Oil Sands Development has been a major public concern in Alberta, CANADA in recent years.
For those who are not quite familiar with this practice, the surface mining of oil sand deposits involves the extraction of bitumen; a naturally occurring, viscous mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with warm water. After the desired product is removed, a “slurry” composed of sand, silt, and clay materials, as well as residual hydrocarbons and associated mobilized toxic trace elements is generated as mine waste. Eventually, this waste is disposed of in excavated areas commonly known as “tailing ponds” or “tailing impoundment areas” at these mining sites. Because environmental impacts and human health exposure assessments to oil sands mine wastes are not completely understood -- and are in the process of being scientifically reviewed and evaluated -- tailing pond management & reclamation, water usage, and food & water quality are all subjects of discussion.
For a closer look at these issues, the following links to an Executive Summary issued by the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) Expert Panel, a recent publication from Environmental Science & Technology, and a video sponsored by the Shell Oil Corporation are provided for your perusal:
Environmental and Health Impacts to Canada’s Oil Sands Industry
(RSC, 2010)
Land and Water Impacts of Oil Sands Production in Alberta
(JORDAAN, 2012)
"Oil Sands and Tailings – Overview & Shell Technologies"
Shell's approach to managing mine tailings in oil sands
(Shell Oil, You Tube; June 26, 2012)
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