Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Science

Mining critical materials is creating 'sacrifice zones' that harm water and health of world's poor

There is a troubling contradiction at the heart of the global transition to a cleaner, greener, tech-driven future: Modern technologies—everything from AI to wind turbines, as well as cellphones, electric vehicles and defense systems—depend on critical minerals. But many of the communities where tho...

Mining critical materials is creating 'sacrifice zones' that harm water and health of world's poor
Image: Phys.org
There is a troubling contradiction at the heart of the global transition to a cleaner, greener, tech-driven future: Modern technologies—everything from AI to wind turbines, as well as cellphones, electric vehicles and defense systems—depend on critical minerals. But many of the communities where those minerals are mined end up with polluted water and poorer health because of the mining.

Originally published at Phys.org

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