When you think of rock mining, you probably assume this means mining for coal. However, rock mining is an entirely different area. Focusing instead on non-fuel metals and mineral deposits, rock miners look for such minerals as gold, silver, copper, platinum, lead, uranium, and several other metals. Since many of these metals are the raw materials used in various types of manufacturing, rock mining is an extremely important industry. If you’re interested in its processes and operations, here are some facts you’ll want to know.
Exploration
Rock mining involves three basic steps, the first of which is exploration. This involves using geologic surveys done via aerial photography and in-person site analysis. Seismic surveys are also done by using small explosives at or near the surface to measure shock waves underground, which will let geologists know the density of geologic formations. Once promising sites are discovered, drilling is used to obtain core samples at various depths, letting geologists know how far drilling must go underground to obtain the desired metal.
Extraction
The next step in rock mining is extraction. To do this, site development and the construction of mining and beneficiation facilities will be needed, which likely will also include a mobile screening plant. The two common types of extraction are underground mining and strip mining. Surface mining, also known as strip mining, is much cheaper than underground mining due to machine, maintenance, and labor costs being much lower since fewer workers are actually needed for strip mining. Extraction methods used for surface mining include waste rock removal, blasting, mucking, primary crushing, and then using trucks or rail cars to haul metal from the mine to a mill.
Beneficiation
This final step of rock mining involves processing ore so that the metal being sought is separated from the waste rock. Though primary crushing will reduce ore from large boulders to rocks that are about 10 inches in diameter, secondary crushing will reduce the rocks to only about one inch in diameter. Depending on the type of metal being mined, different types of beneficiation will be used. For example, gravity separation will be used for heavier metals, such as gold. However, floatation and leaching will be used to retrieve such metals as copper, lead, platinum, and zinc.
Having an economic value to the world economy that exceeds $12 billion per year, rock mining is an essential cog in the financial well-being of the United States and many other world nations. As more and more products are needed by consumers and businesses, this industry will only grow in importance.
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