5.9 Impacts of Mining

Techniques 

• Open-pit mining: This technique involves removing the surface layer of the earth, called the overburden, to access buried minerals. Used for things like gold or copper, it is a lot less invasive and a lot less expensive than deeper mining operations.
• Underground mining: This technique involves accessing minerals that are buried deep underground. Underground mining can be done using various techniques and can be more expensive and more complex than open-pit mining.
• Heap leaching: This technique is used to extract minerals, such as gold and copper, from ore that has been mined and piled in a heap. Using a chemical solution, the minerals are extracted from the pile.
• Strip mining: This technique is similar to open-pit mining, but it is used for extracting coal and other minerals from seams that are close to the surface. Strip mining involves removing the overburden and then extracting the minerals in strips.

Open Pit Mining

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Strip Mining Coal

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Mountain Top Removal

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Underground Coal Mine

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Mining Waste