Positive Effects of Volcano Volcanic activity has many positive impacts on both the natural physical environment and on socio-economic activity. Positive impacts include the creation of new land, the creation of valuable natural minerals and ores, and the enhancement of countries' tourism potential. Creation of new land: Volcanic activity can result in the creation of new land, when material from within the earth's crust is ejected in the form of molten liquid, then cools and solidifies to created new igneous rock.This has happened, for example, in the Carney Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific.
These islands come from volcanic activity at hot spot locations, where, over many millions of years, volcanic material accumulated on the ocean floors and resulted in the creation of new island landforms. This new land has facilitated human settlement and economic activity, including agriculture and tourism.Tourism Potential: Volcanic activity can enhance the tourism potential of many areas; relevant examples include Iceland, Yellowstone National Park in Washington, USA, and the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. In Iceland, the scenic landscape has been boosted by the presence of geothermal springs, which have resulted in the creation f geysers, thermally heated water pools, and highly scenic physical landforms. These landforms include active volcanoes and a land-based mid-Atlantic Ridge, which marks the divergence of the American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Yellowstone National Park is world-renowned for its unique landforms and the natural processes associated with volcanic activity; the region's native fauna and flora have been directly influenced by volcanic activity over geologically. The park is a natural environment of particular interest to a variety of researchers from the physical and natural sciences, and is a key tourist destination in North America. Creation of new minerals and ores: Volcanic activity is responsible for the creation of many metallic ores, including gold, silver, lead, copper, iron, uranium and titanium.In Ireland many silver, lead and copper mines have exploited these resources, generating significant economic benefit to the economy. Examples include the Silversides in Co. Tipper, Tara mines in Co.
Math, and the historic copper mines in the Bear Peninsula. Diamonds are also volcanic in origin and are found in Kimberley, rocks which were formed beneath the earth's crust. Volcanic activity at mid-ocean ridges can also irate many valuable minerals and ores.The Geological Survey of Ireland has begun the process of mapping the undersea landscape of Irish territorial waters and it is anticipated that significant natural mineral and ore resources will be identified, with the possibility of commercial exploitation. China is also investing significant resources to undersea water research programmers in anticipation of harvesting valuable mineral and ore resources.
However, environmentalists are concerned about the potential negative impact such exploitation could have on unique marine environments.
