There is phosphate mining around here. MUCH of it. FMC left a hilltop west of town missing and phosphate residue exposed. This resulted in very probable phosphine release and the covering of the entire remaining hilltop. FMC left town over 20 years ago and little mitigation would have been done if it wasn't for the EPA and the folks on the Ft. Hall Reservation (whose incomes were devastated by FMC closing up and moving away).

Underground mining would probably be better than tearing down mountains, but it's more expensive. As long as humanity needs metals mining will be with us.