THE THREE COMMON TYPES OF SURFACE MINING : SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

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Surface Mining is a method of extracting valuable minerals and materials near the surface of the Earth. There are three most common types of surface mining are open-pit mining, strip mining, and quarrying. Surface mining is one of the oldest method in the industry of mining it began in the mid-sixteenth century and it is practiced in most mining operations in the world. These are different types of surface mining:

1. OPEN-PIT MINING
   
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Open pit mining is a method that refers to the extraction of valuable minerals or materials from the surface of the earth by the removal of soil from an open pit or borrow. As what you can see in the picture, deposits that are being mined by open-pit method are consequently divided into horizontal layers called benches. The thickness or the height of the benches will depend on the type of the mineral deposit that is being mined, and for the equipment being used; for large mines it is on the order of 12 to 15 meters. Open-pit mining is generally done on a number of benches at any one time. The top of each bench is equivalent to a working level, and access to different levels is gained through a system of ramps. The width of a ramp will depend on the equipment being used, but typical widths are from 20 to 40 meters. Mining on each of the new level is begun by extending a ramp downward. This initial, or the drop soil or rock that is cut will then progressively widened to form the new pit bottom.

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1. STRIP MINING
   
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In this type of surface mining, the focus is to remove the soil layer by layer. Strip mining is the removal of soil or rock above a layer or seam and then followed by the removal of the exposed valuable mineral. Like other types of surface mining, strip mining results in hurting the area around the mine operation. The rock, gravel, trees, plants, and filth are dumped in area regions around the mine. This runs over the land and into watercourse and rivers when there is a heavy rain. The rain pushes the mine filth on top of the layer topsoil and it can be buried at a time. The streams accumulates and lands up being blocked and rivers flood. Water will become impure by the flooding and siltation.

[SOURCE}(http://www.greatmining.com/strip-mining.html)

1. QUARRYING
   
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Quarrying is the method of removing sand, rocks and gravel or other valuable minerals from the surface of the earth to use them to produce materials that are being used in construction or any other uses. "Quarrying" is a term often associated with a place or area where natural stone is extracted to produce building stone or dimension stone. We need the materials that are being produced in a quarry make our daily lives essential, providing the construction materials to build roads and buildings, producing significant minerals to agriculture and supporting the generation of electricity. It plays a vital role in the civilization.

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