- Large areas of land are cleared, destroying habitats and landscapes, and the pits and spoil heaps remain after extraction ends.
- Pollution of water, air and soil
- Water running through spoil heaps can become acidic or carry dissolved metals, polluting rivers and groundwater, and fossil fuels burned by machinery and vehicles release carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
- Resource reduction as a mitigation strategy
- These impacts are reduced when less raw material is needed, which is why reducing, reusing and recycling matter.
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