Is open-pit mining efficient?

The main cost advantage of open-pit mining is that it allows mining with more efficient larger equipment. This means faster production and mining of lower grades of ore is possible. Occasionally, drilling and blasting ore is not required and can simply be removed by what is known as free digging.

Is open-pit mining the safest?

Open pit mining does offer some advantages over traditional deep shaft mining. Pit mining is more cost effective than shaft mining because more ore can be extracted and more quickly. The working conditions are safer for the miners because there is no risk of cave in or toxic gas.

Is open-pit mining harmful?

Open-pit gold mining is one of the highest potential mining threats on the environment as it affects the air and water chemistry. The exposed dust may be toxic or radioactive, making it a health concern for the workers and the surrounding communities.

Is open-pit mining the most common?

What is open-pit mining? Open-pit mining is the most common method used throughout the world for mineral mining and does not require extractive methods or tunnels. This surface mining technique is used when mineral or ore deposits are found relatively close to the surface of the earth.

What are the pros of open-pit mining?

Advantages of open-pit mining include:

Powerful trucks and shovels can be used to move large volumes of rock.
Equipment not restricted by the size of the opening you are working in.
Faster production.
Lower cost to mine means lower grades of ore are economic to mine.

Why is open pit coal mining bad?

Open pit coal mining is known to leach toxic levels of selenium and other elements into the water thus threatening the quality and safety of drinking water downstream.

Why is open-pit mining so destructive?

This type of mining is particularly damaging to the environment because strategic minerals are often only available in small concentrations, which increases the amount of ore needed to be mined. Environmental hazards are present during every step of the open-pit mining process.

What is the dirtiest type of mining?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxics Release Inventory, metal mining is the nation’s #1 toxic polluter.

Why are open pit mines bad?

A number of toxic chemicals are involved in the mining process, but perhaps most concerning is the release of selenium which can cause reproductive failure in fish and elk.

What are the pros of open pit mining?

When do you use open pit mining technique?

This surface mining technique is used when mineral or ore deposits are found relatively close to the surface of the earth. Open-pits are sometimes called ‘quarries’ when they produce building materials and dimension stone.

Why are open pit mines bad for the environment?

Can a open pit mine recover oil shale?

An open pit mine could recover almost 90% of the oil shale in a very thick deposit [17]. It is said that strip mining could provide an even higher recovery. Shown in Fig. 8.8 is an open-pit mine used to explain the process of mining the oil shale.

Where are the open pit mines in Australia?

The Fimiston Open Pit, known as the super pit, located in Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The Pit stretches 3.8 kilometers by 1.35 kilometers wide at the surface. And it goes down to a depth of 500 meters.

Is open-pit mining efficient? The main cost advantage of open-pit mining is that it allows mining with more efficient larger equipment. This means faster production and mining of lower grades of ore is possible. Occasionally, drilling and blasting ore is not required and can simply be removed by what is known as free digging. Is…