In order to get the materials that are used for the art, mining is involved and it causes negative environmental impacts. Some of these impacts include permanently changing the land, exposing the land to weathering and erosion, and a lot of waste is made. The main form of mining in the Appalachians is mountaintop removal. A very important mineral used in Appalachian art is copper, which can be mined from the Tennessee copper basin, and it is some of the most severe environmental damage ever caused by human enterprise. However, there are some ways that mining can become more sustainable, such as preserving the topsoil on a mountain before beginning to mine so that it can be reapplied afterwards. This helps to replenish the soil and area.
Mountaintop removal in the Appalachians
A photo of the Copper Basin in Tennessee
Sulfide tailings from Ore Knob Copper Mine, NC
Made by the Pet Rocks: Sam, Olivia, Angie, George, and Zach. ENVR 282.