Mining Methods
Brief description of the mining process
Mining is defined as the activity that seeks, develops and extracts mineral resources. This is one of the most important challenges in the primary sector of the world economy. There is also so-called green mining, which aims to extract mineral resources with minimization of potential environmental risks.
Open-pit mining
Open pit mining is “an excavation or cut made at the surface of the ground for the purpose of extracting ore and which is open to the surface for the duration of the mine’s life.” To expose and mine the ore, it is generally necessary to excavate and relocate large quantities of waste rock.
Underground Mining
In contrast, underground mining is based on digging tunnels and galleries. Access to these galleries is carried out through the so-called adits. Underground mining is considered to be much more environmentally friendly than open-pit mining.
