Global direct pressures on biodiversity by large-scale metal mining: Spatial distribution and implications for...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecology
• Geology

Background:

• Biodiversity loss is a critical global environmental issue.
• Metal mining can negatively impact biodiversity through habitat alteration.
• Previous studies focused on mining overlaps with protected areas, not biodiversity richness zones.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the global spatial distribution of mines and mineral deposits for five key metals.
• To assess the pressure of mining activities on zones with varying biodiversity richness.
• To use vascular plant diversity as a proxy for overall biodiversity.

Main Methods:

• Global spatial analysis of mines and deposits for bauxite, silver, iron, gold, and copper.
• Overlaying mining data with global plant diversity zones.
• Quantifying the proportion of mines and deposits in low, intermediate, and high biodiversity areas.

Main Results:

• Mines and deposits are concentrated in intermediate and high biodiversity zones, particularly for bauxite and silver.
• Iron, gold, and copper mines/deposits show a more proportional distribution, with high concentration in intermediate zones.
• 63% of mines and 61% of deposits are in intermediate diversity zones; 23% of mines and 20% of deposits are in high diversity zones.

Conclusions:

• Metal mining and deposits are not randomly distributed but show a clear preference for areas with higher biodiversity.
• A significant portion of current mining activities and known deposits are located in areas of high and intermediate plant diversity.
• There is potential for future mine development in low-biodiversity areas, which could reduce environmental pressure.