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Aggregate Mining

The Environmental Impact of Aggregate Mining in Michigan

Sand, gravel and other aggregate materials are the most mined materials in the world — around 85% of the material we pull from the earth is aggregate material. Aggregate mining supplies sand and stone for road construction and is necessary for the up-keep of our infrastructure, but the way we extract these materials must include protections for our environment, public health, and future generations who will depend on this land. 

Aggregate mining can be harmful for our environment. In some cases, mining for aggregate materials destroys farmland and natural areas, releases harmful sediments into ground and surface water, and increases noise and air pollution from heavy truck traffic and on-site industrial activity.

Aggregate mining depletes our soil and natural areas

To mine for aggregate materials, the land must be cleared of trees, shrubs, and any other vegetation in the mining field. Because of the volume of land that is cleared of vegetation, there are a number of environmental impacts including: 

  • Soil erosion and a reduction of the earth’s fertility, making the land far less productive for farming and in some cases, un-useable
  • Groundwater pollution 
  • Elimination of wildlife in the mining area

Mining for aggregate construction materials leads to pollution in surrounding communities

In addition to depleting the soil and polluting the groundwater, local communities also suffer air, sound, and light pollution from the heavy truck traffic and on-site industrial activity involved in aggregate mining. Oftentimes mines are located near primarily BIPOC and low-income communities — the same communities that are already burdened with an excess of pollution from other factors. 

Air pollution puts communities at risk for a number of health conditions, including stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and pneumonia — and it worsens existing health conditions. 

How can we make aggregate mining more environmentally friendly? 

In order to mine for the materials we need and maintain our environment, we need to improve the aggregate mining process to prioritize environmental protection. 

The three key ways to make aggregate mining more environmentally sound are: recycling more aggregate materials, conserving and protecting more land in exchange for the land destroyed by mining, and improving soil conservation efforts. 

Recycle more aggregate material

The U.S. already recycles about 200 million metric tons of aggregate materials each year — most commonly for road construction. 

By requiring the Michigan Department of Transportation to maximize recycled materials in road construction, we can lower the need to mine for more aggregates. In addition, Michigan law should implement economic incentives to increase industry propensity for using recycled aggregates and mandatory sustainability programs for industries that heavily rely on aggregates.

 

Conserve land in exchange for the land destroyed by aggregate mining and improve soil conservation efforts

Aggregate mining destroys the soil, strips away trees, shrubs, and vegetation, leads to groundwater pollution, and eliminates wildlife in the mining area. By imposing a restoration fee for all aggregate mining operations, Michigan can ensure that for every mining site created, another plot of land is protected or restored.

How to help protect our land from the damage aggregate mining brings

Tell your lawmaker to improve aggregate mining processes in Michigan to protect our communities and preserve the land and water that nourishes us.

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