Fe Au

Ag C

Cu

Add to Cart
 How does these
minerals extracted
from the ground?

Mining
 Mining for
Mineral Extraction
 • Classify the methods of mining

• Explain how ore minerals are found, mined

and processed for human use
Learning Objectives
• Identify the effects on the environment of
the extraction or harnessing of natural the
natural resources.
 Open – pit Oil diffraction

Identify each methods

of mining if it is
surface or
underground mining.
Strip mining Underground mining

Mountain top removal Highwall mining

 Most mineral resources are nonrenewable
Earth materials.
 Formed and generated in Geological Time Scale.
Applied Technology
 Mineral deposits are found by geologist by
mapping Earth surface for clues of
valuable minerals.
 Gravity, magnetism & radioactivity are
measured to analyzed the composition of water,
sediments, soil and even plants and trees
present in the immediate area of exploration.

 When all these are determined and a valuable

minerals is verified to be present in the area,
core drilling is done to obtain samples for
chemical analysis.
 Two Main Mining Techniques

 Surface Mining
 Underground Mining
 Two Main Mining Techniques
1. Surface Mining
 Cheap, safe for miners, Large amount of environmental
destructions.
 Techniques of extracting ore or minerals near Earth’s
surface.
 It involves the removal and stripping of surface vegetation,
dirt and layers of bedrock to reach the mineral deposits.
 Methods of Surface Mining
 Open-pit mining
- Most common method of surface
mining where ore or minerals are
extracted from an open burrow.
- It appears like a terrace or may take the
shape of a spiral.
- Copper, gold, iron, and aluminum are
the common minerals obtained from
open-pit mining.
 Methods of Surface Mining
 Strip mining
- Similar to open – pit mining.
- The mineral being extracted is very near to the land
surface but may be covered with layers of earth, soil,
rock, or vegetation.
 Methods of Surface Mining
 Mountaintop Removal Mining
- Explosives are used to removed the overburden of the top
of mountains.
 Methods of Surface Mining
 Highwall Mining
- A method for mining outcropping horizontal seams.
- In a highwall surface mining, an unmanned continuous
driver stands on the pit floor.
- It makes long parallel rectangular drives in front of the
exposed seam and makes long parallel rectangular
drives into the coal seam.
-This is done by a string unmanned conveyors that
transport the mined coal out of the mine shaft.
 Two Main Mining Techniques
2. Underground Mining
- Expensive, Hazardous, less environmental damage
- Mining technique use to dig tunnels or shafts at greater
depths to reach hard minerals deposit like ore that contain
gold, silver, and copper.
- The ore is brought to the surface through tunnels and
shafts. Because of the extent of activities done to the
land, this is considered to be more costly and risky, both
for the workers and the environment.
 Environmental Impacts
1. Soil Erosion
- When top soil is removed, the land becomes devoid of
vegetation.
- Induce mass wasting and loose soil may find its way to
waterways where siltation may occur.
 Environmental Impacts
2. Dust
- Excavation and movement of equipment generate a deal
of dust.
- Large amounts of dusts from rocks and soil also escape
into the atmosphere during loading and unloading of
minerals, causing local air pollution and many different
types of respiratory problems.
 Environmental Impacts
3. Destruction of Habitats
- The abrupt introductions of machines, equipment, and
people may disturb the habitats of many organisms that
once occupied the mining area or were once a part of an
ecosystem in the area.
 Environmental Impacts
4. Contaminations of Chemicals
- Most heavy metals are which are toxic to organisms like
animals and humans.
 Environmental Impacts
5. Loss of valuable land
- In large scale of mining, additional space is needed for
the storage of debris, waste materials and excavated soil.
- Mine tailing goes through runoffs water and may affect the
health of residence living in communities near these
waters.
1. Why is mining important in modern
world?

2. What are the top mined

minerals and what are their uses?

3. Explain one process of mineral

extraction and how it affects the
environment?