Mining

Mineral – A naturally occurring substance with a specific chemical composition.

Ore – A rock containing valuable metals or minerals.

Strip Mining – Removing surface layers of soil to access minerals beneath.

Subsurface Mining – Mining done underground to reach deep minerals.

Acid Mine Drainage – Pollution from acidic water after mining.

Bauxite – The main ore of aluminum.

Overburden – Layers of rock and soil above a mineral deposit.

Quarries – Open pits for extracting rocks like stone or gravel.

Reclamation – Restoring land after mining or damage.

Open Pit Mining – Large, surface mining method with a deep, wide pit.

Estimated Reserve – Estimated amount of a mineral, based on surveys.

Proven Reserve – Confirmed amount of a mineral, ready for extraction.

Smelting – Heating ores to extract metals.

Tailings/Tailings Pond – Waste materials left after mining, stored in ponds.

Slag – Waste byproduct from metal smelting.

1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act – U.S. law regulating mining and land restoration.

Spoils/Spoil Bank – Waste material removed during mining.