The mining of oil shale rocks in surface involves more negative environmental impacts than in mining oil in underground.
All the research conducted today was solely on the possible negative sides of extracting oil from oil rocks on the environment. I should also come up with practical and solutions.
As I showed in my previous journals, oil shale has been used as a fuel in generating electricity with over 90% of Estonia’s electricity, for example, is generated through the use of oil extraction from shale rocks. However, the mining of oil shale rocks in surface involves more negative environmental impacts than in mining oil in underground.
These environmental impacts, which are caused by the production of oil from shale rocks during processing and transport activities, include the introduction of metals into water, acid drains, increased erosion, sulfur-gas emissions, carbon dioxide gas, and air pollution [1].
For example, about 95% of air pollution and 25% of water pollution in Estonia are caused by oil shale industry, as the main resource for its electrical power production comes from oil shale industry [2]. In addition, the extraction of oil shale rocks can damage the ecosystem in the mining area. Combustion and thermal processing generate waste material, as the atmospheric emissions from combustion include carbon dioxide [1].
Indeed, these are very serious environmental impacts that I should find solutions to them.
References
[1] Blatt, Harvey. “Are We Making the Grade?” America's Environmental Report Card. MIT Press, 2011. page 151. Print
[2] Rukas, Anto. “Environmental Problems in the Estonian Oil Shale Industry.” https://www.banktrack.org/manage/ems_files/download/environmental_problems_in_the_estonian_oil_shale_industry/environmentalproblems_oilshale.pdf. RSC Publishing, 9 April 2009. Web. 23 July 2018.
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