Water is the vital link to life on Earth. Everyone should appreciate that.
Like all other industries, (click here) mining corporations need water to make bare rock give up its valuable minerals. Mining has played an important part in the development of this Nation. Even before the first European settlers set foot on this continent and mined coal to heat their homes, Native Americans were using coal to bake clay for vessels. The United States now produces a wide variety of mined commodities from gold to coal to "exotic" minerals used in everything from pharmaceuticals to jewelry to high-tech products. All these products would not be possible without the use of water in mining....
This map is from 2005, the year Cheney's energy plan removed all the environmental constraints on clear and abundant water. The number of states now pulling water away from citizens and into contamination of mining and fracking is far higher, ie: Pennsylvania is an interesting case in point. At one time mining was the mainstay of it's economy, so it's water tables actually recovered with the end of anthracite coal. Now, the demand is back and citizens need to ask if their water is not only abundant, but, clean AND HEALTHY. Water can look clean, but, the question is, IS IT HEALTHY?
...During 2005, an estimated 4,020 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) was withdrawn for mining purposes. (All 2010 water use information is from the report Estimated use of water in the United States in 2010.) Mining withdrawals were about 1 percent of total withdrawals and about 2 percent of total withdrawals for all categories excluding thermoelectric power. Groundwater was the source for 63 percent of total withdrawals for mining. Sixty percent of the groundwater withdrawals for mining were saline. Most of the surface-water withdrawals (87 percent) were freshwater. Saline groundwater withdrawals and fresh surface-water withdrawals together represented 70 percent of the total withdrawals for mining....
...During 2005, an estimated 4,020 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) was withdrawn for mining purposes. (All 2010 water use information is from the report Estimated use of water in the United States in 2010.) Mining withdrawals were about 1 percent of total withdrawals and about 2 percent of total withdrawals for all categories excluding thermoelectric power. Groundwater was the source for 63 percent of total withdrawals for mining. Sixty percent of the groundwater withdrawals for mining were saline. Most of the surface-water withdrawals (87 percent) were freshwater. Saline groundwater withdrawals and fresh surface-water withdrawals together represented 70 percent of the total withdrawals for mining....
