Summary:
Within the last 7 years, archaeologists have been studying an specific coal mine in South Africa. The studies have shown that if mining continues, it could potentially the World Heritage Site close to where the mine is being developed. When they began studying this area, they found that this site dates back to the Iron Age that occurred about 10,000 years ago. With just over 20,000 people in the area of the mine, they're going to need resources, and it's very dangerous if they continue the developing of the mine. This mine would develop just about 28,000 jobs and it has a chance of not only destroying the land but also getting rid of the history of the Mapungubwe who resided in this exact area.
Questions:
1. What could be done to prevent the destroying of the World Heritage Site?
2. Why do you think that the coal mine could be a potential threat to the site?
3. Why do you think that the developers want to risk building the mine?
4. What type of pollution do you think that the coal mine would cause to the area?
5. What kind of problems could occur due to the pollution?
Answers to questions- Curtis Sumner
ReplyDelete1. Obviously, you could stop mining, or you they could try to relocate the site to a different location.
2. It depends on where the coal mine is- if it's at ground level and doesn't reach higher than the site then I don't see the problem, but if it is located in one of the cliffs shown in the picture, and the site is somewhere below, then I could see an accident occurring. If they mine too much into the core of the mountain, then the side might chip off due to gravity and hit the site down below.
3. The world is running out of coal, and so a new mine probably is viewed as a quick money hotspot to these people.
4. I would expect smog, water poisoning, animal poisoning (from them eating plants or drinking water that coal has reached).
5. Death, illness, reducing in population, water/plants becoming poisonous, areas too toxic to live in/near.
Other optional questions-
1. Should the coal mine be made off-limits to reduce CO2 pollution?
2. If some 20,000 people are going to be evacuated from the area, how long might that take?
3. What in these people's history might be important enough to preserve?
4. How has this situation not been an issue before?
1. They could just stopm mining in this area completely to stop the damage. But if the really need these coal mines then should just try and find another area to mine so they can still be in buisness.
ReplyDelete2. There is much history in this area. It dates back to 10,000 years ago that goes all the way back to the Iron Age. The Mapungubwe stayed in this lands back then leaving much of its history behind. As these people mine it will threat and possibly destory the remainings of the Mapungubwe.
3. I think they want to risk building a mine because it is a large money producer. It will provide many jobs and will also create lots of money for the mining companies.
4.I think that it would create a lot of air pollution. The pollution will effect the miners and the enviroment outside of the mine.
5. This could led to many sicknesses and deaths towards many people and can damage the plants and animals outside of the mining area either sickening them or killing.
Here is a link to one of the artifects left behind from Mapungubwe. http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/library-resources/online%20books/turningpoints/bk1/graphics/mapungubwe-rhino.jpg
I think there could be a compromise to this problem. If the mine could take up less area then the rest of that area could be preserved and protected. The people that live in that area moat likely need need the job so they can have a steady income. with this compromise both sides of an argument have gotten some of what they wanted.
ReplyDeleteSome questions of my own.
1) How should action be taken on this event.
2) What are some compromises that could be used.
3) How bad do you think the locals need this job.