Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions

May 22, 2002

June 6, 1987

A comparison of coalmine area (1987 to 2002) in the Appalachian Mountains (United States) showing the extent of land clearing and road development associated with the expansion of the mine. Image NASA Earth Observatory/Jesse Allen/University of Maryland’s Global Land Cover Facility

Poorly managed waste generated in mountain areas can move downslope, transported by water or sediment (a mechanism that is sometimes intentionally used to dispose of mine waste – see Ok Tedi case study). This means that mountain mines and associated communities have the potential to expand their waste footprint to

areas very distant from the original waste source. Containing mine waste against the forces of gravity is expensive and requires careful management, planning and monitoring. Transporting community waste to lower elevations for processing or disposal is sometimes required, which also involves resources and planning.

The Grasberg copper and gold mine located in the remote Sudirman Mountain Range in the province of Papua, Indonesia, is approximately 4200mabove sea level. Photo © Nasa Johnson

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