Mining Flashcards

Mining Types and Techniques

• Surface Mining: Extracts shallow deposits using mechanized equipment to remove soil and rock, discarding it as waste (spoils).
• Subsurface Mining: Targets deep deposits; less land disturbance but more dangerous and costly.
• Open Pit Mining: A surface mining technique that creates large holes to access ores like iron and copper, also used for sand and gravel.
• Dredging: Involves underwater scraping with chain buckets and draglines to extract mineral deposits.
• Strip Mining: Involves removing overburden in strips using bulldozers and power shovels, commonly for coal and some phosphate rock.
• Contour Strip Mining: Used on hilly terrain; creates terraces for easier extraction of resources.
• Mountaintop Removal: Involves removing entire mountain tops to access coal, damaging surrounding streams and valleys.

Mining Regulations and Issues

• Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977): Requires restoration of surface-mined land to its original use, imposing taxes for restoration.
• Subsurface Mining Hazards: Risks include cave-ins, explosions, and lung diseases caused by hazardous mining conditions.

Environmental and Economic Impacts

• Environmental Damage: Surface mining causes significant erosion, water pollution from toxic waste, and air pollution. Acid mine drainage can adversely affect aquatic life.
• Economic Depletion: A mineral is considered economically depleted when extraction costs exceed potential profits, even if deposits remain.
• Depletion Time: Refers to the time needed to consume 80% of mineral reserves at a specified usage rate.

Resource Alternatives and Mining Innovations

• Recycling: Essential for managing resource depletion, alongside finding substitutes and improving efficiency in extraction methods.
• Nanotechnology: Represents a future potential for product creation that preserves nonrenewable resources.
• In Situ Mining: Utilizes microorganisms for mining, minimizing land disturbance and reducing environmental pollution.

Future of Mining and Minerals

• Mining Seawater: Low concentrations of most elements render extracting from seawater energetically and economically unfeasible.
• Manganese Nodules: Potential future sources of manganese, characterized by high extraction costs and international ownership disputes.
• Hydrothermal Deposits: Rich in precious metals but hindering extraction due to high costs.

Legislative and Corporate Practices

• U.S. General Mining Law of 1872: Encouraged mineral development post-Civil War but allowed cheap land acquisition for profit without actual mining.
• Corporate Malpractices: Profiteering from public lands without adhering to responsible mining practices often shifts cleanup costs to taxpayers.
• Environmental Advocacy: Calls for stricter mining regulations, including banning land patenting, imposing royalties, and enforcing clean-up mandates.

Innovative Materials

• Ceramics vs. Metals: Ceramics are stronger and longer-lasting than many metals, with potential for high-temperature superconductivity in the future.
• Composite Materials: These are increasingly used due to their strength, versatility, low cost, and the fact they do not require painting.

Summary of Resource Management

• Ensuring sustainable practices in mining and resource extraction is crucial for reducing environmental impact and managing future mineral availability.

Test your knowledge about different types of mining with these flashcards. Learn about surface and subsurface mining and the processes involved in each method. Perfect for students studying geology or mining engineering.