Question
Which accurately compares the environmental impact of underground mining and hydraulic fracturing
Both can impact marine wildlife
Both can cause sinkholes
Both involve digging deep into the earth
Both can cause earthquakes
Both can impact marine wildlife
Both can cause sinkholes
Both involve digging deep into the earth
Both can cause earthquakes
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
To compare the environmental impacts of underground mining and hydraulic fracturing (fracking), we can evaluate each of the provided statements:
1. **Both can impact marine wildlife**: This is generally not accurate. While underground mining primarily affects terrestrial ecosystems, fracking can impact marine wildlife indirectly through water contamination and runoff, but it is not a direct impact of fracking itself.
2. **Both can cause sinkholes**: This is somewhat accurate for underground mining, as it can lead to ground subsidence and sinkholes, especially if the mining creates voids that are not supported. Fracking can cause induced seismicity, but it is not commonly associated with sinkholes.
3. **Both involve digging deep into the earth**: This is true. Both underground mining and hydraulic fracturing involve accessing resources that are buried deep below the surface of the earth.
4. **Both can cause earthquakes**: This is also true, particularly concerning fracking, which can induce seismic activity due to the injection of fluids into the ground. Underground mining can lead to ground movement and may also cause minor seismic events, though it is less commonly associated with larger earthquakes.
Based on this analysis, the statements that accurately apply to both underground mining and hydraulic fracturing are:
- **Both involve digging deep into the earth**
- **Both can cause earthquakes**
These two points represent shared environmental impacts of both practices.
1. **Both can impact marine wildlife**: This is generally not accurate. While underground mining primarily affects terrestrial ecosystems, fracking can impact marine wildlife indirectly through water contamination and runoff, but it is not a direct impact of fracking itself.
2. **Both can cause sinkholes**: This is somewhat accurate for underground mining, as it can lead to ground subsidence and sinkholes, especially if the mining creates voids that are not supported. Fracking can cause induced seismicity, but it is not commonly associated with sinkholes.
3. **Both involve digging deep into the earth**: This is true. Both underground mining and hydraulic fracturing involve accessing resources that are buried deep below the surface of the earth.
4. **Both can cause earthquakes**: This is also true, particularly concerning fracking, which can induce seismic activity due to the injection of fluids into the ground. Underground mining can lead to ground movement and may also cause minor seismic events, though it is less commonly associated with larger earthquakes.
Based on this analysis, the statements that accurately apply to both underground mining and hydraulic fracturing are:
- **Both involve digging deep into the earth**
- **Both can cause earthquakes**
These two points represent shared environmental impacts of both practices.