The area being mined contains white silica identified by a geologist. The mine is close to a community who are concerned for their health, water ways and tank water. Do they have reasons to be concerned? This gravel mine plans to extend to incorporate fifty hectares of white gravel hills.
Airborne crystalline silica is a known occupational health hazard and is hazardous in high concentrations. See links below:
https://www.silica-safe.org/know-the-hazard/why-is-silica-hazardous https://www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/silicacrystalline/ https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/crystalline-silica
Here is the Public Lab page on silica monitoring: https://publiclab.org/wiki/silica-monitoring
Thank you for your help kgradow1. Our main problem now is to prove that silica is in the quarry that exists so that we can stop its expansion to something about 50 times larger so how its monitored is also helpful. annemolony413
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Hi! Yes good question. Also check out this page: https://publiclab.org/wiki/frac-sand It's related to sand mining, but there would be similar concerns there. They've run into issues with spills in their waterways and with air pollution. There are emerging concerns now with radon. That one is new and I think less is known about it at this time, but rock and gravel activity can increase the risks of radon in homes.
There's going to be an OpenHour on Particulate Matter Monitoring. this coming Monday at 1pm ET. You should think about joining! https://publiclab.org/openhour
Also check out www.publiclab.org/wiki/pm for more about particulate matter.
Thanks for your advice Stevie. anne
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