The El Chino Mine located near Silver City, New Mexico is an open-pit copper mine

This article is about mineral extraction. "Mining" can also refer to installing explosive devices. See Mine for other meanings.

Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, usually (but not always) from an ore body, vein, or (coal) seam. Materials recovered by mining include bauxite, coal, diamonds, iron, precious metals, lead, limestone, nickel, phosphate, rock salt, tin, and uranium. Any material that cannot be grown from agricultural processes must be mined. Mining in a wider sense can also include extraction of petroleum, natural gas, and even water. The Chino open-pit copper mine located just out of Silver City, New Mexico. ... The Chino open-pit copper mine located just out of Silver City, New Mexico. ... Silver City is a town located in Grant County, New Mexico. ... Mine can refer to a number of things: Mines are tunnels used in mining for extraction of resources. ... Value as defined in economics is only a small subcategory of value in general, as defined in value theory or in the science of value. ... Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. ... Iron ore (Banded iron formation) Manganese ore Lead ore Gold ore An ore is a volume of rock containing components or minerals in a mode of occurrence which renders it valuable for mining. ... In geology, a vein is a finite volume within a rock, having a distinct shape, filled with mono or poly mineralic crystal aggregates, which were precipitated from an (aqueous) fluid. ... Bauxite with penny Bauxite (pebbly) Bauxite is a naturally occurring, heterogeneous material composed primarily of one or more aluminium hydroxide minerals, plus various mixtures of silica, iron oxide, titania, aluminium silicates, and other impurities in minor or trace amounts. ... Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... For other uses, see Diamond (disambiguation). ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... A gold nugget A precious metal is a rare metallic chemical element of high, durable economic value. ... This article is about the chemical element. ... Limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... General Name, Symbol, Number nickel, Ni, 28 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 10, 4, d Appearance lustrous, metallic Atomic mass 58. ... In inorganic chemistry, a phosphate is a salt of phosphoric acid. ... Flash point Non-flammable R/S statement R: none S: none RTECS number VZ4725000 Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... General Name, Symbol, Number tin, Sn, 50 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 14, 5, p Appearance silvery lustrous gray Atomic mass 118. ... General Name, Symbol, Number uranium, U, 92 Chemical series actinides Group, Period, Block n/a, 7, f Appearance silvery gray metallic; corrodes to a spalling black oxide coat in air Atomic mass 238. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and elaion – oil or Latin oleum – oil ), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold or Texas Tea, is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ... Natural gas, commonly referred to as gas, is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane. ... Fossil water is groundwater having remained in an aquifer for thousands or more years. ...

History

The oldest known mine in the archaeological record is the "Lion Cave" in Swaziland. At this site, which has a radiocarbon age of 43,000 years, paleolithic humans mined for the iron-containing mineral hematite, which they ground to produce the red pigment ochre. Sites of a similar age where Neanderthals may have mined flint for weapons and tools have been found in Hungary. Carbon-14 is the radioactive isotope of carbon discovered February 27, 1940, by Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben. ... The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (Greek παλαιός paleos=old and λίθος lithos=stone or the Old Stone Age) was the first period in the development of human technology of the Stone Age. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... Hematite (AE) or haematite (BE) is the mineral form of Iron (III) oxide, (Fe2O3), one of several iron oxides. ... In biology, pigment is any material resulting in color in plant or animal cells which is the result of selective absorption. ... This article is about the color. ... Binomial name Homo neanderthalensis King, 1864 The Neanderthal (Homo neanderthalensis) or Neandertal was a species of the Homo genus that inhabited Europe and parts of western Asia from about 230,000 to 29,000 years ago, during the Middle Paleolithic period. ... Pebble beach made up of flint nodules eroded out of the nearby chalk cliffs, Cape Arkona, Rügen Flint (or flintstone) is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline silica rock with a glassy appearance. ...

Another early mining operation was the turquoise mine operated by the ancient Egyptians at Wady Maghareh on the Sinai Peninsula. Turquoise was also mined in pre-Columbian America in the Cerillos Mining District in New Mexico, where a mass of rock 200 feet (60 m) in depth and 300 feet (90 m) in width was removed with stone tools; the mine dump covers 20 acres (81,000 m²). This article is about the gem. ... Ancient Egypt was an African civilization located along the Lower Nile, reaching from the Nile Delta in the north to as far south as Jebel Barkal at the time of its greatest extension (15th century BC). ... Sinai Peninsula, Gulf of Suez (west), Gulf of Aqaba (east) from Space Shuttle STS-40 For other uses of the word Sinai, please see: Sinai (disambiguation). ... The term Pre-Columbian is used to refer to the cultures of the New World in the era before significant European influence. ... Official language(s) None, English, Spanish(de facto) Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 5th 315,194 km² 550 km 595 km 0. ...

Black gun powder in mining was first used in a mineshaft under Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia in 1627. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Trinitry Square (Trojičné námestie). ... Events A Dutch ship makes the first recorded sighting of the coast of South Australia. ...

Steps in the Mining Process

1. Prospecting to locate ore
2. Exploration to defining the extent and value of ore where it was located
3. Conduct resource estimate to mathmatically estimate the extent and grade of the deposit
4. Conduct mine planning to evaluate the economically recoverable portion of the deposit
5. Conduct a feasibility study to evaluate the total project and make a decision as whether to develop or work away from a proposed mine project
6. Development to create access to an ore body
7. Exploitation to extract ore on a large scale
8. Reclamation to make land where a mine had been suitable for future use

Prospecting is the act of searching for minerals or ore deposits. ... Exploration is the act of searching or traveling for the purpose of discovery, e. ... A Feasibility Study is a preliminary study undertaken before the real work of a project starts to ascertain the likelihood of the projects success. ... Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices. ...

Mining techniques

Mining techniques can be divided into two basic excavation types: Excavation is the best-known and most commonly used technique within the science of archaeology. ...

1. Surface mining

• Open-pit mining
• Quarrying
• Strip mining
• Placer mining
• Mountaintop removal

2. Sub-surface mining

• Drift mining
• Slope mining
• Shaft mining
• Hard rock mining
• Borehole mining

Wyoming strip mine Surface mining is a type of mining used to extract deposits of mineral resources that are close to the surface. ... El Chino, located near Silver City, New Mexico, is an open-pit copper mine Open-pit mining refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow. ... A small cinder quarry A dimension stone quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. ... Strip mining is the practice of mining a seam of mineral ore by first removing all of the soil and rock that lies on top of it. ... A sluice box used in placer mining Placer mining (pronounced plass-er) is a open-pit or open-cast form of mining by which certain valuable minerals are extracted from the earth without tunneling. ... Mountaintop removal in West Virginia. ... Sub-surface mining or underground mining refers to a group of techniques used for the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth. ... Drift mining is a method of accessing valuable geological material, such as coal, by cutting into the side of the earth, rather than tunneling straight downwards (see shaft mine). ... Slope mining according to [1]: Slope mining occurs when an inclined opening is used to tap the coal seam (or seams). ... Shaft mining is a type of underground mining done by use of a mine shaft. ... Hard rock mining refers to various techniques used to mine ore bodies by creating underground rooms or stopes supported by surrounding pillars of standing rock. ... Borehole Mining (BHM) is a remote operated method of extracting (mining) of mineral resources through boreholes by means of high pressure water jets. ...

Extractive metallurgy

The science of extractive metallurgy is a specialized area in the science of metallurgy that studies the extraction of valuable metals and minerals from their ores, especially through chemical or mechanical means. Mineral processing (or mineral dressing) is a specialized area in the science of metallurgy that studies the mechanical means of crushing, grinding, and washing that enable the separation (extractive metallurgy) of valuable metals or minerals from their gangue (waste material). Extractive metallurgy is the practice of extracting metal from ore, purifying it, and recycling it. ... Mineral processing, otherwise known as mineral dressing, is the practice of beneficiating valuable minerals from their ores. ...

Environmental effects

Iron hydroxide precipitate stains a stream receiving acid drainage from surface coal mining.

Several million dollars annually are spent on the environmental effects of these tailing ponds at Climax, Colorado, even though the molybdenum mine has been closed for decades.

Modern mining companies in many countries are required to follow strict environmental and rehabilitation codes, ensuring the area mined is returned to its original state, or an even better environmental state than before mining took place. Past mining methods have had, and methods used in countries with lax environmental regulations continue to have, devastating environmental and public health effects. The result can be unnaturally high concentrations of some chemical elements over a significantly wider area of surface. Combined with the effects of water and the new 'channels' created for water to travel through, collect in, and contact with these chemicals, a situation is created where mass-scale contamination can occur. Download high resolution version (640x971, 334 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (640x971, 334 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Description: Shaded-relief topographic map of Climax, Colorado, in perspective view. ... Description: Shaded-relief topographic map of Climax, Colorado, in perspective view. ... Tailings, also called gangue, are the rejected material from mining and screening operations. ... Categories: Ghost towns | Lake County, Colorado | Stub ... General Name, Symbol, Number molybdenum, Mo, 42 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 6, 5, d Appearance gray metallic Atomic mass 95. ...

Environmental issues can also include erosion, formation of sinkholes, dangerous sites such as deep holes in child friendly communities, destruction of the environment, loss of biodiversity, and contamination of groundwaters by chemicals from the mining process and products.

Some examples of environmental problems associated with mining operations are:

Ashio Copper Mine, Ashio, Japan was the site of substantial pollution at end of the nineteenth century

Berkeley Lake, an abandoned pit mine in Butte, Montana that has filled with water which is now acidic and poisonous.

Scouriotissa, a copper mine in Cyprus that has been abandoned. Contaminated dust blows off this site.

Tar Creek, an abandoned mining area in Picher, Oklahoma that is now an Environmental Protection Agency superfund site. Water in the mine has leaked through into local groundwater, contaminating it with metals such as lead and cadmium. [1]

Although such issues have been associated with some mining operations in the past, modern mining practices have improved significantly and are subject to close environmental scrutiny. The Ashio Copper Mine, Ashio, Tochigi prefecture, Japan which became very significant from the end of the nineteenth century to the mid twentieth century. ... Ashio (Japanese: 足尾町) is a town located in Kamitsuga District, Tochigi, Japan. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Berkeley Pit is a gigantic former open pit copper mine located in Butte, Montana, and is the largest Superfund site. ... Butte, Montana Butte is a city that is located in Silver Bow County, Montana and is the county seat. ... Picher is a city located in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. ... EPA redirects here. ... Checking the status of a cleanup site Superfund is the common name for the United States environmental law that is officially known as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 to 9675, which was enacted by the United States Congress on December 11... Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of geologic formations. ... This article is about the chemical element. ... General Name, Symbol, Number cadmium, Cd, 48 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 12, 5, d Appearance silvery gray metallic Atomic mass 112. ...

Mining industry

While exploration and mining can sometimes be conducted by individual entrepreneurs or small business, most modern-day mines are large enterprises requiring large amounts of capital to establish. Consequently, the industry is dominated by large, often multinational, mostly publicly-listed companies. See Category:Mining companies for a list.

Mine Planning Software

One of the most dramatic changes in the mining industry has been the role that sophisticated three dimensional 3-D mine planning software packages have had. Initially relatively simple tasks - like rendering graphic images of drill holes - meant that it became easier for surveyors, geologists, mine planners, mining engineers and other technical staff to manipulate and visualize data. However, in recent years the range of integrated mine planning tools have meant that massively complex models can be built to optimize the extraction and processing of mineral resources.

See also

• Acid mine drainage
• Coal mining
• Gold mining
• Remediation
• Ore grade
• Office of Surface Mining- United States Mining Regulation Agency
• TauTona- The deepest mine in the world

Acid Rock drainage (ARD) (formerly called acid mine drainage) refers to the outflow of acidic water from (usually) abandoned metal mines. ... Wyoming coal mine Coal mining is the extraction of coal from the Earth for use as fuel. ... Gold mining consists of the processes and techniques employed in the removal of gold from the ground. ... Generally, remediation means giving a remedy. ... Ore grade is a measure that describes the concentration of a valuable natural material (such as metals or minerals) in its surrounding ore. ... The Office of Surface Mining (OSM) is a branch of the United States Department of the Interior. ... TauTona is a gold mine in South Africa. ...

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Mining

• Tom Morrison. 1992. Hardrock Gold: A Miner's Tale (ISBN 0806124423)
• Geobacter Project: Gold mines may owe their origins to bacteria (in PDF format)

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

External links

• Western Mining History - mining in the American West.