What is mining?What is mining?

Mining: is extracting ore or minerals from the ground

Ore: the natural material large enough and pure enough to be mined for profit.

Types of MinesTypes of Mines

• There are two main types of mines.

1) Surface Mining

2) Subsurface Mining

Surface Mining

• Surface mining is used to remove mineral deposits on or near the Earth’s surface.

• There are 3 types of surface mines:1. Open-pit: removes large, near surface deposits

of minerals such as gold and copper. Mined downward in layers

2. Quarries: stone, crushed rock, sand, gravel3. Strip Mining: removing surface coal in strips up

to 50 m wide x 1 Km long

Surface Mining• This quarry in

northwest Georgia is an open pit used to mine granite.

Subsurface Mining

Subsurface Mining

…. A video about mining

coal.

http://www.uky.edu/KGS/coal/images/minmethd.gif

Mining DemonstrationMining Demonstration

Which type of mining am I

demonstrating?

Effects of Mining on the EnvironmentEffects of Mining on the Environment

What happens to a mine when it is no longer being used?

http://www.abandoned-mines.org/home-e.htm

• Mine reclamation is the process by which land used for mining is returned to its original state or better.

• Has been required by law since the mid-1970’s.

Mining

• To reduce the effects of mining, reduce our need for minerals, reuse, and recycle.Reduce: use lessReuse: get as much use out of the materials you have.Recycle: use the material to make something else, rather than throwing it away.

About GemstonesAbout Gemstones

• Gemstones are highly valuable minerals because they are beautiful and rare, not because they are useful.

• Color is the most important characteristic of a gemstone. The more attractive the color is, the more valuable the gem is.