What is the difference between open pit mining and surface mining?

What is the difference between open pit mining and surface mining?

Surface mining is a process whereby soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit are removed. Open-pit mining is the process of extracting rock or minerals from the earth through their removal from an open pit or borrow. Figure 8.8.

Why are open pit mining and strip mining both considered to be surface mining ‘?

Surface mining, including strip mining, open-pit mining and mountaintop removal mining, is a broad category of mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit (the overburden) are removed, in contrast to underground mining, in which the overlying rock is left in place, and the mineral is removed through …

What is surface open pit mining?

Open-pit mining, also known as opencast mining, is a surface mining technique that extracts minerals from an open pit in the ground. This surface mining technique is used when mineral or ore deposits are found relatively close to the surface of the earth.

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What is Surface Mining answer?

Surface mining is a form of mining in which the soil and the rock covering the mineral deposits are removed. It is the other way of underground mining, in which the overlying rock is left behind, and the required mineral deposits are removed through shafts or tunnels.

What is open-pit mining PDF?

Introduction. Open pit mining is defined as the method of extracting any near surface ore. deposit using one or more horizontal benches to extract the ore while dumping. overburden and tailings (waste) at a specified disposal site outside the final pit. boundary.

What is meant by surface mining?

surface mining, method of extracting minerals near the surface of the Earth. The three most common types of surface mining are open-pit mining, strip mining, and quarrying. See also mining and coal mining.

What is strip surface mining?

strip mining, removal of soil and rock (overburden) above a layer or seam (particularly coal), followed by the removal of the exposed mineral. Such spoil areas are now routinely reclaimed and permanent vegetation reestablished as an integral part of surface-mining operations.

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Why is open-pit mining used?

Open-pit mines are used when deposits of commercially useful ore or rocks are found near the surface. It is applied to ore or rocks found at the surface because the overburden is relatively thin or the material of interest is structurally unsuitable for tunnelling (as would be the case for cinder, sand, and gravel).

Why is open-pit mining good?

Advantages of open-pit mining include: Powerful trucks and shovels can be used to move large volumes of rock. Equipment not restricted by the size of the opening you are working in. Faster production. Lower cost to mine means lower grades of ore are economic to mine.

What is surface and underground mining?

In surface mining, the ground is blasted so that ores near Earth’s surface can be removed and carried to refineries to extract the minerals. In underground mining, ores are removed from deep within the earth. Miners blast tunnels into the rock to reach the ore deposits.

How does an open pit mine work?

An open pit mine is – literally – a PIT: it is mined VERTICALLY instead of horizontally, and the removed non-ore material is stockpiled until ALL (or almost all) of the mining is done, and THEN it is returned. Reclamation occurs mainly at the end of the mining process.

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What is the difference between surface and underground mining?

Surface mining, including strip mining, open-pit mining and mountaintop removal mining, is a broad category of mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit (the overburden) are removed, in contrast to underground mining, in which the overlying rock is left in place, and the mineral is removed through shafts…

What are the pros and cons of surface mining?

Next, large machines, such as dragline excavators or bucket-wheel excavators, extract the mineral. The pros of surface mining are that it has a lower financial cost and is a lot safer than underground mining because all mining operations take place above the surface. The cons are the hazards it presents to human health and the environment.

How does underground mining affect the environment?

Underground mining, where miners tunnel beneath the Earth’s surface to extract mineral deposits, is rarer than open-pit mining. In 2014, it made up about 5\% of all American mining operations — and has less of an impact on the surface. However, this doesn’t mean that underground mining doesn’t have an effect on the environment.