Effects of Stone Mining Activities on Air Quality and Corrective Measures

Nowadays, environmental pollution and deterioration of air quality due to stone mining have become the biggest issues in the world. The main reasons of poor air quality is stone mining, vehicle pollution, industrialization, infrastructure development, burning, and combustion of fossil fuels. Stone mining is a mechanical activity, including drilling, blasting, crushing, and the transportation of stone materials. Stone mining produces pollutants, i.e., particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone (O3), suspended particulate matter (SPM), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These pollutants cause detrimental impacts on both human health (cardiovascular and respiratory disorders and heart and lung diseases such as asthma and lung cancer) and the ecosystem (visibility reduction, water body acidification, decreased agricultural productivity, disruptions to ecosystems, plant life damage, vegetation damage, destruction of wildlife habitat, soil deterioration, acid rain, and the creation of smog). The mitigation of air pollution in stone mining necessitates the utilization of innovative technologies and the implementation of appropriate operating practices. Sustainable mining operations necessitate an ongoing search for innovation and constant adherence to environmental norms. This chapter presents a comprehensive analysis of the contemporary worldwide stone mining sector, with a particular focus on the prominent environmental concerns it faces.