Module 19 Flashcards
Mining
The excavation of Earth for the purpose of extracting valuable minerals
Metallic minerals
Mines for their metals
Nonmetallic minerals
Mines to be used in their natural state
Mineral deposit
An area in which a particular mineral is concentrated
Ore
A rock mineral from which a valuable substance can be extracted for profit
Reserve
A known quantity of a resources that can be economically recovered
Surface mining
A mining category that removes ore or mineral deposits close to earths surface
Strip mining
A surface mining technique where soil and rock are removed in strips to expose ore
Tailings
Spoils
Smelting
When heat or chemical solvents are used to extract metals from mineral ores
Open-pit mining
A surface mining technique that involves the creation of a large pit to extract resources
Mountaintop removal
A surface mining technique that involves the creation of a large pit to extract resources
Placer mining
A surface mining technique that looks for metals and precious stones in river sediments
Subsurface mining
A known quantity of a resource that can be economically recovered
Mining law of 1872
This act encouraged exploration and mining of mineral resources