Mining Metallic Minerals
Open Pit Mining
Open pit mining is basically making a very wide but not that deep hole in the ground and then taking all the ores from what you dig up. The process that is taken when doing open pit mining is, firstly, a small hole is drilled down into the ground and filled with explosives. When the explosion occurs it creates a massive hole. All the ores are taken from this hole using machines and giant shovels.
Underground Mining
Underground mining is similar to open pit but not the same. It is used to mine ores that are found very deep in the ground. A long hole is dug very deep into the ground and sort of elevator is put in it to bring the ores up and the miners down. When deep enough into the ground the miner start to dig horizontally and use explosives to release the ores. Miners use rock bolts or timber supports to keep the mine from caving in on them.
Environmental Affects
Mining metallic minerals has a large negative impact on the environment. Some ways that it affects it are, erosion, chemicals from the mining process getting into lakes, rivers, and soil, and loss of biodiversity. Open pit mining is best for the environment because they don’t have to cut down many trees or plants because the hole is not extremely wide and they do not go very far into the ground so the earth's surface is not disrupted.
Milling and Smelting
Milling and smelting are the two steps that take place during the processing of ores. Milling is usually takes place in a mill near by the mine. It is here that the mineral is separated from the ore by crushing, separating, filtering, and drying raw ore. The ore is then taken to a smelter. The smelter melts the ore and mixes it with a material called slag. The slag attaches to the left over waste rock to make a liquid that is lighter than the melted metal so the waste rock floats to the top and is skimmed off. The almost pure liquid mineral is then pored into clumps, cooled back to its solid form, and sent to customers.
Waste Products
All of the left over waste rock that was removed from the ore is then dumped into tailing ponds near the mill. The pond is surrounded by a dike keeping the waste products from flowing into nearby lakes or rivers. The waste products are very poisonous so this all must be done very carefully. The water in the tailing eventually evaporates leaving solid waste behind. This material is treated with fertilizer and grows grass and trees.
Open Pit Mining
Open pit mining is basically making a very wide but not that deep hole in the ground and then taking all the ores from what you dig up. The process that is taken when doing open pit mining is, firstly, a small hole is drilled down into the ground and filled with explosives. When the explosion occurs it creates a massive hole. All the ores are taken from this hole using machines and giant shovels.
Underground Mining
Underground mining is similar to open pit but not the same. It is used to mine ores that are found very deep in the ground. A long hole is dug very deep into the ground and sort of elevator is put in it to bring the ores up and the miners down. When deep enough into the ground the miner start to dig horizontally and use explosives to release the ores. Miners use rock bolts or timber supports to keep the mine from caving in on them.
Environmental Affects
Mining metallic minerals has a large negative impact on the environment. Some ways that it affects it are, erosion, chemicals from the mining process getting into lakes, rivers, and soil, and loss of biodiversity. Open pit mining is best for the environment because they don’t have to cut down many trees or plants because the hole is not extremely wide and they do not go very far into the ground so the earth's surface is not disrupted.
Milling and Smelting
Milling and smelting are the two steps that take place during the processing of ores. Milling is usually takes place in a mill near by the mine. It is here that the mineral is separated from the ore by crushing, separating, filtering, and drying raw ore. The ore is then taken to a smelter. The smelter melts the ore and mixes it with a material called slag. The slag attaches to the left over waste rock to make a liquid that is lighter than the melted metal so the waste rock floats to the top and is skimmed off. The almost pure liquid mineral is then pored into clumps, cooled back to its solid form, and sent to customers.
Waste Products
All of the left over waste rock that was removed from the ore is then dumped into tailing ponds near the mill. The pond is surrounded by a dike keeping the waste products from flowing into nearby lakes or rivers. The waste products are very poisonous so this all must be done very carefully. The water in the tailing eventually evaporates leaving solid waste behind. This material is treated with fertilizer and grows grass and trees.