What is a major environmental concern associated with coal mining?

Water pollution from runoff containing heavy metals is a significant environmental concern associated with coal mining. When coal is mined, the disturbance of soil and rock can expose heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and mercury, which can leach into surrounding waterways. This contamination poses serious health risks not only to aquatic ecosystems but also to human populations that rely on these water sources for drinking water and agriculture.

Additionally, the runoff can lead to acid mine drainage, where water that seeps through or over coal mines becomes acidic, leading to further leaching of harmful metals and affecting the pH balance of local water bodies. This not only endangers fish and other aquatic organisms but also disrupts the entire ecological balance.

While air pollution, noise pollution, and light pollution are valid environmental impacts associated with industrial activities, the direct release of heavy metals into water systems as a result of mining operations highlights an immediate and serious threat to both the environment and public health.