Climbers typically start a climb with some route reading from the ground before making an attempt on the wall. This entails identifying the key holds, mapping the sequence of steps and determining the right hand and feet placement on the holds. Careful planning is key to a successful climb, especially if you’re trying to send (complete/finish) a route in the fewest attempts possible. Remember how I mentioned my fear of heights in my last post? Somehow, no matter how much time I spend planning my beta (direction on how to complete a climb), I always freeze up out of fear while on the wall and forget where to place my hands and feet next. Fortunately I’ve come to notice the subtle clues left behind by previous climbers that have helped cue me into my next position in these moments – chalk!
Unless you’ve been miraculously spared from having sweaty hands, most climbers would choose to use chalk to help maintain their grip on the wall. There are many different types and brands of chalk available on the market from loose chalk to liquid chalk to chalk balls. Ultimately, no matter your preference, all chalk is mainly made from the same stuff – magnesium carbonate derived from the mineral magnesite.
But where does this come from? Traceability to the source of climbing chalk appears to be a big issue for the industry. According to this article, it appears that bulk of the climbing industry’s chalk can be traced back to China, which shouldn’t be a big surprise given that China is the world’s main magnesite capital.
Magnesite mining has proven to be an extremely pollutive activity. In recent years, the Chinese government has begun to enforce stricter environmental inspections to tackle air pollution associated with magnesite mining activities, going to the necessary extent to halt activities at mines that fail to comply with required standards (Ghilotti & Shi, 2018; Shi, 2021). A study of magnesite mines in HaiCheng City have shown that dust emissions from the mines have led to an increase in surrounding soil pH, leading to poor soil function (Sha-Sha et al., 2011). The alkalisation of soil has been linked to decreased availability of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients and lowered soil microbial activity, which adversely impacts the colonisation and growth of vegetation (Yang et al., 2009). In the areas surrounding magnesite mines, the formation of soil surface crusts due to elevated magnesium levels also reduces the porosity of top soil, causing increased rainfall runoff (Wang et al., 2015). This in turn could have a domino effect on wider environmental processes, potentially affecting nearby terrestrial landscapes and water bodies.
Getting our hands dirty for a climb definitely begins way before we apply chalk on our hands. Here in Singapore, we get to enjoy the use of chalk without ever experiencing any of the pollutive impacts, while the communities living in the mining region bear the poor air quality or even end up being displaced as the contaminated soils can no longer support productive agriculture. Reading up about the pollution arising from the sourcing of chalk makes me feel guilty about having used it without giving much thought to its source thus far. At the same time I don’t think most of us could continue climbing without it. In the coming weeks I’ll continue to learn about the pollution arising from the use of chalk and explore more sustainable alternatives to traditional chalk!
References
Ghilotti, D., & Shi, C. (2018, May 4). China maintains strict environmental stance on heavy industry pollution. Industrial Minerals. Retrieved from https://www.indmin.com/Article/3805043/China-maintains-strict-environmental-stance-on-heavy-industry-pollution.html
Sha-Sha, F. U., Pei-Jun, L. I., Qian, F. E. N. G., Xiao-Jun, L. I., Peng, L. I., Yue-Bing, S. U. N., & Yang, C. H. E. N. (2011). Soil quality degradation in a magnesite mining area. Pedosphere, 21(1), 98-106.
Shi, C. (2021, January 19). Stricter controls ease magnesia oversupply in China. Industrial Minerals. Retrieved from https://www.indmin.com/Article/3971237/Stricter-controls-ease-magnesia-oversupply-in-China.html
Wang, L., Tai, P., Jia, C., Li, X., Li, P., & Xiong, X. (2015). Magnesium contamination in soil at a magnesite mining region of Liaoning Province, China. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 95(1), 90-96.
Yang, D., Zeng, D. H., Zhang, J., Li, L. J., & Mao, R. (2012). Chemical and microbial properties in contaminated soils around a magnesite mine in northeast China. Land Degradation & Development, 23(3), 256-262.
