U n it 7 M etal s
Lesson 7.5 Activity 2
BRIEFING SHEET B
Planning Enquiry:
A new tin mine for Cornwall?
The Cornish Tin Company, Cotinco, wants to re-open an old tin mine.
You work for an environmental organisation, GoGreen. GoGreen is against re-opening the tin mine.
It is your job to tell people why.
Tin mining produces carbon dioxide gas and waste rock. At the enquiry, describe some
environmental problems caused by these two substances.
Sources of information


Textbook page 89 (Environmental costs section)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/world/global_warming/newsid_1575000/
1575441.stm (global warming)
Information on waste rock from tin mines
Near many old tin mines, there are heaps of waste rock. These are spoil heaps.
Few plants grow on spoil heaps. This is partly because there is little soil on them, and partly because
water drains through them very quickly. Many tin mine spoil heaps are contaminated by other
metals, even arsenic. These substances prevent many plant species growing.
Substances such as arsenic are poisonous to humans. So some scientists recommend that people
stay away from old spoil heaps. Plymouth scientists have detected high levels of arsenic in soil near
old mines. This can be poisonous, especially to young children who sometimes eat soil!
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