St.

Paul University Surigao

Mining Siltation: the effect on water bodies in

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Research Methods in Midterm

Presented by:
Cortes, Rejie Boy B.
BSEM- III

A research paper proposal presented to:

March 2022
Rationale

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of mining siltation on water
bodies in the Municipality of Carrascal, especially the effect on its livelihood fishing.
According to Carrascal Municipal Agriculture Officer Japhet Sugian, “more than 600
fishermen from the seven coastal barangays here in our town will directly benefit from
fishing livelihood”. In line with this, more than 8 mining companies are operating in the
said Municipal and some of them have a failure of proper mine waste disposal that
leading to siltation in some water bodies. In addition, they experience detrimental effects
in some coastal areas. Also, the study aims to take actions to prevent and mitigate
impacts, such as inspection, monitoring, management, and restoration plans, which
have been cursory or absent. As I notice some reviews of related literature mining have
resulted in direct and indirect losses of fish diversity in several water bodies. The
negative impacts on the water bodies may change the structure of communities,
compromise entire food chains, and erode ecosystem services provided by freshwater
fishes.
Moreover, environmental problems caused by improper mine tailings disposal in
the municipal of Carrascal Surigao Del Sur include pollution of the Kayawyawan Sea.
Direct economic losses are from reduced fishing production due to the siltation of
Kayawyawan to the main sea. The mining company is acquired to check the adverse
ecological effects of improper mine tailings disposal, government regulations have been
imposed on mining firms. Several disposal schemes have been proposed, including the
use of the reservoir of a multipurpose project to be sited in the watershed where the
mines are located. Because of siltation problems, however, trapping the tailings in the
reservoir will diminish the economic benefits that can be derived from the project.
Siltation is one of the factors in the living of fishermen in Carrascal Surigao Del
Sur is because livelihood fishing is one of their basic sources of food that they need.
But, when we disregard this issue or we don’t give importance to this problem probably
it will come out with a huge impact on all people in the Municipality of Carrascal.
Especially Carrascal is the primary source of fish around 14 Barangays wherein this
place face directly in the pacific ocean and which can be found of lot plates of seafood.
 Significance of the study

The study was conducted to know the effects of mining siltation on water bodies
in Carrascal Surigao Del Sur. Further, the study aims to measure the 14 Barangay
about its livelihood on fishing affected by mine silt. The findings of this study will
rebound to the benefit of the following:
Community: the study will give awareness to the community about the impact of
mine siltation on the human, environment; such as water bodies and living species.
Also, this helps on how to mitigate this issue for a better and more sustainable
environment.
Researchers: the study will give them comprehend of the effects of mini silt on
water bodies in Carrascal SDS.
Future Researchers: future researchers could use this study as their basis or
guide that will conduct a similar study. It can give them ideas that could make their study
better and on the things that are not important and disregarded.

Scope and limitation

The study focuses on two main effects of mine silt on water bodies and livelihood
fishing of Carrascalanon. On another hand, there are 10 water bodies surrounding in
Municipality of Carrascal, but the research study will conduct only in the 2 water bodies
namely kayawyawan coastal and marga river as most affected by mining silt.
Literature Review

A research study of Dahkia C. Apodaca et.al. (2018) stated some of the related
in my topic wherein satellite images of Hinadkaban Bay, in Surigao Provinces,
Philippines have indicated quite extensive siltation. Apparently, hilltop mining operations
and other anthropogenic activities have resulted in the deposition of suspended solids
into the stretch of Hinadkaban Bay. In this regard, a multidisciplinary team was
dispensed to undertake a study in line with determining the environmental conditions
along Hinadkaban Bay. Coastal marine water samples and surface water samples were
obtained on two separate occasions (March and October 2012) via grab sampling.
It was found that soil erosion in the study area was exacerbated by mining
operations, road constructions, and other anthropogenic activities, with heavy siltation,
often observed in areas near causeways, stockyards, or siltation ponds of mine
companies. Mean total suspended solids data of 5.87 mg/L was obtained for samples
collected during the dry season while as high as 1000 mg/L TSS was recorded during
heavy runoff. Meanwhile, the average concentration of total nickel in water samples
ranged from 0.050 μg/mL during the dry season to 0.25 μg/mL during the wet season.
On the other hand, the mean total chromium concentration ranged from 0.060 μg/mL
(dry season) to 0.30 μg/mL (wet season). Results of this study shall contribute to the
effort of protecting surface water resources and optimizing their beneficial uses.
Also, in the study by Azevedo-Santos, Valter et.al. (2021) found that mining
activities have significantly affected the Neotropical freshwater ichthyofauna because of
mining siltation, the most diverse in the world. However, no study has systematized
knowledge on the subject. This review, assembled information on the main impacts of
the mining of crude oil, gold, iron, copper, and bauxite on aquatic ecosystems,
emphasizing Neotropical freshwater fishes. The information obtained shows that mining
activities generate several different disturbances, mainly via the input of crude oil,
metals and other pollutants, erosion and siltation, deforestation, and road construction.
Mining has resulted in direct and indirect losses of fish diversity in several Neotropical
waterbodies. The negative impacts on the ichthyofauna may change the structure of
communities, compromise entire food chains, and erode ecosystem services provided
by freshwater fishes. Particularly noteworthy is that mining activities (legal and illegal)
are widespread in the Neotropics, and often located within or near protected areas.
Actions to prevent and mitigate impacts, such as inspection, monitoring, management,
and restoration plans, have been cursory or absent. In addition, there is strong political
pressure to expand mining; if – or when – this happens, it will increase the potential of
the activity to further diminish the diversity of Neotropical freshwater fishes.
Osgood R. Smith (1920) added that renewed activity in the placer gold mining
country of the Pacific Coast States has raised the question of how much harm siltation
does to salmon and trout. The effect silt may have on migrating adult fish, on the
selection of spawning places, and on the survival of fish food, is discussed. The
conclusion is drawn that silt, whether from placer mining or natural erosion, is harmful to
salmon and trout if it is heavy enough to form a layer on the stream bottom or if it
persists during periods between floods. The study gives more background of the effects
of mining siltation not only in water bodies but also in living species.
An international study conducted by I. Okyere (2019) explains the concentration
and chemical elements of water with the silt of mining. This estuary is silted from
activities of illegal alluvial gold miners upstream. Temperature, turbidity, salinity,
conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, and phosphate concentrations were
monitored from February 2012 to December 2013. Turbidites greater than 500 ppm
known to have detrimental effects on estuarine organisms were recorded in the estuary
from March to October each year. Dissolved oxygen concentration in the estuary in
2012 was below 5 mg/L, the threshold for the survival of aquatic life in running waters.
Although nitrate and phosphate concentrations in the estuary far exceed the optimum
levels (nitrate = 1.0 mg/L; phosphate = 0.1 mg/L) for primary productivity in estuaries,
the high turbidity hampers light penetration and consequently limits primary productivity
in the estuary. The possible effects of this estuary on the recruitment of juvenile fish into
the marine fishery are discussed with recommendations for management
considerations.
Moreover, Dobb, Edwin. October 1996. Harper’s Magazine, stated the negative
impact of mining on water bodies wherein while there have been improvements to
mining practices in recent years, significant environmental risks remain. Negative
impacts can vary from the sedimentation caused by poorly built roads during exploration
through to the sediment, and disturbance of water during mine construction. Water
pollution from mine waste rock and tailings may need to be managed for decades, if not
centuries, after closure. These impacts depend on a variety of factors, such as the
sensitivity of local terrain, the composition of minerals being mined, the type of
technology employed, the skill, knowledge, and environmental commitment of the
company, and finally, our ability to monitor and enforce compliance with environmental
regulations. One of the problems is that mining has become more mechanized and
therefore able to handle more rock and ore material than ever before. Therefore, mine
waste has multiplied enormously. As mine technologies are developed to make it more
profitable to mine low-grade ore, even more waste will be generated in the future.
In addition, Duncan, Alberto E. (2020) investigate the chemical element found in
polluted water caused by mining siltation wherein the threat posed by illegal mining to
the quality of water resources in Ghana has become a major public concern due to the
closing down of some water treatment plants in the country. This study aimed to
investigate heavy metal pollution in Fena River due to the illegal mining activities. The
study was based on 72 samples from six sampling points for a period of 12 months
(January–December). Six heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu),
mercury (Hg), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) in water were investigated from Fena River in the
Amansie Central District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The ranges of the heavy
metals in water were BDL–1.041, 0.01–0.703, BDL–0.24, 0.17–16.43, 0.46–1.02, and
BDL for Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Hg. Three metals exceeded the safe drinking water
guidelines making water generally unsafe for drinking and domestic purposes.
According to Nemerow’s pollution index results, three metals, namely, Cd, Pb, and Fe,
were the principal metal pollutants in the study area, whereas Hg, Cu, and Zn were
found not to contribute to the pollution effect. However, of the polluting metals, only Cd
polluted all the six sampling sites, whereas Pb polluted five out of the six sampling sites.
The most striking of the results is the absence of mercury in all the sites studied. The
findings from the water quality index confirm that only two of the sites recorded marginal
water quality, whereas the remaining four sites recorded poor water quality. The high
levels of heavy metals polluting water and the deteriorating water quality are due to the
illegal mining activities occurring within and around Fena River.
Research Objectives

The study is designed to find out the effect of Mining Siltation on water bodies in
the Municipality of Carrascal Surigao Del Sur, particularly this will investigate the
following objectives:
1. To determine what chemical elements are found in polluted water caused by
the silt of mining.
2. To find out the impact of mine siltation towards living organisms and species
on water bodies in Carrascal SDS.
3. To investigate the effect of mine silt on the livelihood fishing in 14 Barangay of
Municipality of Carrascal SDS.
4. To ascertain who among 8 mining companies in Carrascal contributes more
siltation on water bodies in said areas.
Research Framework
This conceptual framework will identify the goal of the research topic by using
IPO or input, process, and output. The main input of the framework is the effect of mine
siltation in Carrascal such as the water bodies and its livelihood living. In framework
process will be conducting assay laboratory test to kaywayawan coastal and marga
river to determine chemical elements due to mine silt, it also conducting guide
questionnaire to obtain data from random residents of 14 brgy in Municipality of
Carrascal about its livelihood fishing. The framework output will found out all of the data
that lead to answer the problem and research objectives.
References

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D C Apodaca et al (2018) Siltation load contribution of nickel laterite mining on the

Dobb, Edwin. October, 1996. Harper’s Magazine: Pennies from Hell Journal. Mining and
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Duncan, Alberto E. (2020) The Dangerous Couple: Illegal Mining and Water
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