Public Lab Wiki documentation

Introduction

Sand and gravel are mined for use in a variety of contexts, from concrete to glass production. Mining for aggregates such as sand and gravel is often accomplished through strip mining bedrock below soil layers. Miners displace everything above the target bedrock formation (e.g. soil and non-target rock formations), extract bedrock, and process it into gravel and sand through crushing and sifting. Sand is mostly comprised of crystalline silica, a hard mineral with high compressive strength. While particles of crushed silica, less than 50 microns ( 50μm, or millionths of a meter), are small enough to become airborne, silica’s high strength prevents it from fracturing small enough to become respirable unless under intense pressure. Under the high pressures of industrial processing, silica can be crushed smaller than 5 μm, the size at which it is carcinogenic when respired.

Silica & Health

Freshly crushed silica is hard and sharp. Respired silica can tear lung tissues, causing scarring and inflammation, to create a potentially fatal condition known as silicosis and other respiratory ailments. Workers at industrial sand mining operations and people living and working nearby may be exposed to respirable silica. While workers are covered by OSHA’s occupational exposure rules, respirable silica is largely unregulated beyond the facility’s fence, and is only considered by regulators through regulations on all airborne particles.

The Boom in Sand Mining

While industrial sand mining has occurred for more than a century, sand is increasingly in demand for use in oil and natural gas production. With the massive adoption of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in the U.S., round silica sand is needed as a ‘proppant,’ a material used to prop open oil and gas-bearing fissures while also allowing gas and oil to escape.

The production of sand used in hydraulic fracturing operations - “frac sand” - increased from ~6 million tons in 2007 to 54 million tons in 2014 (Bleiwas, 2015; USGS 2007). Frac sand must be highly uniform, able to withstand high pressure, and well-rounded. The primary source location for frac sand is the Great Lakes region, especially western Wisconsin, which produced nearly half of the domestic frac sand in recent years (Bleiwas, 2015). Western Wisconsin is home to Cambrian and Ordovician sandstone formations, created when the area was the beachfront of a great inland ocean ~540 to 360 million years ago. Now, shallow sandstone there is made of well-rounded sand grains. Additionally, Wisconsin is a prime location for sand mining because of its dense railway network easily allowing transport of frac sand to oil and gas production zones in Pennsylvania, North Dakota, the Gulf Coast and more. As of December 2015, Wisconsin had 129 industrial sand mining facilities, ranging in size from 9 to 4000 acres (Wisconsin DRN, 2015).

Environmental Impacts of Sand Mining

Communities in western Wisconsin are faced with the impacts of industrial sand mining and processing for frac sand. the diverse environmental impacts include:

• light and noise pollution,
• damage to roads,
• increased truck traffic and diesel and dust from trucks,
• accelerated erosion and runoff,
• aquifer impacts from water-intense sand washing, and
• airborne silica.

Regulation and Monitoring of Sand mining

Wisconsin requires frac sand facilities and other nonmetallic mining operations to comply with air and water permits, but this does not usually include monitoring requirements. There is little data on industrial sand mining’s air and water quality impacts, and the data that does exist is contested. Most of the authority to accept or reject sand mining facilities, and emplace stipulations on their operations (such as hours, noise, and truck traffic) is held in the local government through ordinances. Concerned citizens in several counties have initiated research into the local impacts -- positive and negative -- of frac sand mining operations, and certain townships have passed local ordinances and licensing requirements.

Cited References

Bleiwas, D. 2015. Estimates of Hydraulic Fracturing (Frac) Sand Production, Consumption, and Reserves.

U.S. Geological Survey. 2013 (published 5/2015). Minerals Yearbook: Silica.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. Industrial Sand Mining.

Additionally, an explanation of industrial sand mining process can be found on the Wisconsin Geologic & Natural History Survey website.

Introduction

Sand and gravel are mined for use in a variety of contexts, from concrete to glass production. Mining for aggregates such as sand and gravel is bedrock mining below soil layers and is often accomplished through strip mining. Miners displace everything above the target bedrock formation (e.g. soil and non-target rock formations), extract bedrock, and process it into gravel and sand through crushing and sifting. Sand is mostly comprised of crystalline silica, a hard mineral with high compressive strength. While particles of crushed silica less than 50 microns ( 50μm, or millionths of a meter) are small enough to become airborne, silica’s high strength prevents it from fracturing small enough to become respirable unless under intense pressure. Under the high pressures of industrial processing silica can be crushed smaller than 5 μm, the size at which it is carcinogenic when respired.

Silica & Health

Freshly crushed silica is hard and sharp. Respired silica can tear lung tissues, causing scarring and inflammation, to create a potentially fatal condition known as silicosis and other respiratory ailments. Workers at industrial sand mining operations and people living and working nearby may be exposed to respirable silica. While workers are covered by OSHA’s occupational exposure rules, respirable silica is largely unregulated beyond the facility’s fence, and is only considered by regulators through regulations on all airborne particles.

The Boom in Sand Mining

While industrial sand mining has occurred for more than a century, sand is increasingly in demand for use in oil and natural gas production. With the massive adoption of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in the U.S., round silica sand is needed as a ‘proppant,’ a material used to prop open oil and gas-bearing fissures while also allowing gas and oil to escape.

The production of sand used in hydraulic fracturing operations - “frac sand” - increased from ~6 million tons in 2007 to 54 million tons in 2014 (Bleiwas, 2015; USGS 2007). Frac sand must be highly uniform, able to withstand high pressure, and well-rounded. The primary source location for frac sand is the Great Lakes region, especially western Wisconsin, which produced nearly half of domestic frac sand in recent years (Bleiwas, 2015). Western Wisconsin is home to Cambrian and Ordovician sandstone formations, created when this area was the beachfront of a great inland ocean ~540 to 360 million years ago, that are now shallow sandstones made of well-rounded sand grains. Additionally, Wisconsin is a prime location for sand mining because of its dense railway network easily allowing transport of frac sand to oil and gas production zones in Pennsylvania, North Dakota, the Gulf Coast and more. As of December 2015, Wisconsin had 129 industrial sand mining facilities, ranging in size from 9 to 4000 acres (Wisconsin DRN, 2015).

Environmental Impacts of Sand Mining

Communities in western Wisconsin are faced with the impacts of industrial sand mining and processing for frac sand. the diverse environmental impacts include: light and noise pollution damage to roads increased truck traffic and diesel and dust from trucks
accelerated erosion and runoff aquifer impacts from water-intense sand washing airborne silica

Regulation and Monitoring of Sand mining

Wisconsin requires frac sand facilities and other nonmetallic mining operations comply with air and water permits, but does not usually include monitoring requirements. There is little data on industrial sand mining’s air and water quality impacts, and the data that does exist is contested. Most of the authority to accept or reject sand mining facilities and emplace stipulations on their operations (such as hours, noise, and truck traffic) is held in the local government through ordinances. Concerned citizens in several counties have initiated research into the local impacts -- positive and negative -- of frac sand mining operations, and certain townships have passed local ordinances and licensing requirements.

Cited References

Bleiwas, D. 2015. Estimates of Hydraulic Fracturing (Frac) Sand Production, Consumption, and Reserves.

U.S. Geological Survey. 2013 (published 5/2015). Minerals Yearbook: Silica.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. Industrial Sand Mining.

Additionally, an explanation of industrial sand mining process can be found on the Wisconsin Geologic & Natural History Survey website.

Introduction

Sand and gravel are mined for use in a variety of contexts, from concrete to glass production. Mining for aggregates such as sand and gravel is bedrock mining below soil layers and is often accomplished through strip mining. Miners displace everything above the target bedrock formation (e.g. soil and non-target rock formations), extract bedrock, and process it into gravel and sand through crushing and sifting. Sand is mostly comprised of crystalline silica, a hard mineral with high compressive strength. While particles of crushed silica less than 50 microns ( 50μm, or millionths of a meter) are small enough to become airborne, silica’s high strength prevents it from fracturing small enough to become respirable unless under intense pressure. Under the high pressures of industrial processing silica can be crushed smaller than 5 μm, the size at which it is carcinogenic when respired.

Silica & Health

Freshly crushed silica is hard and sharp. Respired silica can tear lung tissues, causing scarring and inflammation, to create a potentially fatal condition known as silicosis and other respiratory ailments. Workers at industrial sand mining operations and people living and working nearby may be exposed to respirable silica. While workers are covered by OSHA’s occupational exposure rules, respirable silica is largely unregulated beyond the facility’s fence, and is only considered by regulators through regulations on all airborne particles.

The Boom in Sand Mining

While industrial sand mining has occurred for more than a century, sand is increasingly in demand for use in oil and natural gas production. With the massive adoption of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in the U.S., round silica sand is needed as a ‘proppant,’ a material used to prop open oil and gas-bearing fissures while also allowing gas and oil to escape.

The production of sand used in hydraulic fracturing operations - “frac sand” - increased from ~6 million tons in 2007 to 54 million tons in 2014 (Bleiwas, 2015; USGS 2007). Frac sand must be highly uniform, able to withstand high pressure, and well-rounded. The primary source location for frac sand is the Great Lakes region, especially western Wisconsin, which produced nearly half of domestic frac sand in recent years (Bleiwas, 2015). Western Wisconsin is home to Cambrian and Ordovician sandstone formations, created when this area was the beachfront of a great inland ocean ~540 to 360 million years ago, that are now shallow sandstones made of well-rounded sand grains. Additionally, Wisconsin is a prime location for sand mining because of its dense railway network easily allowing transport of frac sand to oil and gas production zones in Pennsylvania, North Dakota, the Gulf Coast and more. As of December 2015, Wisconsin had 129 industrial sand mining facilities, ranging in size from 9 to 4000 acres (Wisconsin DRN, 2015).

Environmental Impacts of Sand Mining

Communities in western Wisconsin are faced with the impacts of industrial sand mining and processing for frac sand. the diverse environmental impacts include: light and noise pollution damage to roads increased truck traffic and diesel and dust from trucks
accelerated erosion and runoff aquifer impacts from water-intense sand washing airborne silica

Regulation and Monitoring of Sand mining

Wisconsin requires frac sand facilities and other nonmetallic mining operations comply with air and water permits, but does not usually include monitoring requirements. There is little data on industrial sand mining’s air and water quality impacts, and the data that does exist is contested. Most of the authority to accept or reject sand mining facilities and emplace stipulations on their operations (such as hours, noise, and truck traffic) is held in the local government through ordinances. Concerned citizens in several counties have initiated research into the local impacts -- positive and negative -- of frac sand mining operations, and certain townships have passed local ordinances and licensing requirements.

Cited References

Bleiwas, D. 2015. Estimates of Hydraulic Fracturing (Frac) Sand Production, Consumption, and Reserves.

U.S. Geological Survey. 2013 (published 5/2015). Minerals Yearbook: Silica.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. Industrial Sand Mining.

Additionally, an explanation of industrial sand mining process can be found on the Wisconsin Geologic & Natural History Survey website.

Sand and gravel are mined for use in a variety of contexts, from concrete to glass production. Mining for aggregates such as sand and gravel is bedrock mining below soil layers and is often accomplished through strip mining. Miners displace everything above the target bedrock formation (e.g. soil and non-target rock formations), extract bedrock, and process it into gravel and sand through crushing and sifting. Sand is mostly comprised of crystalline silica, a hard mineral with high compressive strength. While particles of crushed silica less than 50 microns ( 50μm, or millionths of a meter) are small enough to become airborne, silica’s high strength prevents it from fracturing small enough to become respirable unless under intense pressure. Under the high pressures of industrial processing silica can be crushed smaller than 5 μm, the size at which it is carcinogenic when respired.

Silica & Health

Freshly crushed silica is hard and sharp. Respired silica can tear lung tissues, causing scarring and inflammation, to create a potentially fatal condition known as silicosis and other respiratory ailments. Workers at industrial sand mining operations and people living and working nearby may be exposed to respirable silica. While workers are covered by OSHA’s occupational exposure rules, respirable silica is largely unregulated beyond the facility’s fence, and is only considered by regulators through regulations on all airborne particles.

The Boom in Sand Mining

While industrial sand mining has occurred for more than a century, sand is increasingly in demand for use in oil and natural gas production. With the massive adoption of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in the U.S., round silica sand is needed as a ‘proppant,’ a material used to prop open oil and gas-bearing fissures while also allowing gas and oil to escape.

The production of sand used in hydraulic fracturing operations - “frac sand” - increased from ~6 million tons in 2007 to 54 million tons in 2014 (Bleiwas, 2015; USGS 2007). Frac sand must be highly uniform, able to withstand high pressure, and well-rounded. The primary source location for frac sand is the Great Lakes region, especially western Wisconsin, which produced nearly half of domestic frac sand in recent years (Bleiwas, 2015). Western Wisconsin is home to Cambrian and Ordovician sandstone formations, created when this area was the beachfront of a great inland ocean ~540 to 360 million years ago, that are now shallow sandstones made of well-rounded sand grains. Additionally, Wisconsin is a prime location for sand mining because of its dense railway network easily allowing transport of frac sand to oil and gas production zones in Pennsylvania, North Dakota, the Gulf Coast and more. As of December 2015, Wisconsin had 129 industrial sand mining facilities, ranging in size from 9 to 4000 acres (Wisconsin DRN, 2015).

Environmental Impacts of Sand Mining

Communities in western Wisconsin are faced with the impacts of industrial sand mining and processing for frac sand. the diverse environmental impacts include: light and noise pollution damage to roads increased truck traffic and diesel and dust from trucks
accelerated erosion and runoff aquifer impacts from water-intense sand washing airborne silica

Regulation and Monitoring of Sand mining

Wisconsin requires frac sand facilities and other nonmetallic mining operations comply with air and water permits, but does not usually include monitoring requirements. There is little data on industrial sand mining’s air and water quality impacts, and the data that does exist is contested. Most of the authority to accept or reject sand mining facilities and emplace stipulations on their operations (such as hours, noise, and truck traffic) is held in the local government through ordinances. Concerned citizens in several counties have initiated research into the local impacts -- positive and negative -- of frac sand mining operations, and certain townships have passed local ordinances and licensing requirements.

Cited References

Bleiwas, D. 2015. Estimates of Hydraulic Fracturing (Frac) Sand Production, Consumption, and Reserves.

U.S. Geological Survey. 2013 (published 5/2015). Minerals Yearbook: Silica.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. Industrial Sand Mining.

Additionally, an explanation of industrial sand mining process can be found on the Wisconsin Geologic & Natural History Survey website.

Introduction

Intro to nonmetallic mining and common potential problems, with specific intros to silica mining (note: silica mining NAICS code: 212322) and to coal mining-- such as, most do not have to report TRI, but do have to obtain air permits; mention NAAQS. Visual aid to help explain types of emissions and pathways of exposure.

Industrial Sand Mining

information transcluded to Background Information on www.publiclab.org/wiki/frac-sand

Industrial sand mining involves extraction of sandstone, generally through displacing overlying land, excavating hillsides, crushing rock, and sorting resultant sand and gravel. Sand is mostly comprised of silica, which is a very hard crystalline mineral with high compressive strength. When silica is pulverized, very small fragments are created, which are small enough to become airborne. Airborne silica that is smaller than four micrometers in diameter (4 um, also written as PM4) is respirable, and breathing it in can create long-term lung damage. Due to the mineral’s hardness, silica can tear lung tissues and cause scar tissue to build up and inflammation in lung tissues, both of which impact a person’s ability to breathe, and can be fatal. Workers at industrial sand mining operations, and people living and working nearby, may be exposed to respirable silica. Additionally, areas where these operations occur likely have elevated concentrations of other airborne particulate matter, which are generally classified by size as fine (PM10, less than 10 um diameter) and ultrafine particles (PM2.5, less than 2.5 um diameter), which have demonstrable effects on cardiac and lung health.

While industrial sand mining has occurred for more than a century, the volume of sand produced has increased substantially in recent years. With the U.S. natural gas production increase due to the mass adoption of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, the need for silica as proppant material (used to prop open fractures in the source rock to allow gas to escape up into the well) has increased as well. This industrial sand used in hydraulic fracturing, known as “frac sand” must be highly uniform, able to withstand high pressure, and well-rounded. The production of frac sand increased by an order of magnitude from 2007 to 2014, with approximately 54 mega tons of frac sand produced in the US in 2014 (Bleiwas, 2015; USGS 2007), and the market share grew to approximately 33% of industrial sand market value (Bleiwas, 2015; USGS 2015). The primary source location for frac sand is the Great Lakes region, especially western Wisconsin, which produced nearly half of domestic frac sand in recent years (Bleiwas, 2015). Western Wisconsin is home to Cambrian and Ordovician sandstone formations, created when this area was covered by a great inland ocean from ~540 to 360 million years ago. The high silica content and well-rounded grains of Wisconsin sandstones, and their shallow depth, plus the fairly dense railroad network for transport, make Wisconsin the prime location for frac sand mining. As of December 2015, Wisconsin had 129 industrial sand mining facilities, ranging in size from 9 to 4000 acres (Wisconsin DRN, 2015).

Communities in western Wisconsin are faced with the environmental impacts of industrial sand mining and processing for frac sand. The impacts of this industry on neighboring communities are diverse, from light and noise pollution to roadway infrastructure damage by increased truck traffic, from accelerated erosion and sediment loads in stormwater runoff to airborne particulate matter. To address some of these issues, the state of Wisconsin requires frac sand facilities, along with other nonmetallic mining operations, to comply with air and water permits, which may or may not be sufficient to adequately protect the environment. Other issues are not addressed in permits or regulated by the state, but townships may develop the opportunity to address them. Concerned citizens in several counties have initiated research into the local impacts -- positive and negative -- of frac sand mining operations, and certain townships have required special licenses to operate in their town, the regulation of which allows the townships to more adequately address environmental and public health and safety issues.

Cited References:

Bleiwas, D. 2015. Estimates of Hydraulic Fracturing (Frac) Sand Production, Consumption, and Reserves.

U.S. Geological Survey. 2013 (published 5/2015). Minerals Yearbook: Silica.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. Industrial Sand Mining.

Environmental Concerns Related to Nonmetallic Mining

Airborne compounds that may be associated with mining: Particulate Matter (including silica, coal dust, and combustion aerosols from mining product transport)

[make links to various chemicals that might be used like cyanide or degreasers?]

Water-related issues associated with nonmetallic mining operations: www.publiclab.org/wiki/water/nonmetallicmining.

Land-related issues associated with nonmetallic mining operations: www.publiclab.org/wiki/land/nonmetallicmining.

Communities with Nonmetallic Mining

Learn about communities addressing environmental concerns associated with nonmetallic mining: www.publiclab.org/wiki/peopleandplaces#wisconsin.

To join the discussion, join our group email list: plots-airquality@googlegroups.com

Ask a question on the Public Lab website here: [button for when that is an option].

Introduction

Intro to nonmetallic mining and common potential problems, with specific intros to silica mining (note: silica mining NAICS code: 212322) and to coal mining-- such as, most do not have to report TRI, but do have to obtain air permits; mention NAAQS. Visual aid to help explain types of emissions and pathways of exposure.

Industrial Sand Mining

information transcluded to Background Information on www.publiclab.org/wiki/frac-sand

Industrial sand mining involves extraction of sandstone, generally through displacing overlying land, excavating hillsides, crushing rock, and sorting resultant sand and gravel. Sand is mostly comprised of silica, which is a very hard crystalline mineral with high compressive strength. When silica is pulverized, very small fragments are created, which are small enough to become airborne. Airborne silica that is smaller than four micrometers in diameter (4 um, also written as PM4) is respirable, and breathing it in can create long-term lung damage. Due to the mineral’s hardness, silica can tear lung tissues and cause scar tissue to build up and inflammation in lung tissues, both of which impact a person’s ability to breathe, and can be fatal. Workers at industrial sand mining operations, and people living and working nearby, may be exposed to respirable silica. Additionally, areas where these operations occur likely have elevated concentrations of other airborne particulate matter, which are generally classified by size as fine (PM10, less than 10 um diameter) and ultrafine particles (PM2.5, less than 2.5 um diameter), which have demonstrable effects on cardiac and lung health.

While industrial sand mining has occurred for more than a century, the volume of sand produced has increased substantially in recent years. With the U.S. natural gas production increase due to the mass adoption of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, the need for silica as proppant material (used to prop open fractures in the source rock to allow gas to escape up into the well) has increased as well. This industrial sand used in hydraulic fracturing, known as “frac sand” must be highly uniform, able to withstand high pressure, and well-rounded. The production of frac sand increased by an order of magnitude from 2007 to 2014, with approximately 54 mega tons of frac sand produced in the US in 2014 (Bleiwas, 2015; USGS 2007), and the market share grew to approximately 33% of industrial sand market value (Bleiwas, 2015; USGS 2015). The primary source location for frac sand is the Great Lakes region, especially western Wisconsin, which produced nearly half of domestic frac sand in recent years (Bleiwas, 2015). Western Wisconsin is home to Cambrian and Ordovician sandstone formations, created when this area was covered by a great inland ocean from ~540 to 360 million years ago. The high silica content and well-rounded grains of Wisconsin sandstones, and their shallow depth, plus the fairly dense railroad network for transport, make Wisconsin the prime location for frac sand mining. As of December 2015, Wisconsin had 129 industrial sand mining facilities, ranging in size from 9 to 4000 acres (Wisconsin DRN, 2015).

Communities in western Wisconsin are faced with the environmental impacts of industrial sand mining and processing for frac sand. The impacts of this industry on neighboring communities are diverse, from light and noise pollution to roadway infrastructure damage by increased truck traffic, from accelerated erosion and sediment loads in stormwater runoff to airborne particulate matter. To address some of these issues, the state of Wisconsin requires frac sand facilities, along with other nonmetallic mining operations, to comply with air and water permits, which may or may not be sufficient to adequately protect the environment. Other issues are not addressed in permits or regulated by the state, but townships may develop the opportunity to address them. Concerned citizens in several counties have initiated research into the local impacts -- positive and negative -- of frac sand mining operations, and certain townships have required special licenses to operate in their town, the regulation of which allows the townships to more adequately address environmental and public health and safety issues.

Cited References:

Bleiwas, D. 2015. Estimates of Hydraulic Fracturing (Frac) Sand Production, Consumption, and Reserves.

U.S. Geological Survey. 2013 (published 5/2015). Minerals Yearbook: Silica.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2015. Industrial Sand Mining.

Environmental Concerns Related to Nonmetallic Mining

Airborne compounds that may be associated with mining: Particulate Matter (including silica, coal dust, and combustion aerosols from mining product transport)

[make links to various chemicals that might be used like cyanide or degreasers?]

Water-related issues associated with nonmetallic mining operations: www.publiclab.org/wiki/water/nonmetallicmining.

Land-related issues associated with nonmetallic mining operations: www.publiclab.org/wiki/land/nonmetallicmining.

Communities with Nonmetallic Mining

Learn about communities addressing environmental concerns associated with nonmetallic mining: www.publiclab.org/wiki/peopleandplaces#wisconsin.

To join the discussion, join our group email list: plots-airquality@googlegroups.com

Ask a question on the Public Lab website here: [button for when that is an option].

Introduction

Intro to nonmetallic mining and common potential problems, with specific intros to silica mining (note: silica mining NAICS code: 212322) and to coal mining-- such as, most do not have to report TRI, but do have to obtain air permits; mention NAAQS. Visual aid to help explain types of emissions and pathways of exposure.

Industrial Sand Mining

information transcluded to Background Information on www.publiclab.org/wiki/frac-sand

Environmental Concerns Related to Nonmetallic Mining

Airborne compounds that may be associated with mining: Particulate Matter (including silica, coal dust, and combustion aerosols from mining product transport)

[make links to various chemicals that might be used like cyanide or degreasers?]

Water-related issues associated with nonmetallic mining operations: www.publiclab.org/wiki/water/nonmetallicmining.

Land-related issues associated with nonmetallic mining operations: www.publiclab.org/wiki/land/nonmetallicmining.

Communities with Nonmetallic Mining

Learn about communities addressing environmental concerns associated with nonmetallic mining: www.publiclab.org/wiki/peopleandplaces#wisconsin.

To join the discussion, join our group email list: plots-airquality@googlegroups.com

Ask a question on the Public Lab website here: [button for when that is an option].

Introduction

Intro to nonmetallic mining and common potential problems, with specific intros to silica mining (note: silica mining NAICS code: 212322) and to coal mining-- such as, most do not have to report TRI, but do have to obtain air permits; mention NAAQS. Visual aid to help explain types of emissions and pathways of exposure.

Airborne compounds that may be associated with mining: Particulate Matter (including silica, coal dust, and combustion aerosols from mining product transport)

[make links to various chemicals that might be used like cyanide or degreasers?]

Water-related issues associated with nonmetallic mining operations: www.publiclab.org/wiki/water/nonmetallicmining.

Land-related issues associated with nonmetallic mining operations: www.publiclab.org/wiki/land/nonmetallicmining.

Learn about communities addressing environmental concerns associated with nonmetallic mining: www.publiclab.org/wiki/peopleandplaces#wisconsin.

To join the discussion, join our group email list: plots-airquality@googlegroups.com

Ask a question on the Public Lab website here: [button for when that is an option].