This edited book covers the impact of stone mining activities on soil, water, air, agriculture, vegetation, and policy aspects. It provides information on rehabilitation and restoration measures for stone mine spoil areas and other associated adverse impacts on human health caused by mining activities. Additionally, the book covers information related to the impact of stone mining on the socio-economic conditions of mining area inhabitants and appropriate government policies and support to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals-15.3 (SDG-15.3) for degraded stone mine spoil sites toward Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). The dumping of stone mine waste has many negative implications for the environment, soil, and natural resources. Although stone mining is the main source of livelihood for millions of people around the world and plays a crucial role in the economic development of many countries, it was estimated that nearly 4 million people die every year, especially in developing countries, due to environmental pollution from quarrying, sandblasting, and the emission of toxic gases. Mining leads to land degradation by the stacking of mine waste, loss of fertile topsoil and vegetation covers, abstraction and deterioration of the natural drainage system, deforestation, groundwater depletion, loss of plant and aquatic biodiversity, and public health issues. The book covers information about all aspects of dimensional stone mining activity and is a useful read for researchers, planners, capacity builders, scientists, and policymakers for achieving SDG 15.3. It would also be helpful for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, forestry, ecology, soil science, and environmental science disciplines.

Vegetation Description and Data Analysis: A PracticalApproach, Second Edition is a fully revised and up-datededition of this key text. The book takes account of recent advancesin the field whilst retaining the original reader-friendly approachto the coverage of vegetation description and multivariate analysisin the context of vegetation data and plant ecology. Since the publication of the hugely popular first edition therehave been significant developments in computer hardware andsoftware, new key journals have been established in the field andscope and application of vegetation description and analysis hasbecome a truly global field. This new edition includes fullcoverage of new developments and technologies. This contemporary and comprehensive edition of this well-known andrespected textbook will prove invaluable to undergraduate andgraduate students in biological sciences, environmental science,geography, botany, agriculture, forestry and biologicalconservation. * Fully international approach * Includes illustrative case studies throughout * Now with new material on: the nature of plant communities;transitional areas between plant communities; induction anddeduction of plant ecology; diversity indices and dominancediversity curves; multivariate analysis in ecology. * Accessible, reader-friendly style * Now with new and improved illustrations

The health impacts of environmental noise are a growing concern. At least one million healthy life years are lost every year from traffic-related noise in the western part of Europe. This publication summarizes the evidence on the relationship between environmental noise and health effects, including cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbance, tinnitus, and annoyance. For each one, the environmental burden of disease methodology, based on exposure-response relationship, exposure distribution, background prevalence of disease and disability weights of the outcome, is applied to calculate the burden of disease in terms of disability-adjusted life-years. Data are still lacking for the rest of the WHO European Region. This publication provides policy-makers and their advisers with technical support in their quantitative risk assessment of environmental noise. International, national and local authorities can use the procedure for estimating burdens presented here to prioritize and plan environmental and public health policies.

Tropical dry forests are the most exploited and endangered ecosystems in the world. A combination of climatic and human factors often reduce these forests to patches of dry scrubs or savannas. Because these ecosystems experience a more arduous and less anticipated environment, they are more prone to environmental stress as plant communities are developed. Therefore, urgent research is necessary to understand both the detrimental issues and problem-solving approaches to conserving these important forests. The Handbook of Research on the Conservation and Restoration of Tropical Dry Forests is a pivotal reference source that combines theory and practice on the current trends and issues in this important ecological subject and discusses future challenges towards conservation strategies of these tropical dry forests. While highlighting topics such as forest management, natural regeneration, and silviculture, this publication examines the anthropogenic impacts on tropical dry forests and the necessity to rebuild their ecosystems. This book is ideally designed for state forest agency professionals, resource managers, non-governmental organization agents, ecologists, botanists, environmentalists, students, and researchers seeking current research on the threats to these forests.

Rural families in developing countries make a living by engaging in diverse activities. These range from farming, to rural trade, to migration to distant cities and even abroad. This book explores the implications of rural livelihood diversity for key topics in development studies and for poverty reduction policies. The livelihoods approach is gaining momentum, and this is the first book to set it out in detail.

Mining activities significantly impact the environment; they generate huge quantities of spoil, promote deforestation and the loss of agricultural production, as well as releasing contaminants that result in the loss of valuable soil resources. These negative impacts are now being recognized and this book shows how corrective action can be taken. The introduction of sustainable mining requires mitigation strategies that start during the mine planning stage and extend to after mineral extraction has ceased, and post-closure activities are being executed. Reclamation of Mine-impacted Land for Ecosystem Recovery covers: methods of rejuvenation of mine wasteland including different practices of physical, chemical and ecological engineering methods; benefits of rejuvenation: stabilization of land surfaces; pollution control; aesthetic improvement; general amenity; plant productivity; and carbon sequestration as well as restoring biodiversity and ecosystem function; best management practices and feasible solutions to the impacts of mining which will reduce the pollution load by reducing the discharge rate and the pollutant concentration; reduce erosion and sedimentation problems, and result in improved abandoned mine lands; and ecosystem development. The authors explain how mining impacts on soil properties and how soil carbon reserves/soil fertility can be restored when mining has ceased. Restoration involves a coordinated approach that recognizes the importance of key soil properties to enable re-vegetation to take place rapidly and ecosystems to be established in a low cost and sustainable way. This book’s unique combination of the methods for reclamation technologies with policies and best practice worldwide will provide the background and the guidance needed by scientists, researchers and engineers engaged in land reclamation, as well as by industry managers.

The Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) of the U. S. Department of Energy commissioned the National Research Council (NRC) to undertake a study on required technologies for the Mining Industries of the Future Program to complement information provided to the program by the National Mining Association. Subsequently, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health also became a sponsor of this study, and the Statement of Task was expanded to include health and safety. The overall objectives of this study are: (a) to review available information on the U.S. mining industry; (b) to identify critical research and development needs related to the exploration, mining, and processing of coal, minerals, and metals; and (c) to examine the federal contribution to research and development in mining processes.

​The mining sector has been an integral part of economic development in many African countries. Although minerals have been exploited for decades in these countries, the benefits have not always been as visible. This has necessitated reforms including nationalisation of mining activities in the distant past; and currently legal and regulatory reforms. This book gives an insight of these reforms and with reference to the fieldwork research undertaken by the author in some African countries, the book highlights the social and environmental impacts of mining activities in Africa. The central question of the book is, why the mining laws have worked in some countries but not others and what can be done to ensure that these laws are effective? Consequently, the book analyses the legal reforms made in the sector and highlights both the challenges and the opportunities for foreign investors as well as the African governments and local communities. The book will be of great interest to researchers and students in Energy and Geography related fields, as well as to practitioners and policy makers.