Locating Mineral and Metal Deposits

Mineral and Metal Extraction

• Minerals and metals are found in rocks below the Earth's surface and must be extracted through mining.
• Scientists locate mineral and metal deposits, called ore deposits, using two methods:

Locating Ore Deposits

• Method 1: Examine rocks at the Earth's surface for specific characteristics, followed by setting up a small sample hole to test the site's potential.
• Method 2: Use aircraft to fly over large areas and detect magnetic activity indicating potential ore deposits.

Environmental Assessment and Mine Creation

• An environmental assessment is required before mine creation to determine the impact on surrounding water, people, land, and animals.
• If ore deposits are close to the surface, an open pit mine is created, involving the removal of covering materials.
• When deposits are exhausted, the land must be reclaimed, filling holes and planting vegetation to encourage wildlife.

Underground Mining

• If mineral deposits are found deep below the surface, an underground mine is constructed using a vertical mine shaft and horizontal tunnels.
• Materials are blasted out of rocks using explosive devices, picked up, and transported up the elevator for processing.

Processing Mining Materials

• Extracted materials undergo beneficiation, separating minerals and waste rock.
• Separation techniques include melting in a smelter or chemical reactions, usually done close to the mine site to reduce transportation costs.

Mining Waste

• Mining produces a large amount of waste material, with only a small amount of mineral and metal deposits in each rock.
• Waste materials, called tailings, are disposed of in closed areas of open pit mines or new waste pile sites, potentially containing toxic materials that require proper disposal to prevent water contamination.