RE: Bills next move..31 Jan 2022 11:21
A good read for those wishing to undetstand the various mining techniques....
https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=18547
Surface Mining
Surface mining involves removal of plant life, soil and potentially bedrock to be able to access resource deposits. It is normally used for fairly shallow, non-precious deposits. The two foremost kinds of surface mining are open-pit mining and strip mining.
Open pit mining involves digging out rocks to form an open pit or borrow pit, from which resources are then extracted. An open pit mine generally has stepped sides to minimize the risks associated with collapse and a large ramp for mining equipment. Some kind of water management system is generally necessary to keep an active mine from turning into a lake. Open-pit mines are typically worked until either the mineral deposit is depleted, or various factors make the mine non-profitable. When this occurs, the open pit is often modified to become a landfill for solid wastes.
Strip mining is mostly used to extract shallow, "bedded" deposits, where a mineral layer is covered by a layer of soft topsoil and weathered rocks. The relatively soft top layer of earth is stripped by either a dragline or industrial shovel to uncover a deposit.
Placer Mining
Normally formed by weathering via water and/or wind action, placers are unconsolidated deposits of resources. Placer mining is generally done in riverbeds, sands or other sedimentary environments and involves sifting valuable materials from sediments. Famously, "panning for gold" can be part of the placer mining process. In placer operations, the extracted sedimentary material is rinsed and sluiced to pull out the desired minerals.
In addition to gold, gemstones, platinum, tin and other materials can be extracted via place mining. At least 50 percent the world’s titanium comes from this type of mining operation.
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