Mining can be described as the extraction of valuable minerals or various other geological materials from the earth. Some of the most commonly mined substances would include coal, iron ore, and gold.
Not every place on the earth has valuable minerals or materials. Thus, it is very crucial to choose the mining site properly. Also, the selection of the right mining equipment can help with the mining work in a given place. There are different equipment used for small-scale and large-scale mining activities.
Large-Scale Mining Vs Small-Scale Mining
When it comes to large-scale mining, that involves a big company with many employees and equipment. They usually mine at one or two large sites and keep on mining until all the minerals or materials are fully excavated. Whereas, small-scale mining is done by a small group of people. They travel together to find places and mines where they think that the earth might yield valuable materials. It takes place in many parts of the world but is more harmful to the environment.
The Mining Methods
New places with various valuable minerals and materials are discovered every year. Mining companies are always in search of such places; but, they have to be equipped with the right mining equipment, as not all the equipment can be used on all sites. Some common types of mining methods are as follows:
Underground Mining
It involves digging down into the earth by creating tunnels and shafts, to reach the resource deposit. The ore and other resources are then brought up to the surface for processing.
Surface Mining
This involves the removal of plant life, soil and bedrock to access the resource deposit. These are shallow and non-precious materials. The two types of surface mining are strip mining and open-pit mining.
Placer Mining
These are formed by weathering through wind action or water and are unconsolidated resource deposits. These are generally done in sedimentary environments, including river beds, sands, etc. The best thing about this method is that they cause less disturbance to the surface and produce less waste rock.
The selection of the mining method would depend on the geometry of the deposit, which includes the size, shape and depth of the mine. It also depends on the geology and hydrology conditions, along with the geotechnical properties of the rock and ore that is to be extracted.
Final Thoughts
When we talk about selecting the mine site, it is a complex topic that is done by professionals. They will first try to find out the potential mining sites through a preliminary screening system by using a geographical information system. They will also identify some discrete alternatives. They will also have to assess the environmental impact of each location for each facility.