Introduction to Surface Mining:

•In case of India, the mineral production dates back to the ancient
times as the mining activities can be traced as far back as 6,000
years or so.
•The importance of mineral development for the economic growth of
a country was realized in India long back. As early as 400 B.C.
•Chanakya has mentioned “Mines are the sources of assets”.
•The remains of some of the old mine workings are a witness to this
fact.
•A few of these workings have led to the discovery of a number of
significant mineral deposits, which are being worked in the present
time.
•These include the lead-zinc deposit at Zawar, copper deposit at
Khetri, and gold deposits in Karnataka.
• Diamonds were discovered in India during the 4th century B.C., and
India was one of the first countries to mine the gem. India's diamonds
were prized for their size and beauty for hundreds of years.

• India's most prized diamonds are known as the "diamonds of

Golconda".

• India also has a long history of commercial coal mining covering

nearly 220 years starting from 1774 by M/s Sumner and Heatly of
East India Company in the Raniganj Coalfield along the Western
bank of river Damodar.

• After the political Independence came in the year 1947, the

importance of role of mines and mineral development in the country’s
economic growth was realized, and an impetus to the development of
the mineral sector was imparted in the country.
• Prior to independence, only a few minerals were mined and
the country was largely depended on imports of commodities
such as copper, lead, zinc, sulphur, graphite, petroleum, etc.

• The exploration of minerals was intensified and the Geological

Survey of India was strengthened for the purpose.

• The Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) was established to look

after the scientific development and conservation of mineral
resources.

• IBM was also assigned the responsibility of conducting

exploration with more of emphasis on coal, iron ore,
limestone, dolomite, and manganese ore keeping in view the
requirement of the proposed steel plants.

• Later, in 1972 when the Mineral Exploration Corporation was

established, this function was transferred to it.
• Coal was the one to have received the maximum attention for
being the basic fuel for a whole range of industries such as steel,
railways and power plants.

• Capacity for large-scale production of various minerals was

created in the public sector - National Coal Development
Corporation (NCDC) 1956, National Mineral Development
Corporation (NMDC) 1958, Bharat Aluminium Company
(BALCO) 1965, Pyrites, Phosphates and Chemicals Ltd.
(PPCL) 1960, Hindustan Zinc Ltd.(HZL) 1966, Neyveli Lignite
Corporation Ltd. (NLC) 1957, Hindustan Copper Ltd.(HCL)
1967, Bharat Gold Mines Ltd.(BGML) 1972, Steel Authority of
India (SAIL), formerly Hindustan Steel Ltd 1973.

• Presently, India produces as many as 89 minerals, comprising 4

fuels, 11 metallic and 52 non-metallic industries and 22 minor
minerals.

• Out of 89 minerals, most of them are mined from the surface

mining methods.
• At present, in the country, the surface mines contribute
the major share of the coal and lignite production
(more than 80%), lead and zinc ore production
(more than 70%), copper ore production (more than
50%) and a considerable amount of manganese ore
produced.

• More than 80% of the total mineral production in terms

of both volume and value of India comes from surface
mines and the same trend is likely to continue for the
next few decades.
What mining is all about?
Mining is the extraction (removal) of minerals and metals from
the earth.

Why do we have to mine?

Raw minerals are mined and sent to a power plant for refining.

Mining Methods:
There are mainly two method for extraction of minerals which are
as follows:
1.Underground Mining
2.Surface Mining
Surface Mining is done by removing (stripping) surface
vegetation, dirt and if necessary, layers of bedrocks in
order to reach buried ore deposits
Or
Surface mining is the process of extraction of minerals
by removal of overburden.
Or
Surface mining is a mine in which no part of its
workings extends below the super-adjacent ground.

Overburden is the rock or waste material which is lying

on the mineral(ore) to be owned.
Surface mines may be classified into different
types – Open-pit mines, Area (modified open-
pit) mines, Strip / Area Strip mines, Contour /
Contour Strip mines and Mountain top removal
(full or partial) mines.
Factors Influencing Choice of mining methods:
• Depth of the deposit
• Shape of the deposit
• Thickness of the deposit
• Gradient of the deposit
• Availability of machineries
• Economic value of minerals
Surface Mining Methods are as follows:
Open-pit & Area mining:
• Which is the recovery of materials from an open-pit in the ground.
• These are associate with extraction of thick deposits.
• These justify the mining of deeper overburden rock.
• They are typically multiple bench type operations with special
consideration required for the vertical lift requirements of the haulage
system.
Quarrying:
• Identical to open-pit mining except that it refers to sand, stone and
clay.
Surface Mining Methods are as follows:
Strip mining:
• These are associated with the extraction of flat( dip≤ 1 in 20) bedded deposits commonly
under the shallow cover.
• The seams are extracted in number of long strips of predetermined width after getting
released by the removal of the overburden rock.
• The strips are generally laid along the strike direction.
• Single or multiple seams may be extracted by this method.
• Direct overburden disposal techniques are utilized as much as possible.
Contour & Mountain Top Removal:
• Contour mining permits the extraction of bedded deposits.
• Mountain top removal mining is generally used for extraction of massive or cap type
deposits.
• Mining permits the extraction of deposits in very hilly or mountainous terrain.
• Benching & direct disposal techniques are used individually or in combination of
overburden removal & replacements.
Open-pit & Area mining

Strip mining
 “Highwalls”

Contour Mining

Mountain Top Removal

Surface mining methods offer a number of advantages over underground mining
methods. Most important of them are as follows:
• Higher productivity (output).
• No/very less ventilation problem.
•No roof problem.
• Illumination problem is less.
• Less limitation on the size & weight of equipment.
• Less cost of production.
• Better grade control.
• High Production.
• Greater safety & better working environment.
• No Support problem.
• Low grade ore can be extracted profitably.
• Higher flexibility of operation.
• Greater concentration of all operations & simplified management of men & machineries.
• After mining, land-use potential may be increased by proper reclamation.
Surface mining methods also have some disadvantages over underground mining.
The most important of them are as follows:
• Problems of maintaining slopes & roads during rainy season.
• Workings are exposed to open weather.
• Handling of large quantity of unproductive (overburden/waste rock) materials.
• Problems of ground vibration & air vibration due to blasting.
• A large land area is affected.
• Adverse effect of ecology & environment – land, water & air pollution.
• Maintenance of mechanical & environmental safety of the waste dumps/overburden
dumps.
• Monitoring of waste dumps/overburden dumps & their stabilization in case of
occurrence of any sort of instability.
• Capital intensive.
• High reclamation/closing cost.
BOX - CUT
Definition:
The Box-cut is the first/initial cut given for the physical development of a mine. This cut
generally looks like a wall s on all the sides.
Objectives:
1.To reach the ore body/ coal seam.
2.To provide a smooth entry to the pit.
3.To provide space for development of working/production benches.
Types of Box-Cut:
1.Internal Box-Cut
2.External Box-Cut
Internal Box-Cut:
1.When the Box-Cut is placed fully or partially on the mineralized zone, then it is called an
internal Box-Cut.
2.In this, the Cut follows a direction that is usually oblique to both the strike & dip direction.
Internal Box-Cut:
3. Generally, the direction is so chosen that the haul road ramp formed by this cut & subsequent
cuts will not have unnecessary steep turning at any position.
4. In this, excavation cost is less.
Applicability: for all types of deposits.

External Box-Cut:
1. When the Box-Cut is totally outside the mineralized zone, then it is called as External
box-Cut.
2. This cut is generally located at the middle of the rise-most side.
3. In this, excavation is large & costly.
Applicability: for only shallow (100 to 200 m) & gently dipping bedded deposits.
Methods of opening Box-Cut:

1. Purpose of Box-Cut is to start the mining operation.

2. This is done by an opening cut for the development of first working bench.
3. The opening cut is called the “Box-Cut” & slope of suitable gradient is advisable both
technical & economical point of view for transport, holding space & minimizing the cost
of excavation for deep pits is necessary.
4. The Box-Cut may be Internal or External.
5. Box-Cut is excavated initially down to the floor level of the first bench from the surface.
6. Then a level trench for opening is extended from this opening cut to form the first bench.
7. The opening trench should be narrow for turning of the machineries used for excavation &

extends along or across the quarriable limit depending upon the type of the deposits.

8. When the first bench is sufficiently advanced, the box-cut is oriented & extended to the next

lower bench keeping sufficient room for the approach road to the top bench & for opening

trench for the 2nd bench.

9. By this way, a number of working benches are developed & the width of the box-cut should

be sufficient enough to provide approach road to all the benches.

10. If number of benches are developed from one opening cut, the cut should be started

enough away from the pit limit so that bottom bench may be reached at desired slope of pit.
Selection of Site for Box-Cut:
1. Should ensure maximum of safety & economy.
2. Minimization of cost of haulage, within the pit & from the pit head to mineral
destination.
3. The site of opening cut should be at a high & well drained place so as to prevent
flooding of the pit.
4. Area should be stable & free from geological disturbances.
5. Surface area around the site should be such as to make the construction of a approach
roads easy.
6. It is profitable to open-up deposits in areas of high grade ore.
7. On the other hand, an undesired part of the deposit containing low grade ore or types of
ore which do not have an immediate market is an unsuitable site for the opening cut
even though the location may have other technical merits.
8. In order that the opening cut has not to be shifted, it should obviously be located at one
boundary of mineral deposit.