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Compare and contrast the economic and environmental advantages and disadvantages of three types of surface mining and subsurface mining.

Answer :

Final answer:

Surface mining, which includes strip mining, open-pit mining and mountaintop removal, is cheaper but causes significant environmental damage. Subsurface mining is more expensive, less visible, but can still cause environmental harm like soil and water contamination. Hence, each kind of mining presents a different trade-off between economic benefits and environmental protection.

Explanation:

The three types of surface mining are strip mining, open-pit mining, and mountaintop removal. Economically, surface mining is a cheaper method for extracting minerals than subsurface mining, meaning it can lead to economic growth and jobs. However, it causes extensive environmental disruption, including deforestation, habitat destruction, and pollution. Mountaintop removal, for example, alters entire landscapes and affects the ecosystems and wildlife therein.

Subsurface mining, which involves mining underground, is more expensive and presents more risk to miner's safety. However, it tends to cause less visible environmental damage, as the land surface is not drastically altered as it is with surface mining. Underground mines, nevertheless, can lead to soil and water contamination if not properly managed.

Therefore, in each case, there's a tradeoff between economic output and environmental protection. Each society has to decide whether it prefers a choice with more economic output and less environmental protection, or one with more environmental protection and less economic output.

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