Types of Mining Industries

Mining

Mining is the activity that involves the extraction of minerals from the ground. It is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials which form the package of economic interest to the miners.

Minerals

Minerals are substances with constant chemical composition which are formed naturally in the earth's crust. They are the chemical composition of two or more elements within the earth's crust.

Major Classification of Minerals

1. Metallic minerals — Gold, iron, silver, copper, lead, nickel, cobalt, manganese, tin, aluminum, etc.
2. Non-metallic minerals — Salt, potash, nitrate, sulphur, diamond, and graphite.
3. Energy minerals — Coal, natural gas, and petroleum.
4. Surface mining — Extraction of minerals found close to the earth's surface, e.g. corals and limestone.
5. Underground mining — Extraction of minerals found deep in the ground, e.g. gold, diamond, etc.
6. Open cast mining — It is used to extract minerals which usually occur close to the earth's surface. It involves removing the top layers of the earth and other overlying materials above the mineral areas. Earth moving machines and bulldozers are used.
7. Alluvial mining — Takes place where minerals occur in alluvial deposits (materials deposited by water). It involves mixing of alluvial deposits with water.
8. Underground (shaft mining) — It is used in mining ore that lie deep below the surface of the earth. A vertical shaft is dug up to the layer containing the mineral, and then the tunnel is dug up horizontally to reach the minerals.