What are the main methods of mining? (2024)

What are the main methods of mining? (1)PDF version

What are the main methods of mining? (2)

There are four main mining methods: underground, open surface (pit), placer, and in-situ mining.

  • Underground mines are more expensive and are often used to reach deeper deposits.
  • Surface mines are typically used for more shallow and less valuable deposits.
  • Placer mining is used to sift out valuable metals from sediments in river channels, beach sands, or other environments.
  • In-situ mining, which is primarily used in mining uranium, involves dissolving the mineral resource in place then processing it at the surface without moving rock from the ground.

The method used depends on the type of mineral resource that is mined, its location at or beneath the surface, and whether the resource is worth enough money to justify extracting it. Each mining method also has varying degrees of impact on the surrounding landscape and environment.

Learn More

  • Metal Mining and the Environment(Booklet),American Geosciences Institute
    Provides basic information about the mining cycle, from exploration for economic mineral deposits to mine closure. The booklet discusses the environmental aspects of metal mining and illustrates the ways science and technology assist in preventing or reducing environmental impacts
  • Coal Mining and Transportation(Webpage),U.S. Energy Information Administration
    Webpage describing different methods used for mining, processing, and transporting coal.
  • Uranium: How is it Mined? (Webpage),New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources
    Webpage describing the three main methods used to mine uranium: open-pit, underground, and in-situ leaching.

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American Geosciences Institute

What are the main methods of mining? (2024)

FAQs

What are the current methods of mining? ›

The primary methods used to extract minerals from the ground are:
  • Underground mining.
  • Surface (open pit) mining.
  • Placer mining.

What is mining answers? ›

Mining is the process of extracting useful materials from the earth. Some examples of substances that are mined include coal, gold, or iron ore. Iron ore is the material from which the metal iron is produced.

What answer shows the 5 stages of mining in the correct order? ›

The mining industry operates through a sequence of stages: exploration, discovery, development, production and reclamation. All stages of this Mining Cycle provide direct economic stimulus.

What are two main types of mining? ›

There are four types of mining that are most common.
  • Surface mining. Surface mining is best suited to extract minerals that are close to the surface of the earth. ...
  • Underground mining (or subsurface mining) ...
  • Placer mining. ...
  • In-situ mining.

What is the most basic type of mining? ›

While there are numerous types of mining processes, the most common is surface mining. Other types of mining include underground mining, placer mining, and in-situ mining. There are advantages to each as each uses specialized equipment suited for a variety of purposes.

How is most gold mined? ›

Hard rock mining extracts gold encased in rock, rather than fragments in loose sediment, and produces most of the world's gold. Sometimes open-pit mining is used, such as at the Fort Knox Mine in central Alaska.

What is the most efficient mining method? ›

The most basic strategy is to mine in a straight line at a 45° angle downwards, moving one block across for every block down. If the player dig out four blocks above each step instead of three, climbing back up is easier, since they won't "hit their head" with each jump up the steps.

What are the five mining activities? ›

  • 1) Strip Mining. Strip mining is the stripping of the surface layer away from the minerals being excavated, mainly coal. ...
  • 2) Open Pit Mining. Open-pit mining works like strip mining. ...
  • 3) Mountaintop Removal. ...
  • 4) Dredging. ...
  • 5) Highwall Mining.
Aug 6, 2021

Is mining good or bad? ›

Mining can cause erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by chemicals emitted from mining processes. These processes also affect the atmosphere through carbon emissions which contributes to climate change.

What is the main purpose of mining? ›

IMPORTANCE OF MINING

Mined materials are needed to construct roads and hospitals, to build automobiles and houses, to make computers and satellites, to generate electricity, and to provide the many other goods and services that consumers enjoy.

What is mining easy? ›

Mining is the extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agricultural processes, or feasibly created artificially in a laboratory or factory.

What is the first step in mining? ›

Searching for mineral deposits is the first step of the mining lifecycle. During this stage, large areas are often evaluated by airborne or ground-based surveys, such as those conducted by the BC Geological Survey.

What is the first step of mining called? ›

1. Exploration & Prospecting Stage. This is the first and most essential step of the mining process: in order to open a mine, companies must first find an economically sufficient amount of the deposit (an amount of ore or mineral that makes exploitation worthwhile.)

What is a mined rock? ›

'Mine Rock': Why Okane Chooses to Use 'Mine Rock' The mining industry commonly refers to rock excavated from open pit mines and/or underground mines, as “waste rock”. This rock most often stockpiled on the mine site near where it was excavated and referred to as a Waste Rock Dump (WRD).

What are the three main process mining techniques? ›

There are three main classes of process mining techniques: process discovery, conformance checking, and process enhancement. In the past, terms like workflow mining and automated business process discovery (ABPD) were used.

What are the 3 steps to the mining process? ›

The Mining Process
  1. Exploration. ...
  2. Mining.
  3. Open Pit Mining. ...
  4. Underground Mining. ...
  5. Processing. ...
  6. Stage 1: Crushing and Grinding. ...
  7. Stage 2: Flotation and Oxidisation. ...
  8. Stage 3: Leaching and Adsorption.

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