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Comprehensive Guide to Mining Methods

The document discusses mining and its various stages. It defines mining as the extraction of valuable minerals from the Earth. There are four main mining methods - underground mines, surface mines, placer mining, and in-situ mining. The five stages of mining are exploration, discovery, mine development, production, and mine site reclamation. The document also discusses sustainable mining and defines it as meeting current needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs. Key elements of sustainable mining are that it must be financially viable, environmentally sound, socially responsible, have sound governance, and provide lasting benefits to local communities.

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sunitha
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Topics covered

  • Reclamation plans,
  • Closure plans,
  • Mining cycle,
  • Stages of mining,
  • Mineral extraction,
  • Resource management,
  • Geological mapping,
  • Mining technology,
  • Underground mining,
  • Manufactured products
68 views10 pages

Comprehensive Guide to Mining Methods

The document discusses mining and its various stages. It defines mining as the extraction of valuable minerals from the Earth. There are four main mining methods - underground mines, surface mines, placer mining, and in-situ mining. The five stages of mining are exploration, discovery, mine development, production, and mine site reclamation. The document also discusses sustainable mining and defines it as meeting current needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs. Key elements of sustainable mining are that it must be financially viable, environmentally sound, socially responsible, have sound governance, and provide lasting benefits to local communities.

Uploaded by

sunitha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Topics covered

  • Reclamation plans,
  • Closure plans,
  • Mining cycle,
  • Stages of mining,
  • Mineral extraction,
  • Resource management,
  • Geological mapping,
  • Mining technology,
  • Underground mining,
  • Manufactured products

Topic: Mining

• What is mining?
• Types of mining?
• Stages of mining
• Impact of mining
• Sustainable mining
KEY VOCABULARY
Mining: Mining is the process of removing mineral ores
from the earth.
Mineral Ore: A naturally-occurring collection of minerals is
called an ore.
Underground Mining: Underground mining, sometimes
called deep mining, is used when the mineral is buried
several hundred feet below the surface.
Open Pit Mining: Open-pit mining or surface mining is a
mining technique of extracting rock or minerals from the
earth. Open-pit mining is used when minerals or rock are
found near the surface.
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials
from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer
deposit.
There are four main mining methods:
•Underground mines are more expensive and are often used to reach deeper
deposits. They are also called deep shaft mines.
•Surface mines are typically used for more shallow and less valuable deposits.
They are often open cast mines.
•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.
Stages of mining
Stages of mining
Stage 1- Exploration can take place in many forms, by both prospectors and exploration companies, and usually begins
with research to select target areas. Once the targets are selected, geological mapping as well as many types of geochemical
and geophysical surveys can take place. This type of activity, even in its simplest form, can lead to discoveries of the
economic mineral deposits that society requires for much of the raw materials and manufactured products that we use every
day. Exploration activity on a property rarely leads to a new mineral discovery.

Stage 2- Discovery happens when something of value is found. Discoveries rely on good field work, quality geoscience,
investment and planning to bring them to the development stage. New discoveries are crucial because our growing society
increasingly consumes more manufactured products, and our known mineral deposits become depleted. Very few
discovered mineral deposits become producing mines. At this stage permits, leases, and licenses are required and the project
may be referred for environmental assessment.

Stage 3- The mine development stage includes feasibility, geoscience and engineering studies. If all of these outcomes are
favorable and all approvals are in place, the company then decides if they will go ahead with the project. At this stage the
company raises money in order to begin construction and develop a mine. This is the most expensive phase of the mining
cycle.
Stage 4- The production phase includes extraction, milling and processing of
raw materials, such as coal, metals, industrial minerals and aggregate. The length
of time a mine is in production depends on the amount and quality of the mineral
or metal in the deposit and profitability of the operation.

Stage 5- Mine site reclamation and protection of the environment starts at the
beginning of a project and continues after closure. Mines must have closure and
reclamation plans and are required to post a bond for the estimated cost of
reclamation. The reclamation plan and bond amount must be approved by the
Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environment. In many cases
mine site reclamation can add significant value to land in communities for
recreational purposes and future development.
Activity- Assessment of impact of mining through SEEP Analysis
Sustainable Mining
The Brundtland Commission defines “sustainability, as the ability of the current generation to meet
their own needs without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs”.

Sustainable mining can be characterized as one wherein the “benefits derived from the extraction
of minerals is continuously reinvested in other sustainable undertakings and in community support
such as health services, education, cultures promotion, etc.
John Strongman, a Mining Advisor of the World Bank Group provides five key elements on sustainable
mining development. He says that for mining to be sustainable it has to be
financially viable; nvironmentally sound; socially responsible; implemented with sound governance;
and it must bring lasting benefits especially for local communities.

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