Open Pit Mining
Open pit mining, also known as open cast mining, is a surface mining technique that is used to extract minerals and other resources from the earth by removing soil and rock that is above a deposit. This type of mining is usually employed when resources are near the surface of the earth’s surface and can be reached by large machines. This method is typically used to extract coal, iron ore, diamonds, limestone, and other minerals.
The process of open-pit mining begins with the selection of the area the resources will be extracted from. Once it is determined the ore deposits are present, a series of trenches are dug in order to determine the most economical method of extraction. The trenches are usually operated using a combination of drilling, blasting, and earth-moving equipment. The walls of the trenches are supported by benches that provide stability to the walls.
Following this, the ore is extracted from the surface of the earth in layers. The ore is collected from the different levels that have been created by benching, or the process of chopping out the ore from the earthen layers. This can be a labor-intensive process and can involve the use of explosives as well. The ore is moved out of the pit in its natural form, although it is sometimes crushed before being loaded onto trucks or trains.
Once the ore has been extracted and moved to transportation vehicles, it is ready to be transported to a processing facility. It is here that the ore is processed and from which the valuable minerals, metals, or other resources are separated from the low-grade ore. After the valuable resources have been extracted, the remaining waste is placed back into the pit.
Open pit mining is a type of mining involving the extraction of resources from near-surface deposits. It is typically employed for the extraction of coal, iron ore, diamonds, limestone, and other minerals. The process begins with the selection of the area that is to be mined and continues with the excavation of the ore from surface layers. The ore is then moved offsite to a processing facility before being returned to the pit after the valuable resources have been extracted.
