apes mining

Ore

Concentrated accumulations of minerals from which economically valuable materials can be extracted.

Overburden

Soil and rock that covers the ore that needs to be removed before excavation.

Metals

Elements that can conduct electricity and heat, such as copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), and gold (Au).

Reserve

Known quantity of a resource that can be recovered.

Spoils

Materials removed to extract ore, including the rock that is removed to access ore.

Spoil banks

Holes that were filled with waste, cheap and easy to create but susceptible to erosion, causing sediment runoff.

Gangue

Unwanted part of the ore left over after extracting valuable minerals.

Tailings

Piles of gangue that remain after the gangue has been processed and finely ground.

Subsidence

Gradual collapse of land resulting from underground coal mining.

Rare earth metals

Includes scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), and lanthanides, often used in technology and manufacturing.

Surface mining

A method of mining that is cheap, safe, but very destructive to the landscape.

Open-pit mining

A mining technique that removes material from a large visible pit, often used when resources are close to the surface.

Strip mining

A mining method that removes strips of soil and rock to extract resources.

Area strip mining

Mining of flat terrain that can lead to erosion.

Contour strip mining

Mining technique used in mountainous areas, creating terraces on inclines.

Mountaintop removal

Mining method that uses explosives to expose mineral seams and deposits tailings in nearby regions.

Placer mining

A technique for extracting minerals or metals from river sediments.

Subsurface mining

A costly and dangerous method of mining that causes less environmental damage.

Underground coal mining

Mining technique involving open shafts to follow coal deposits underground.

Room and pillar mining

Mining technique that leaves pillars of coal to support the structure and prevents collapse.

Longwall mining

Method of extracting minerals using a shearer, effective for horizontal deposits.

Shaft mining

A method that involves a vertical tunnel straight into a mineral deposit.

Slope and drift mining

Mining techniques that involve sloping access shafts (slope) and horizontal access tunnels (drift).

In situ mining

A method of mining that is used for extracting radioactive uranium.

Dredging

Process of removing sand from the ocean floor, which can restore beaches but harms benthic ecosystems.

Solution mining

Technique that involves pumping water into subsurface mineral deposits to dissolve and bring minerals to the surface.

Hydraulic fracturing

Fracking method that creates fractures in rock by injecting fluid to allow more oil and gas to flow.

Mine adit

An entrance to an underground mine, serving as an access point and drainage area.

Prospecting

The process of finding locations with potential ore deposits.

Mine exploration & development

Evaluating whether ore deposits can be extracted economically.

Mining

The extraction of ore from natural deposits.

Beneficiation

The process of separating ore from unwanted rock.

Smelting / refining

The process of extracting pure minerals from ore.

Heat bleaching

A method to extract and concentrate rare earth metals from low-grade ore.

Transportation

The process of moving minerals to the market.

Marketing & sales

Activities involved in finding buyers for mined minerals.

Air pollution from mining

Results from dust particles and emissions of methane and CO2 from fossil fuels.

Soil erosion from mining

Increase in soil erosion and loss of vegetation in strip-mined areas.

Biodiversity loss from mining

Destruction of habitats due to mining activities.

Health impacts of mining

Risks include mine collapses, fires, and diseases from dust exposure, such as pneumoconiosis.

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)

Formation of acidic water containing heavy metals resulting from mining activities.

Treatment of AMD

Involves adding lime to create a slurry for clarification and removal of contaminants.

MSHA

Mine Safety and Health Administration, which enforces health standards in mining.

Mining Law of 1872

Law that allows recovery of ores and fuels from federal lands, with few environmental protections.

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977)

Legislation regulating land disturbance during coal mining and ensuring reclamation.

Clean Air Act

Environmental regulation that controls air emissions from various sources.

Clean Water Act

Regulation that manages the discharge of pollutants into water bodies.

Superfund Act

Legislation that imposes a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries for cleanup of contaminated sites.

Mineral reserve

The economically viable part of a measured mineral resource.

Proven reserve

A reserve with over 90% probability of successful extraction.

Probable reserve

A reserve with a 50% or greater probability of extraction.

Possible reserve

Deposits that are unproved, with a probability of successful extraction of 10% or more.

Sustainability in mining

Practices aiming to recycle heavy metals and reduce consumption of these resources.

Economic Mineralogy

Study of minerals important for commerce and industries.

Blood diamonds

Diamonds mined in conflict zones and sold to fund violence and war.