Environmental Impacts of Metal Ore Mining and Processing ...
· Copper mining produces extensive mine wastes and tailings and Cu smelting emits approximately Mg of S per Mg of Cu produced in the USA. Zinc and Pb smelters release large quantities of Cd and Pb into the environment. Metal smelting and refining produce gaseous (CO 2, SO 2, NO x, etc.) and particulate matter emissions, sewage waters, and ...