Surface Mining Methods Review

c. Achieve the greatest overall profit from the operation

The primary aim in selecting the most appropriate mining method for a deposit is to:

a. To ensure safety of mine operations both workers and equipment
b. Minimize dilution while maintaining ore recovery
c. Achieve the greatest overall profit from the operation
d. Ensure the highest possible production rate

b. Aqueous mining

Which general mining method uses water or liquid solvent as the principal medium to recover minerals and accounts for 10% of surface mineral production?

a. Placer mining
b. Aqueous mining
c. Hydraulic fracturing
d. Alluvial mining

c. Solution mining

The mining method that recovers minerals by dissolving them in water or solvents and pumping the solution to the surface is called:

a. Hydraulic mining
b. Placer mining
c. Solution mining
d. Dredging

b. Frasch process

The process in which superheated water and compressed air are used to melt and extract underground sulfur deposits is known as the:

a. Bayer process
b. Frasch process
c. Hall-Héroult process
d. Mond process

b. Borehole extraction

The mining method that recovers minerals directly through wells or boreholes drilled from the surface, commonly applied to fluids and soluble deposits, is called:

a. Solution mining
b. Borehole extraction
c. Hydraulic mining
d. Block caving

b. Fracking (hydraulic fracturing)

The method of extracting oil and gas by injecting high-pressure fluid into rock formations to create fractures that enhance permeability is known as:

a. Borehole extraction mining
b. Fracking (hydraulic fracturing)
c. Solution mining
d. Acid leaching

b. Competent, porous, and permeable

In borehole extraction mining, the ore should be:

a. Weak and impermeable
b. Competent, porous, and permeable
c. Soft and impervious
d. Highly fractured and unconsolidated

b. Competent and impervious

The surrounding rock in borehole extraction mining is preferred to be:

a. Weak and fractured
b. Competent and impervious
c. Soft and porous
d. Weathered and permeable

b. Tabular and of large extent

Borehole extraction mining is adaptable to any deposit shape but works best when the deposit is:

a. Irregular and lens-shaped
b. Tabular and of large extent
c. Pod-shaped and localized
d. Narrow vein-type

c. Flat or low

The deposit dip suitable for borehole extraction mining can be any, but it is most favorable when:

a. Steeply dipping
b. Vertical
c. Flat or low
d. Undulating

b. Moderate to large, with thickness more than 50 ft (15 m)

In borehole extraction mining, the deposit size should be:

a. Small and less than 20 ft thick
b. Moderate to large, with thickness more than 50 ft (15 m)
c. Narrow and irregular, less than 10 ft thick
d. Very small, with no thickness requirement

c. Greater than 5%

For borehole extraction mining, the ore grade is considered suitable when sulfur concentration is:

a. Less than 1%
b. 2–3%
c. Greater than 5%
d. Exactly 10%

b. Variable to uniform

The ore uniformity condition most suitable for borehole extraction mining is:

a. Highly erratic only
b. Variable to uniform
c. Always uniform with no variation
d. Randomly distributed without pattern

b. Intermediate to high depths

Borehole extraction mining is most appropriate for deposits that are at:

a. Very shallow depths only
b. Intermediate to high depths
c. Surface exposures only
d. Extremely shallow with less than 5 m cover

b. Soluble or leachable ore deposits

Leaching as a mining process is applicable mainly to:

a. Competent but impermeable deposits
b. Soluble or leachable ore deposits
c. Massive hard rock deposits
d. Only unconsolidated alluvium

b. A secondary mining process

Leaching is generally classified in mining as:

a. A primary mining process
b. A secondary mining process
c. A blasting technique
d. A ventilation method

c. Leaching

The chemical extraction of metals or minerals from a deposit or from previously mined material is called:

a. Smelting
b. Roasting
c. Leaching
d. Refining

b. Heap leaching

The mining process in which a lixiviant percolates through a broken ore mass to dissolve valuable minerals is known as:

a. In-situ leaching
b. Heap leaching
c. Vat leaching
d. Dump leaching

c. 3 degrees

In heap leaching operations, the pads are usually constructed with an impermeable rubber lining laid on a base with a maximum slope of:

a. 1 degree
b. 2 degrees
c. 3 degrees
d. 5 degrees

b. Water

The common lixiviant used in the extraction of potash or trona is:

a. Sodium cyanide
b. Water
c. Carbonate-bicarbonate solution
d. Sulfuric acid

a. Sodium cyanide

The common lixiviant used in heap leaching of gold and silver is:

a. Sodium cyanide
b. Water
c. Sea water
d. Ammonium sulfate

c. Sea water or lake brine

Magnesium is commonly extracted using:

a. Sodium cyanide solution
b. Sulfuric acid solution
c. Sea water or lake brine
d. Carbonate-bicarbonate solution

d. Carbonate-bicarbonate solutions

The lixiviants commonly used in uranium leaching are:

a. Sodium cyanide solutions
b. Water solutions
c. Sulfuric acid only
d. Carbonate-bicarbonate solutions

b. Permeable or rubblized material

In leaching, the ore strength should preferably be:

a. Competent and impervious
b. Permeable or rubblized material
c. Highly consolidated hard rock
d. Strong and impermeable

b. Impervious to fluid transport

For leaching, the surrounding rock can be weak but must be:

a. Porous and permeable
b. Impervious to fluid transport
c. Rubblized and fractured
d. Competent and jointed

b. Massive or large vein

Leaching is best applied to deposits that are:

a. Pod-shaped only
b. Massive or large vein
c. Thin, irregular veins
d. Narrow tabular seams

c. Steep

If the deposit is a vein, leaching is most effective when the dip is:

a. Flat-lying
b. Gently dipping
c. Steep
d. Irregular

b. Preferably large

Leaching may be applied to deposits of any size, but is most favorable when:

a. Very small
b. Preferably large
c. Narrow
d. Limited in extent

c. Can be very low

Leaching is advantageous because it can be applied even when ore grade is:

a. Very high
b. Intermediate
c. Can be very low
d. Ultra-rich only

c. Variable

The ore uniformity in leaching applications is usually:

a. Always homogeneous
b. Erratic only
c. Variable
d. Uniform without exception

c. Typically less than 300 meters

Leaching is typically applied to deposits at depths:

a. Greater than 1,000 meters
b. Intermediate to high depth
c. Typically less than 300 meters
d. Only at the surface

c. Borehole extraction mining

A deep-seated uranium deposit occurs at ~700 m. Management prefers a method with no extensive underground workings, using drilled wells from the surface to recover the ore. Which mining method is most suitable?

a. Solution mining
b. In-situ leaching
c. Borehole extraction mining
d. Vertical Crater Retreat

c. Placer mining

The mining method that involves excavating stream bed mineral deposits which have accumulated in sediments due to transportation by water and gravity is known as:

a. Hydraulic mining
b. Dredging
c. Placer mining
d. Alluvial stoping

a. Alluvial deposit

A sedimentary deposit formed by the action of running water, typically found in stream beds or floodplains, is called:

a. Alluvial deposit
b. Marine deposit
c. Glacial deposit
d. Eolian deposit

Sediments transported and deposited primarily by wind action, such as sand dunes, are referred to as:

a. Glacial deposits
b. Eolian deposits
c. Marine deposits
d. Alluvial deposits

Sediments transported and deposited primarily by wind action, such as sand dunes, are referred to as:

a. Glacial deposits
b. Eolian deposits
c. Marine deposits
d. Alluvial deposits

b. Marine deposits

Sediments deposited in oceanic or sea environments are classified as:

a. Glacial deposits
b. Marine deposits
c. Alluvial deposits
d. Eolian deposits

d. Glacial deposits

Unsorted sediments transported and deposited directly by ice are known as:

a. Eolian deposits
b. Marine deposits
c. Alluvial deposits
d. Glacial deposits

b. Hydraulicking

The placer mining method that uses high-pressure water jets to dislodge and wash away unconsolidated material from hillsides for mineral recovery is called:

a. Dredging
b. Hydraulicking
c. Borehole extraction
d. Solution mining

a. Hydraulic monitor

In hydraulic mining, the device used to focus and control high-pressure water streams for breaking and washing away ore or sediment is called:

a. Hydraulic monitor
b. Jet sluice
c. Water cannon
d. Hydraulic ram

In hydraulicking, the ore is usually:

a. Competent, hard rock with fractures
b. Heavy minerals in unconsolidated soil with gravel and minimal boulders
c. Massive sulfide vein
d. Rubblized underground ore

In a sluice box, the raised bars that create turbulence to trap heavier minerals while allowing lighter material to wash away are called:

a. Riffles
b. Mats
c. Chutes
d. Flumes

b. Heavy minerals in unconsolidated soil with gravel and minimal boulders

In hydraulicking, the ore is usually:

a. Competent, hard rock with fractures
b. Heavy minerals in unconsolidated soil with gravel and minimal boulders
c. Massive sulfide vein
d. Rubblized underground ore

c. Placer type or bank bench

The preferred deposit shape for hydraulicking is:

a. Tabular hard rock vein
b. Massive sulfide body
c. Placer type or bank bench
d. Podiform nickel deposit

b. Nearly flat, 2–6% grade slope

Hydraulicking works best on deposits with:

a. Vertical dip
b. Nearly flat, 2–6% grade slope
c. Steeply dipping veins
d. Undulating surfaces

c. Small to intermediate, 5–60 m thickness

The suitable deposit size for hydraulicking is:

a. Very large, more than 200 m thick
b. Narrow veins only
c. Small to intermediate, 5–60 m thickness
d. Thin layers less than 2 m

a. Very low

Hydraulicking is feasible even if the ore grade is:

a. Very low
b. Extremely high only
c. Moderate only
d. Uniformly high

b. Fairly uniform

The ore uniformity suitable for hydraulicking is:

a. Highly erratic
b. Fairly uniform
c. Extremely variable
d. Perfectly homogeneous

b. Shallow with little overburden

Hydraulicking is best applied to deposits that are:

a. Very deep with thick overburden
b. Shallow with little overburden
c. Moderate depth with massive rock cover
d. Underground tabular veins

c. Unconsolidated

In hydraulicking or placer mining, the surrounding rock or matrix is typically:

a. Competent and hard
b. Rubblized and fractured
c. Unconsolidated
d. Massive and impervious

b. Dredging

The mining method that involves underwater excavation of placer deposits, typically carried out from a floating vessel, is called:

a. Hydraulicking
b. Dredging
c. Borehole extraction mining
d. Solution mining

b. Mechanical dredge

In placer mining, which type of dredge mechanically excavates the deposit and transports the extracted material for processing?

a. Hydraulic monitor
b. Mechanical dredge
c. Suction dredge
d. Bucket-line placer

c. Bucket-line dredge

Which mechanical dredge uses a continuous chain of buckets to excavate and transport underwater placer deposits for processing?

a. Suction dredge
b. Hydraulic dredge
c. Bucket-line dredge
d. Pontoon excavator

b. Hydraulic dredge

Which type of dredge uses water jets or suction to loosen and transport underwater placer deposits for mineral recovery?

a. Bucket-line dredge
b. Hydraulic dredge
c. Mechanical dredge
d. Pontoon excavator

b. Cutter head dredge

Which type of dredge uses a rotating cutter head to loosen underwater sediments and a suction system to transport the slurry for processing?

a. Suction dredge
b. Cutter head dredge
c. Bucket-line dredge
d. Hydraulic monitor

a. Cutter wheel dredge

The dredge that employs a rotating wheel with buckets or cutting teeth to excavate material and uses suction to transport it is called:

a. Cutter wheel dredge
b. Suction dredge
c. Hydraulic dredge
d. Mechanical dredge

b. Unconsolidated

In dredging, the ore is typically:

a. Competent hard rock
b. Unconsolidated
c. Rubblized underground ore
d. Massive sulfide

b. Unconsolidated

The surrounding rock in dredging operations is usually:

a. Competent and fractured
b. Unconsolidated
c. Massive and impervious
d. Rubblized

b. Placer type, tabular, or bank bench

The preferred deposit shape for dredging is:

a. Massive sulfide
b. Placer type, tabular, or bank bench
c. Podiform nickel
d. Narrow vein

b. Nearly flat 2–6% grade slope

Dredging is most effective on deposits with a:

a. Steep vertical dip
b. Nearly flat 2–6% grade slope
c. Undulating slope
d. Vertical tabular vein

b. Intermediate to large, 8–60 m thickness

The suitable deposit size for dredging is:

a. Very small, less than 5 m
b. Intermediate to large, 8–60 m thickness
c. Narrow vein only
d. Ultra-thick deposits >100 m

c. Very low

Dredging can be applied even if the ore grade is:

a. Extremely high only
b. Moderate only
c. Very low
d. Uniformly rich

b. Fairly uniform

The ore uniformity suitable for dredging is usually:

a. Highly erratic
b. Fairly uniform
c. Perfectly homogeneous
d. Extremely variable

b. Shallow with little overburden

Dredging is applied to deposits that are:

a. Very deep with thick overburden
b. Shallow with little overburden
c. Intermediate depth only
d. Underground tabular veins

c. Carlin-type gold deposit

Which type of gold deposit is sediment-hosted, contains “invisible gold” within fine-grained pyrite and arsenopyrite, and is typically hosted in altered carbonate rocks?

a. Placer gold deposit
b. Epithermal gold deposit
c. Carlin-type gold deposit
d. Porphyry gold deposit

b. Open-pit mining

Which mining method involves extracting near-surface deposits using a surface pit with one or more horizontal benches?

a. Underground stoping
b. Open-pit mining
c. Placer mining
d. Solution mining

a. Open-pit mining

Which of the following mining methods is among the most widely used in the extraction of metallic ore bodies?

a. Open-pit mining
b. Borehole extraction
c. Hydraulic mining
d. Dredging

b. Massive metallic ore bodies

Open-pit mining is usually preferred for:

a. Narrow vein deposits
b. Massive metallic ore bodies
c. Disseminated uranium deposits only
d. Placer deposits

b. Drill-Charge-Blast-Load-Haul-Dump

Which of the following correctly represents the basic cycle of operations in surface mining?

a. Load-Haul-Drill-Charge-Blast-Dump
b. Drill-Charge-Blast-Load-Haul-Dump
c. Blast-Drill-Load-Haul-Dump-Charge
d. Charge-Drill-Blast-Haul-Load-Dump

b. Box cut

Which term refers to the initial surface entry or excavation made to access a surface mining operation?

a. Pit ramp
b. Box cut
c. Haul road
d. Bench face

b. Spoil

Which of the following refers to the waste or overburden material removed from a mine and deposited in designated dumps?

a. Tailings
b. Spoil
c. Reject ore
d. Overburden

a. Low wall

In open-pit mining, what is the term for the bottom or floor of a bench where drilling and loading occur?

a. Highwall
b. Lowwall
c. Pit rim
d. Haul road

b. Highwall

The unexcavated, vertical, or steep face of rock left after a bench excavation is called:

a. Lowwall
b. Highwall
c. Box cut
d. Spoil pile

b. Dropcut

Which mining feature is used to create a vertical breaking face and simultaneously provides ramp access for trucks and loaders?

a. Box cut
b. Drop cut
c. Haul road
d. Highwall

a. Along centerline

In open-pit mining, which term refers to the primary path along the axis of a drop cut used as a reference for excavation?

a. Along centerline
b. Two cutting paths
c. Box cut
d. Bench face

a. Two cutting paths

Which term in drop cut design refers to the side paths that flank the centerline, creating the full vertical breaking face for ramp access?

a. Two cutting paths
b. Along centerline
c. Highwall
d. Haul ramp

B. Internal drop cut

In open-pit mining, which term refers to a drop cut used to create a ramp within the orebody itself, allowing trucks and loaders to access lower benches?
A. External drop cut
B. Internal drop cut
C. Highwall cut
D. Pushback

B. External drop cut

In open-pit mining, which term refers to a drop cut used to create a ramp outside or external to the orebody, providing access from the surface without directly cutting into the orebody?
A. Internal drop cut
B. External drop cut
C. Low wall cut
D. Starter pit

A. Pushback

In open-pit mining, which term refers to a discrete phase of pit development where a section of the orebody is mined before progressing to the next stage, often designed to optimize ore recovery and pit stability?

A. Pushback
B. Internal drop cut
C. Highwall extraction
D. Starter cut

C. Spiral (in-between) ramp

In open-pit mining, which type of ramp is constructed between benches in a spiral or helical configuration, allowing continuous access from the surface to lower levels while maintaining manageable grades for trucks and loaders?

A. Internal drop cut
B. External drop cut
C. Spiral ramp
D. Pushback

A. Crest

Which term refers to the top edge of a bench, often forming the limit of the next cut?
A. Crest
B. Toe
C. Bench width
D. Face angle

A. Bench width

Which term describes the horizontal distance between the crest and the toe of a bench, providing working space for mining equipment?
A. Bench width
B. Bench height
C. Bank width
D. Face angle

A. Toe

In bench design, which term refers to the bottom edge of a bench, supporting the overlying material?
A. Toe
B. Crest
C. Bench height
D. Bank width

A. Bench height

Which term refers to the vertical distance between the crest and the toe of a bench?
A. Bench height
B. Bench width
C. Face angle
D. Toe

A. Face angle

Which term describes the angle formed between the bench face and the horizontal, important for stability and safety?
A. Face angle
B. Bench width
C. Bench height
D. Crest

B. Bank width

In open-pit mining, which term refers to the horizontal projection of the bench face along the slope, representing the exposed width of the material?

A. Bench width
B. Bank width
C. Toe
D. Face angle

A. Bench floor

In open-pit mining, which term refers to the horizontal working surface of a bench, where mining equipment operates and material is loaded?

A. Bench floor
B. Bench width
C. Toe
D. Crest

A. Pit bottom

In open-pit mining, which term refers to the lowest part of the pit, where ore extraction and ramp access typically terminate?

A. Pit bottom
B. Bench floor
C. Toe
D. Pushback

A. Height 12–18 m, Width 24–38 m, Slope 50–60°

In open-pit copper mining, what are the typical bench height, width, and face slope?

A. Height 12–18 m, Width 24–38 m, Slope 50–60°
B. Height 12–18 m, Width 24–38 m, Slope 60–70°
C. Height 12–30 m, Width 18–45 m, Slope 50–60°
D. Height 15–23 m, Width 15–30 m, Slope 60–70°

B. Height 9–14 m, Width 18–30 m, Slope 60–70°

In open-pit iron mining, what are the typical bench height, width, and face slope?

A. Height 12–18 m, Width 24–38 m, Slope 50–60°
B. Height 9–14 m, Width 18–30 m, Slope 60–70°
C. Height 12–30 m, Width 18–45 m, Slope 50–60°
D. Height 15–23 m, Width 15–30 m, Slope 60–70°

C. Height 12–30 m, Width 18–45 m, Slope 50–60°

In open-pit nonmetallic mining, typical bench dimensions are:

A. Height 12–18 m, Width 24–38 m, Slope 50–60°
B. Height 9–14 m, Width 18–30 m, Slope 60–70°
C. Height 12–30 m, Width 18–45 m, Slope 50–60°
D. Height 15–23 m, Width 15–30 m, Slope 60–70°

D. Height 15–23 m, Width 15–30 m, Slope 60–70°

In open-pit coal mining (Western US), typical bench dimensions are:

A. Height 12–18 m, Width 24–38 m, Slope 50–60°
B. Height 9–14 m, Width 18–30 m, Slope 60–70°
C. Height 12–30 m, Width 18–45 m, Slope 50–60°
D. Height 15–23 m, Width 15–30 m, Slope 60–70°

B. Working bench

In open-pit mining, which type of bench serves as the main level where mining equipment operates and ore is extracted?

A. Safety bench
B. Working bench
C. Catch bench
D. Pushback

B. Safety bench

Which type of bench is designed to ensure pit stability and provide safety, usually located below the crest of a highwall to prevent slope failure?

A. Working bench
B. Safety bench
C. Catch bench
D. Spiral ramp

C. Catch bench

Which type of bench is intended to catch falling rocks or debris from the benches above, minimizing hazards to equipment and personnel below?

A. Safety Berm
B. Safety bench
C. Catch bench
D. Pit bottom

C. 2/3 of the bench height

In open-pit mining, the safety bench is designed to enhance slope stability. Its typical height is approximately:

A. Equal to the full bench height
B. 1/2 of the bench height
C. 2/3 of the bench height
D. Equal to the bench width

C. Equal to the safety bench height plus the cut

In open-pit mining, the working bench is designed to accommodate equipment and ore extraction. Its height is typically calculated as:

A. Equal to the cut height
B. Equal to the safety bench height
C. Equal to the safety bench height plus the cut
D. Equal to twice the safety bench height

C. 1/3 of the bench height

In open-pit mining, the catch bench is designed to intercept falling rocks or debris. Its typical height is approximately:

A. Equal to the full bench height
B. 2/3 of the bench height
C. 1/3 of the bench height
D. Equal to the bench width

B. Safety bench

In open-pit mining, which bench is the portion of the original bench left behind after making the cut to create the working bench, primarily for slope stability?

A. Working bench
B. Safety bench
C. Catch bench
D. Spiral ramp

C. Catch bench

In open-pit mining, which bench is the portion left to intercept falling material at the end of the mine’s life, serving as a final safety measure?

A. Working bench
B. Safety bench
C. Catch bench
D. Pit bottom

A. Safety berm

In open-pit mining, which term refers to a horizontal or nearly horizontal ledge built along the edge of a bench or highwall to prevent equipment or material from falling over the edge and to enhance slope safety?

A. Safety berm
B. Catch bench
C. Working bench
D. Crest