Mining is permitted on some public lands. what is the most likely reason that people may protest this action?

Mining has a major environmental impact.

Explanation:

Despite being an economic activity, many people do not approve of mining being established in their region. This is because the environmental impact that this activity causes is very large and is often neglected by the large companies behind mining.

Mining consumes extraordinary volumes of water: in mineral research (rotating probes and sampling), in mining (hydraulic dismantling, pumping water from underground mines, etc.), in processing (crushing, grinding, flotation, leaching, etc.), in pipeline transport and infrastructure (personnel, laboratories, etc.). There are cases in which it is necessary to lower the water table for the development of the mine, harming other possible consumers.

In the face of all this, a series of impacts can occur: increased turbidity and consequent variation in water quality and in the penetration of sunlight into the water body; changing the pH of the water, making it generally more acidic; spillage of oils, greases and heavy metals (highly toxic, with serious damage to living beings in the receiving environment); reduction of dissolved oxygen from aquatic ecosystems; silting of rivers; air pollution, mainly by particulate matter; loss of large areas of native ecosystems or human use etc.