Table 9.

Environmental Impacts and Climate Change

All stages of ASM negatively impact the environment, contribute to climate change and are responsible for declines in biodiversity. Landscape destruction occurs when exploring, exploiting and closing mines. Furthermore, toxicological and waste pollution of waters, soil, and air is related to the processing of minerals and inappropriate disposal. Due to a lack of training and education, and formalization and control in the sector, these environmental damages continue to worsen the situation in mining settings. Indigenous communities are increasingly displaced, cultural deprivation accompanies the environmental devastation, therefore, suffering the long-term consequences of the environmental damage [11, 80–83]. These environmental impacts urgently need increased attention.