MINING

MINE - an excavation made in the

Earth to extract minerals.
MINING – the activity, occupation,
and industry concerned with
the extraction of minerals.
MINING ENGINEERING
- the art and science applied to
the process of mining and the *
operation of mines.
ORE – mineral that has sufficient
utility and value to be extracted at a
profit .

WASTE OR GANGUE
- Mineral that lacks utility and value
when mined.
* Gangue is more associated with ore *
than is waste.
MINERAL DEPOSIT
- Geologic occurrence of minerals in
relatively concentrated form.

ORE DEPOSIT
- Economic occurrence of minerals
that can be extracted at a profit.
*
STAGES OF MINING

1. Prospecting
2. Exploration
3. Development
4. Exploitation/Production
5. Rehabilitation/Reclamation *
PROSPECTING

*
STAGES OF MINING

A. Prospecting
- search for metallic ores or other
valuable minerals.
2 METHODS
1. Direct Method
2. Indirect Method
*
Direct Method
-Normally limited to surface deposits,
consists of visual examination of
either the exposure(outcrop) of the
deposit or of the loose
fragments(float) that have weathered
away from the outcrop.
-Can be done in aerial photography.*
Indirect Method
- Through the use of Geophysics, a
method that detects anomalies
caused by the presence of mineral
deposits through the analysis of
gravitational, seismic, magnetic,
electrical, electromagnetic and
radiometric measurements.
*
Indirect Method
- Geophysics applied from the air or
space through remote sensing enables
vast areas to be prospected and
explored.
-Geochemistry, the microquantitative
analysis of soil and water samples
*
-Geobotany, the study of vegetational
and plant growth patterns
EXPLORATION

*
B. Exploration
- This stage determines as accurately
as possible the size and value of the
mineral deposit, utilizing techniques
similar to but more refined than those
used in prospecting

*
B. Exploration
-There are several common drilling
methods:
1. Diamond Drills
-provide core samples
2. Rotary/Percussion Drills
- produce chips or cuttings
*
DEVELOPMENT

*
C. Development
- The work of opening a mineral
deposit for exploitation.
Access to the deposit must be gained
either by:
1. Stripping overburden
2. Excavating openings
*
EXPLOITATION/
PRODUCTION
*
D. Exploitation/Production
- Is associated with the actual
recovery of mineral from the Earth in
quantity. While some development
work necessarily continuous
throughout the life of mine, the
emphasis of exploitation stage is on
PRODUCTION.
*
E. Reclamation

- The process of closing a mine and

recontouring, revegetating and
restoring the water and land values.

*
*
TYPES OF MINES

*
TYPES OF MINES

1. SURFACE MINES
2. UNDERGROUND MINES
3. PLACER MINES
4. IN-SITU MINES
*
2 MAIN CATEGORIES OF MINING

1. SURFACE MINING
- when the excavation is entirely
open to or operated to the surface.
2. UNDERGROUND MINING
- if the excavation consists of
openings for human entry driven *
below the surface.
PLACER MINES

- Used in river channels, beach

sands, or other environments to sift
valuable metals from sediments

*
IN-SITU MINES

- primarily used in Uranium mining,

involves dissolving the existing
mineral resource and then processing
it on the surface without moving rock
from the ground.
*
What are the positive and negative
effects of mining?

*
As an individual, what will you do
to help prevent or lessen the
environmental impacts that result
from mining?
*
In a Venn Diagram, give the
differences and similarities of
Surface Mining and Underground
Mining.
*