Mining Flashcards
What is mining?
It’s the process of mineral extraction from a rock seam or ore
How are ores located/found?
They are found using geophysical techniques.
What geophysical techniques are used in finding minerals?
Measuring magnetic and gravity responses, electric resistivity, induced polarization, seismic surveys, and more.
What are the two types of mining?
Surface mining and underground mining
What is surface mining?
Mining used to extract minerals near the surface of the earth. The soils and rock that cover the minerals are removed through blasting (the controlled use of explosives)
What are the three types of surface mining?
Open pit mining, strip mining, and dredging
What is open pit mining?
Makes a big hole/pit in the ground and uses that to mine the minerals. It is used to mine gravel, sand, or rock.
What is strip mining?
Involves the removal of a thin strip of overburden (earth or soil) over a desired ore deposit. The overburden is then piled in a long narrow pile behind the mining area, building up to create multiple strips of overburden. This is used for coal, phosphates, clays, and tar.
What is dredging?
Mines minerals from the bottom of a body of water. It is used to mine gold, tin, aluminum, diamond, rock salt, and others.
What is mineral processing?
It is extracting the minerals from the ore, refining them, and then preparing them for use.
How does underground mining compare to surface mining?
Underground mining utilizes tunnels to reach ore minerals, and it is more expensive and dangerous than surface mining.
What is comminution?
Crushing/grinding the ores into a fine powder to prepare it for concentration.
What is underground mining?
It is used for finding resources that are under the Earth’s surface.
What is sampling?
It’s the removal of a part of the mineral (which represents the whole) for analysis
What is analysis?
Evaluates the valuable components of the ore.
