Questions and Answers
What is a key difference between surface mining and underground mining?
Surface mining is not selective, extracting both ore and waste, while underground mining is selective, extracting only the ore.
What factor determines whether a mine starts on the surface and then goes underground?
Stripping ratio
What percentage of the mined ore in Canada was obtained via underground mining in 2002?
16%
What is a characteristic of surface mining equipment?
Signup and view all the answers
Why must high grade be mined in underground mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary purpose of leaving portions of ore or waste in place as pillars in underground mines?
Signup and view all the answers
Which term refers to valuable minerals that can be mined at a profit?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary purpose of ventilation in underground mining?
Signup and view all the answers
Which Canadian city holds one of the world's largest nickel deposits?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary function of a fresh air raise and exhaust air raise in underground mines?
Signup and view all the answers
What is shotcrete used for in ground control?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the ultimate objective of exploration in mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is Hydrafil used for in mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of rock bolters in mining operations?
Signup and view all the answers
What are Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) vehicles essential for in underground mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the approximate cost range per tonne for surface mining, excluding processing?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the approximate cost range per tonne for underground mining, excluding processing?
Signup and view all the answers
What percentage of the mined ore in Canada was obtained via underground mining in 2002?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary reason for leaving waste in place in underground mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the key parameter that determines when a mine transitions from surface to underground mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary determinant of the extent of an ore body in underground mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary purpose of leaving portions of ore or waste in place as pillars in underground mines?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the key function of rock bolting in underground mining operations?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of the fresh air raise and exhaust air raise in underground mines?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary purpose of ventilation in underground mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of Hydrafil in mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary function of Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) vehicles in underground mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the ultimate objective of exploration in mining?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of shotcrete in ground control?
Signup and view all the answers
What factors affect underground mining methods?
Signup and view all the answers
Match the mining method with its characteristic:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the mining method with its cost range per tonne, excluding processing:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the mining method with its safety characteristic:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the mining method with its equipment characteristic:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the country with its mining industry characteristic:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the following mining terms with their definitions:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the following mining support systems with their descriptions:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the following mining activities with their descriptions:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the following mining terms with their specific functions:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the following minerals/metals with their status in Canada:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the mining equipment with their corresponding functions:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the mining vehicles with their primary functions:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the factors affecting underground mining methods with their descriptions:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the types of dilution in mining with their sources:
Signup and view all the answers
Match the objectives of exploration in mining with their descriptions:
Signup and view all the answers
Underground mining is less expensive than surface mining per tonne, excluding processing.
Signup and view all the answers
Surface mining is safer than underground mining due to the open work environment.
Signup and view all the answers
Canada mined over 4,100 Mt of ore in 2002, with 16% obtained via underground mining.
Signup and view all the answers
High grade must be mined in underground mining to justify the high cost per tonne.
Signup and view all the answers
Shotcrete is used to prevent rocks from falling by spraying concrete or reinforced concrete at high pressure onto the walls of an opening.
Signup and view all the answers
Hydrafil is a mixture of tailings, cement, sand, and broken rock used to support the sides of a stope.
Signup and view all the answers
Jumbo drilling equipment is primarily used in longhole stoping mining method.
Signup and view all the answers
Rock bolters are used to install rock bolts in walls and roofs at a safe distance from the active face in mining operations.
Signup and view all the answers
Trackless scooptrams transport blasted rock from stopes long distances to trucks or ore passes.
Signup and view all the answers
Underground trucks have capacities ranging from 26 to 50 tonnes for transporting blasted rock from stopes.
Signup and view all the answers
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) vehicles primarily involve manual operation for ore shoveling, transporting, and dumping.
Signup and view all the answers
The ultimate objective of exploration in mining is to predict the shape, distribution, and concentration of mineralization.
Signup and view all the answers
Dilution in mining can have different sources, including geological, planned, unplanned, and fill dilution, affecting the ore stream.
Signup and view all the answers
Underground mining methods depend only on deposit size and shape.
Signup and view all the answers
Factors affecting underground mining methods include capital costs, operating costs, ore value, and production rate.
Signup and view all the answers
Learning outcomes of the lecture include understanding important terminology related to underground mining, equipment used, and factors affecting underground mining methods.
Signup and view all the answers
Canada is a top-five global producer of 10 major minerals and metals, leading in potash and ranking high in uranium, diamond, titanium, platinum group metals, cadmium, aluminum, nickel, graphite, and gold.
Signup and view all the answers
Sudbury, Canada, holds one of the world's largest nickel deposits, with historic production and current reserves exceeding US$300 billion.
Signup and view all the answers
Ore is valuable minerals that can be mined at a profit, and the extent of an ore body is determined by the cut-off grade, below which mining is uneconomic.
Signup and view all the answers
Mining terminology includes definitions for orebody, vein, host rock, and dyke, as well as concepts like dip, strike, hanging wall, footwall, development, shaft, portal, adit, and tunnel.
Signup and view all the answers
Other mining terms include ramp, collar, drift, crosscut, face, draw point, ore pass, raise, sump, crown pillar, sill/floor pillar, cage, skip, hoist, and stope.
Signup and view all the answers
Ventilation is a crucial aspect of underground mining, necessary for loading and hauling, scaling, rock support, backfilling, and blasting.
Signup and view all the answers
Natural support in mines involves leaving portions of ore or waste in place as pillars to prevent openings from failing, with various types of pillars serving different support functions.
Signup and view all the answers
Artificial support in mines is introduced after excavation and includes methods like rock bolting to consolidate roof strata with steel bolts.
Signup and view all the answers
Underground mining activities encompass development and production drilling, loading with explosives and blasting, ventilation, loading and hauling, scaling, rock support, and backfilling.
Signup and view all the answers
Fresh air raise and exhaust air raise are part of the intake shaft system used in underground mines to bring in fresh air and ensure proper airflow.
Signup and view all the answers
Mining Optimization Laboratory provides detailed insights into mining terminology, activities, and support systems.
Signup and view all the answers
The text offers comprehensive explanations of key mining terms and activities, providing a detailed overview of underground mining operations and mineral production.
Signup and view all the answers
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Study Notes
Mining Methods and Equipment Summary
- Shotcrete is used in ground control to prevent rocks from falling by spraying concrete or reinforced concrete at high pressure onto the walls of an opening.
- Hydrafil is a mixture of tailings, cement, sand, and broken rock used to support the sides of a stope, with tailings being the material rejected from a mill after extracting valuable minerals.
- Jumbo drilling equipment is used in drift/ramp development, cut and fill, and room and pillar mining, with 1, 2, or 3 drill booms depending on the size.
- Rock bolters are used to install rock bolts in walls and roofs at a safe distance from the active face in mining operations.
- Trackless scooptrams transport blasted rock from stopes short distances to trucks or ore passes and have a front-end bucket for carrying and dumping bulk materials.
- Underground trucks transport blasted rock from stopes long distances via internal ramp systems, with capacities ranging from 26 to 50 tonnes.
- Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) vehicles are essential for transporting underground ores and typically involve manual operation for ore shoveling, transporting, and dumping.
- The ultimate objective of exploration is to predict the shape, distribution, and concentration of mineralization, achieved by creating a geologic model to calculate the quantity and quality of the ore deposit.
- Dilution in mining can have different definitions and sources, including geological, planned, unplanned, and fill dilution, affecting the ore stream.
- Underground mining methods depend on factors such as deposit size, shape, chemical composition, wall rock competence, mechanization level, and operating costs, making it a complicated process.
- Factors affecting underground mining methods include capital costs, operating costs, ore value, production rate, waste rock dilution, orebody recovery, orebody variability, orebody widths, and ground conditions.
- Learning outcomes of the lecture include understanding important terminology related to underground mining, equipment used, and factors affecting underground mining methods.
Mining Methods and Equipment Summary
- Shotcrete is used in ground control to prevent rocks from falling by spraying concrete or reinforced concrete at high pressure onto the walls of an opening.
- Hydrafil is a mixture of tailings, cement, sand, and broken rock used to support the sides of a stope, with tailings being the material rejected from a mill after extracting valuable minerals.
- Jumbo drilling equipment is used in drift/ramp development, cut and fill, and room and pillar mining, with 1, 2, or 3 drill booms depending on the size.
- Rock bolters are used to install rock bolts in walls and roofs at a safe distance from the active face in mining operations.
- Trackless scooptrams transport blasted rock from stopes short distances to trucks or ore passes and have a front-end bucket for carrying and dumping bulk materials.
- Underground trucks transport blasted rock from stopes long distances via internal ramp systems, with capacities ranging from 26 to 50 tonnes.
- Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) vehicles are essential for transporting underground ores and typically involve manual operation for ore shoveling, transporting, and dumping.
- The ultimate objective of exploration is to predict the shape, distribution, and concentration of mineralization, achieved by creating a geologic model to calculate the quantity and quality of the ore deposit.
- Dilution in mining can have different definitions and sources, including geological, planned, unplanned, and fill dilution, affecting the ore stream.
- Underground mining methods depend on factors such as deposit size, shape, chemical composition, wall rock competence, mechanization level, and operating costs, making it a complicated process.
- Factors affecting underground mining methods include capital costs, operating costs, ore value, production rate, waste rock dilution, orebody recovery, orebody variability, orebody widths, and ground conditions.
- Learning outcomes of the lecture include understanding important terminology related to underground mining, equipment used, and factors affecting underground mining methods.
Mining Methods and Equipment Summary
- Shotcrete is used in ground control to prevent rocks from falling by spraying concrete or reinforced concrete at high pressure onto the walls of an opening.
- Hydrafil is a mixture of tailings, cement, sand, and broken rock used to support the sides of a stope, with tailings being the material rejected from a mill after extracting valuable minerals.
- Jumbo drilling equipment is used in drift/ramp development, cut and fill, and room and pillar mining, with 1, 2, or 3 drill booms depending on the size.
- Rock bolters are used to install rock bolts in walls and roofs at a safe distance from the active face in mining operations.
- Trackless scooptrams transport blasted rock from stopes short distances to trucks or ore passes and have a front-end bucket for carrying and dumping bulk materials.
- Underground trucks transport blasted rock from stopes long distances via internal ramp systems, with capacities ranging from 26 to 50 tonnes.
- Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) vehicles are essential for transporting underground ores and typically involve manual operation for ore shoveling, transporting, and dumping.
- The ultimate objective of exploration is to predict the shape, distribution, and concentration of mineralization, achieved by creating a geologic model to calculate the quantity and quality of the ore deposit.
- Dilution in mining can have different definitions and sources, including geological, planned, unplanned, and fill dilution, affecting the ore stream.
- Underground mining methods depend on factors such as deposit size, shape, chemical composition, wall rock competence, mechanization level, and operating costs, making it a complicated process.
- Factors affecting underground mining methods include capital costs, operating costs, ore value, production rate, waste rock dilution, orebody recovery, orebody variability, orebody widths, and ground conditions.
- Learning outcomes of the lecture include understanding important terminology related to underground mining, equipment used, and factors affecting underground mining methods.
Underground Mining and Mineral Production: Key Points
- Canada is a top-five global producer of 10 major minerals and metals, leading in potash and ranking high in uranium, diamond, titanium, platinum group metals, cadmium, aluminum, nickel, graphite, and gold.
- Sudbury, Canada, holds one of the world's largest nickel deposits, with historic production and current reserves exceeding US$300 billion.
- Ore is valuable minerals that can be mined at a profit, and the extent of an ore body is determined by the cut-off grade, below which mining is uneconomic.
- Mining terminology includes definitions for orebody, vein, host rock, and dyke, as well as concepts like dip, strike, hanging wall, footwall, development, shaft, portal, adit, and tunnel.
- Other mining terms include ramp, collar, drift, crosscut, face, draw point, ore pass, raise, sump, crown pillar, sill/floor pillar, cage, skip, hoist, and stope.
- Ventilation is a crucial aspect of underground mining, necessary for loading and hauling, scaling, rock support, backfilling, and blasting.
- Natural support in mines involves leaving portions of ore or waste in place as pillars to prevent openings from failing, with various types of pillars serving different support functions.
- Artificial support in mines is introduced after excavation and includes methods like rock bolting to consolidate roof strata with steel bolts.
- Underground mining activities encompass development and production drilling, loading with explosives and blasting, ventilation, loading and hauling, scaling, rock support, and backfilling.
- Fresh air raise and exhaust air raise are part of the intake shaft system used in underground mines to bring in fresh air and ensure proper airflow.
- Mining Optimization Laboratory provides detailed insights into mining terminology, activities, and support systems.
- The text offers comprehensive explanations of key mining terms and activities, providing a detailed overview of underground mining operations and mineral production.