Mining Removing mineral
resource from the ground.
Can involve underground
mines, drilling, room-and-
pillar mining, long-wall
mining, open pit,
dredging, contour strip
mining, and mountaintop
removal.Mine wastes—acids and
toxins.
Displacement of native
species.Reclamation of land and
recycling.Processing Removing ore from
gangue.Pollution (air, water, soil,
and noise).Involves transportation,
processing, purification,
smelting, and
manufacturing.Human health concerns,
risks, and hazards.Use Involves distribution to
end-user.Air pollution involved in
transporting final products
to end-user.Four Major Steps in Mining
There are four major steps involved in the mining process: site development,
extraction, processing, and reclamation of the site.
1. SITE DEVELOPMENT
Before mining can begin, economic decisions are made to determine whether a
site will be profitable. Factors that enter into the decision include:
■ The current and projected costs and profits
■ The amount of ore at the site
■ The concentration of the ore
■ The type of mining required
■ The cost of transporting the ore to a processing facility
■ The cost of reclamation